Spend any time on social media and you’ll soon see fitness influencers performing abs exercises while barely breaking a sweat, but when working out isn’t your job, even getting through a set of sit-ups can be a challenge.

That’s why I like the workouts certified PTs Vivienne and Mike Addo post on Instagram under their moniker MrandMrsMuscle. Each move is accompanied by an easier modification in the top left corner of the video. That makes their videos more accessible to people who are still working on their fitness and, if you start with the modifications, offer the chance to repeat the workout and progress to the harder moves as you get stronger.

In the bottom right you’ll also see a diagram of the body with the muscles you should be using to perform the exercise highlighted—very handy.

MrandMrsMuscle’s workouts also tend to be short and their most recent post is only four moves and 10 minutes. The workout is taken from the MrandMrsMuscle app and if you’d like to see what else is on offer, there’s currently a seven-day trial available.

This session puts a particular emphasis on the obliques, the muscles that run down the sides of your torso. “The obliques help to stabilize and protect your spine, as well as helping to bend and rotate your torso to the side, so it’s important to include them in your abs workouts,” says PT Ann Brindley of Active Nation, speaking to Coach for its guide to oblique exercises.

Coach also has plenty more short abs workouts for you to add to your routine, including a short five-minute abs workout and 10-minute abs workout.

You probably already know that finishing your workouts with a couple of sets of sit-ups won’t get you a six-pack. Targeted abs workouts on top of a progressive strength training plan are a much more effective way to increase the strength of your abs. 

If you’ve mastered bodyweight abs exercises and want to step up the difficulty, try a dumbbell abs workout.

This workout from James Stirling, better known online as the London Fitness Guy uses a dumbbell to help you target the abdominal muscles by challenging your stability, coordination and strength.

Take a look at Stirling’s Instagram Reel where he demonstrates each move.

Stirling suggests performing each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Complete five rounds in total for a 30-minute workout that will leave your abs burning.

Use a challenging weight, but one that allows you to complete all the moves with good form. If, for example, on the dumbbell halo or overhead pull you can’t maintain your posture it’s a sign that you’ve chosen a weight that’s a bit too heavy. Because you’re isolating the abdominal muscles and relying on them to keep you stable, a lighter weight than you’re used to might still be surprisingly challenging. 

Prevent excess pressure on the lower back by tucking in your ribcage and pelvis, squeezing your glutes (the muscles in your butt) and tightening your abdominal muscles towards your spine. This is especially important as you tire.

If this routine as written is too difficult, you can perform the butterfly sit-ups and plank taps with just your bodyweight—they’ll still challenge your abdominal strength even without adding load. You could also do three rounds of the circuit instead of five.

There isn’t much you can’t train with a kettlebell. You can build muscle in your lower body and upper body, challenge your cardio fitness, and get your entire body working as one with dynamic, functional movements. And if you want to step up your abs workouts, just add a kettlebell.

There are plenty of great kettlebell abs workouts to try and this routine from personal trainers Matt Tralli and Louis Chandler is a great example, with four moves that will train your rectus abdominis (your six-pack) and obliques (your side abs).

All you need for this workout is a kettlebell. Even if you’ve tried these exercises before, choose a lighter weight first so you can get the hang of the sequence and perfect your form. Then you can challenge yourself with a heavier weight when you’re ready for it.

Watch the Instagram Reel where Tralli and Chandler demonstrate each of the exercises.

Tralli and Chandler have set 20 reps of the standing overhead march, 10 reps of the single-arm sit-up on each side, 20 up-and-over reps and 10 woodchops on each side, however adjust the reps, rounds and rest to suit your level of fitness. The workout should pose a challenge, but each exercise needs to be performed with good form.

Your form is really important in each of these moves to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the lower back. Good core engagement will also maximize the benefits of the workout. How do you know you’re engaging your core? Think about keeping your ribcage down, drawing your belly button toward your spine and squeezing your glutes for extra stability. 

If these weighted exercises are too difficult, try some of the best bodyweight core exercises instead, which will also help you build up your core strength. 

If there’s one thing we love about abs training, it’s that targeted abs workout should be short. That’s especially welcome when a routine is as intense as this one from Sweat app founder and trainer Kayla Itsines.

It’s made up of five bodyweight exercises and should only take 10 minutes, depending on how many rounds you choose to do. It’s a great circuit to add on to the end of a longer weights workout. As well as working your abs and obliques, you’ll raise your heart rate and keep it high, helping to burn fat too. 

Take a look at Itsines’s Instagram post where she demonstrates each of the movements.

If any of the movements are unfamiliar to you, Coach has form guides for every exercise and useful form tips too. For instance, certified personal trainer Cara D’Orazio advised that when performing the bicycle crunch, “you want to keep your chin slightly off your chest and your elbows should be going across, so when my right knee is up, my left elbow is going across me to the side. That way it gets into the full oblique.”

