I like to keep things simple, however effective. Working out with your own bodyweight and gravity, is something I believe to be smart movement: it’s all you need to stay super fit, in a safe way. However, some intelligent and simple product design to support training can really get my spirits lifted too. Small training tools that I can take along when I travel (and I do this quite a bit!) I especially enjoy to get moving on days I would rather just don’t.

Resistance bands, (self massage) rollers, ankle weights or just some simple water-or sand filled bottles, are enough to add just a tad more challenge and fun to your work out. In the following series of articles ‘simply fit’ we will go through some of my favorite and most effective body-inspired exercises to stay fit, lean and strong, using as little as your own bodyweight and some real simple, cool tools.

In this kick-off, we’ll start with some great and effective abdominal exercises that I do daily to strengthen the core: the very centre of our body that needs to be strong to be able to train all other parts of the body in a balanced manner. The only thing you need is your lovely body and a floor. And gravity. Ok, so far so good – and no money is spent ;-).

Check out these 7 abdominal exercises & win your own BLACKROLL

As you already read in my last article on foam rolling, I like adding a Blackroll to my workouts. Not only to recover faster by ‘rolling it out’ and to shortly warm up, and stimulating my blood circulation, but also to actually use it during my work out to make things more challenging and fun. The following exercises* are inspired by experiences I have collected over the last year, from Pilates and Yoga classes to studying Essentrics . Using the legs as levers, our own body and gravity we’re working on a strong, flat stomach. Simplicity is AWESOME! Check out all the exercises and don’t forget to enter the contest to win your own Blackroll!

* Some of these exercises can (also) be executed with the roller, to make it more fun and challenging.