This program doesn't take a lot of time, but it will benefit your health, your looks, and improve your performance in other sports and activities. Do this program three times a week. It should take about 15 minutes each time.

When you do each move, pay special attention to the breathing instructions. When you inhale, make it a very slow, deep breath, and feel your body expand with the breath. When you exhale, do it slowly and feel your body get just a little smaller and more relaxed.

The exercises are listed first, and more details about each move follow:

• Toes in the water

• Lean back with open arms

• Swimming

• Plank with leg extensions

• Side plank

Toes in the Water

Lie with your back on the floor, knees bent, and shins in the air, parallel to the floor. Your lower back should be pressed gently toward the floor, with your arms by your sides and your shoulders away from your ears.

Without releasing your abs, slowly drop your right foot toward the floor. You won't be able to get it to the floor, but bring it as far as you can go without losing the contraction in your abs. Bring it back up and repeat with your left foot.

Then, try to drop both feet down. They won't go as far as one went. Repeat this whole sequence five times.

Lean Back with Open Arms

Sit on the ball, butt slightly forward from the top, knees bent, feet on the floor. Contract your abs, and keep your shoulders away from your ears as you bring your arms up in front of you to shoulder height in a circle, fingers close together, and lean back slightly.

Now, turn to your right as you open your right arm out to the side and behind you. Come back to center and repeat to the left without sitting up. Come back to the center. Repeat the sequence five times on each side.

Swimming

Lie with your stomach on the floor, arms over your head, legs out behind you, and abs gently contracted. Keeping your neck long, lift your arms and legs just a little off the floor and start to “swim” with your arms and legs, fluttering them. Do this about thirty times.

Plank with Leg Extensions

Start in a plank position, which looks like the up position of a pushup. Be sure your torso is long and flat, and your abs are contracted. Your arms are strong, but your elbows aren't locked. Now lift your right leg, toes pointing down. Don't lift your leg too high; it should just go high enough so that you feel a contraction in your butt, but your hips should stay level.

Then bend your knee and bring it in toward your chest, once again without changing the line of your hips. Extend your right leg again and then lower your foot to the floor. Repeat on the left side and do this five times on each side.

Side Plank

This is an isometric exercise, which means you just hold the pose, rather than moving through it. It's tough, so here are three variations to try:

1. Hard Side Plank: Put your right leg and your right elbow on the floor, keeping your left leg long, with your left foot on the floor, and your torso straight and long. Your left arm can be down along your side. Hold this position for two to five breaths.

2. Harder Side Plank: Do the same position above, but balance on your right bent leg and your right hand. Hold for two to five breaths.

3. Hardest Side Plank: Start in the plank position. Now, bring the right palm toward your left palm so it's on the floor just below the center of your chest. Now turn your body as you bring the outside of your right foot on the floor in line with the palm. Stack the left foot on top of the right, with the inner edges of the feet in contact. Press the right hand down into the floor and lift the hips, making the legs and torso one straight line. Lift the left arm toward the ceiling, making the arms one straight line. Breathe and hold for two to five breaths. Come back to the plank position and repeat on the left.