Tone your abdominal muscles and get a flat stomach with these 10 abdominal workouts.
These abdominal workouts strengthen the core muscles that are the muscles around your trunk.
Three key things must happen to achieve toned abs:
- Work up those muscles
- Have genetics in your favor
- Lose fat in the belly
The 10 abdominal workouts below are some of the best abs exercises you can perform. Mix and match these abdominal workouts to build an abs routine that will get you strong and toned in no time.
1. Plank
How to:
- Start sitting on the heels, then walk your hands out until your wrists are under your shoulders when your legs are completely spread, and your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Keep Balance on the balls of the feet, keep the abs engaged, and gaze slightly ahead.
- Hold on for 30 to 60 seconds, then continue directly to the next move.
- After all three of the exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
probably the most effective abs exercise in the game. The plank hits more muscles than most moves. It’s not negotiable to add it to your routine.
2. Side Plank
How to:
- Start lying sideways with the right forearm flat on the ground, the elbow under the shoulder, with both legs spread.
- The body should form a straight line from head to the leg, either stacked or staggered.
- Engage your core and lift your hips.
- Hold on for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side and immediately move on to the next move.
- Once all three of the exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
By working your core, hips, and shoulders one side at a time, side planks help you prevent strength imbalances.
3. Crunch Reverse
How to:
- Start flat on the back, with the legs lifted so that the thighs are perpendicular to the ground and the knees bent.
- Press lower back into the floor, then curl your knees to the chest to lift your hips out of the ground.
- Return to get started with control.
- This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and immediately continue to the next step.
- When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This abdominal workout burns the rectus abdomen, the transverse abdomen, and the oblique without straining your neck and back.
4. Hollow Rock with Hold
How to:
- Sit on a mat with bent knees.
- Place a yoga block between the knees for an extra challenge.
- Squeeze the legs together and engage the abs to raise the bent legs so that the calves are parallel to the floor.
- Then, with control, the rock body goes back to the starting point.
- Pause here for the next three seconds.
- This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and quickly continue to the next move.
- When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This advanced abdominal workout move is a real test of core strength. You can rise to the challenge even more by adding ankle weights.
5. Lateral Bear Walk
How to:
- Start in a bear plank, with shoulders above the wrists and knees under the hips, a few inches off the floor.
- Hold the hips stable, the head in line with the tailbone, and the knees up off the floor. Move the hands and legs left for three steps.
- (Don’t let your legs or hands cross.)
- Then move your hands and legs straight for three steps. This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and quickly continue on to the next move.
- When all three of the exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
In addition to hitting your whole core, this more unusual style of movement is perfect for coordination.
6. Deadbug
How to:
- Start lying on the back with arms stretched towards the ceiling in line with shoulders and legs bent to 90 degrees (knees above hips).
- Keep the lower back pressed to the floor, open abs. Then slowly stretch the lower right leg until the heel almost reaches the floor.
- Pause, then go back to the opposite side to start and repeat.
- This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and quickly continue to the next move.
- When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This slow-and-controlled movement strengthens and stabilizes (good for balance and easing low-back pain) without the possibility of neck strain.
7. V-Up
How to:
- Start lying on the back with the legs extended and the arms on the sides, both on the mat.
- In one movement, lift the upper body, arms, and legs, balancing the tailbone, forming a “V” shape with the body.
- Get the lower back down.
- This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and quickly continue to the next move.
- When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This abdominal workout involves raising your arms and legs, this complicated move gets your heart rate up while pushing your core strength to its limits.
8. Stir the pot
How to:
- Start in a kneeling position with the forearms on the stability ball and the body in a straight line from head to knee.
- Engage the abs and move the forearms in a full circle (so the support ball moves) while still keeping the rest of the body.
- This is one rep. Continue in one direction for 30 minutes. Then repeat in the other direction and quickly continue to the next move.
- When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why It rocks:
The ball’s instability in this advanced move makes it a unique (and intense!) challenge for your core muscles.
9. Cross-Body Iso Deadbug
How to:
- Start by lying on your back with your hands on your sides and your legs straight, your legs flexed.
- Bring the left knee and the right hand together at the hip level. And actively push them against each other until the abs start to tremble.
- Hold on for 10 seconds, then switch sides.
- This is a rep. Hold on for 30 seconds. Then repeat on the other side and proceed immediately on the next move. When all three exercises have been done, rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This move is beginner-friendly, easy on your head and neck, and fast to shake your six-pack muscles.
10. Triple Triple
How to:
- Start on the back, with your knees bent, your feet on the floor about six inches from your butt, and your hands on your head.
- Crunch the chest up to the ceiling three times, keeping the lower back pressed into the mat.
- Then put the shoulders down to the mat to rest.
- Keeping the feet flexed, raise the feet straight up to the ceiling three times, bringing the hips two to three inches down from the mat each time.
- This is a rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, and quickly continue to the next move.
- When all three exercises have been done, stop for 15 to 30 seconds. Then repeat for three to five total rounds.
Why it rocks:
This combination move targets your six-pack muscles from top to bottom. This makes it easy to chew a lot of reps without tweaking your neck.
