The workout, created by YouTube trainer Caroline Girvan, focuses on 12 whole minutes of dead bug variations. You’ll need a set of dumbbells to get the most out of this workout — don’t be too ambitious ...

Reverse planks are planks, just reversed. They target and strengthen your abs, arms, shoulders, back, glutes and legs. Our fitness writer did 12 minutes per day for a week.

We've found an abs routine that uses 10 moves in as many minutes to strengthen your mid-body muscles. You won't need any equipment other than a yoga mat either, so it's ideal for those busy days ...

For instance, strong obliques enable our spine to rotate and bend to the side, while the rectus abdominis (our six-pack muscles) assist with flexion, allowing us to bend forward with ease.