One other essential tip from our guide to how to do the burpee is to ensure you’ve warmed up because, according to trainer Dan Baldwin, “the burpee can put a lot of stress through your ankles, knees and wrists.” If you use Itsines’s routine as a finisher you will be warmed up already, but if you’re planning on doing it as a standalone 10-minute workout, add in some warm-up exercises first and make sure you gradually raise your heart rate before getting stuck in.

Dig into our form guides for mountain climbers, walking planks (what Coach calls commandos) and the inchworm (Coach’s name for caterpillar walks) for how to do the other exercises.

For more short abs routines, try this fitness model’s 10-minute abs workout, this eight-minute abs workout, this seven-minute abs workout or five-minute abs workout. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking the workouts get easier as they get shorter. 

An abs workout with no planks? Sign me up. And only 10 minutes long? Even better. Abs workouts are my least favorite way to exercise, but as a runner, I want to reap all the benefits of a strong core: more efficient running mechanics, improved mobility and stability and better posture. I also want to improve my all-round strength, so I’ve made a promise to myself to stop skipping abs workouts.

This week’s core cruncher of choice comes from personal trainer Roxanne Russell. It has a lower abs focus with 10 exercises and no equipment needed. The lower abs aren’t a separate muscle group in the core, but the lower portion of the rectus abdominis muscle. Spoiler alert: there may not be any planks, but the movements are still challenging. Lower ab muscles are hard to work and easy to fatigue. Watch Roxanne Russell’s lower abs workout to see what’s in store.

The format is simple: you do each exercise for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. “You’ll find several of these moves involve lifting and lowering the legs. This is to specifically target the lower abs area,” says Russell. 

Form, as always, is important. If you find your lower back starting to arch up, creating a space between you and the floor, you’ll need to reset. Reengage and tighten your lower abs so that your lower spine comes in contact with the floor again. Alternatively, take a quick break. 

“If the moves become too challenging to maintain good form, you could try placing your hands under your hips. This will support your lower back and help to keep it down. You can also use a soft, flat pillow under the glutes for added support. These are just aids and proper core engagement should be maintained the whole time,” says Russell. 

I found Russell’s hand-under-hips tip particularly useful for keeping my lower back from arching in the flutter kicks.

Russell highlights that if your goal is visible abs then you need more than just lower abs workouts. “You need to match workouts like this with good nutrition and lower body fat. You can’t spot reduce belly fat but you can reduce overall body fat with appropriate changes to your diet. That way you’re more likely to see muscle definition in your abs,” says Russell. 

If you want to work towards abs that pop then check out our six-pack diet tips. If you want stronger abs for running and overall fitness then it’s what’s on the inside that counts

There are many benefits of core work and one of those is feeling like you’re a step closer to sculpting a midsection that resembles Chris Hemsworth’s abs (even if you have no plans to reduce your body fat to the point where your six-pack is visible).

When your abs are burning and you’re trying to squeeze out the last few reps of your abs workout, that’s a more motivating benefit than the thought of improved posture. 

So, we’ll happily recommend this workout from Jodie McKnight, a trainer at F45 Mill Hill , which will help you develop more defined abs that “pop”, as well as stronger core muscles that offer more support for your body.

How To Do This Workout

This workout is arranged into three circuits with two exercises in each circuit. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds then rest for 20 seconds. Perform each circuit twice in total before moving on to the next one. Rest for one minute between circuits.

Workout Overview

Circuit 1

1. Crunch
2. Dead bug

Circuit 2

1. Leg raise
2. Seated leg tuck

Circuit 3

1. Plank
2. Bicycle crunch

Exercise Guides

Circuit 1

1 Crunch

Time 45sec Rest 20sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your arms folded across your chest. Exhale, draw your belly button toward your spine to brace your core, then lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Lower under control to the start.

2 Dead bug

Time 45sec Rest 20sec (60sec after second round)

Lie on your back with your arms and thighs held vertically and knees bent at 90°. Lower your right arm behind you and extend and lower your left leg until both limbs are just above the floor. Pause then return to the start under control. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Alternate sides with each rep.

Circuit 2

1 Leg raise

Time 45sec Rest 20sec

Lie on your back with your hands by your sides pressed into the floor and your legs extended and held vertically (or as close to vertical as your mobility allows). Brace your core and, keeping your legs straight and your back pressed into the floor throughout, lower them slowly until they are just above the floor. Exhale as you raise your legs back to the start.

2 Seated leg tuck

Time 45sec Rest 20sec (60sec after second round)

Sit with your hands on the floor behind you, your knees bent and feet off the floor, and lean back slightly. Extend your legs and lean back further, making sure you keep your back straight throughout. Exhale as you return to the start.

Circuit 3

1 Plank

Time 45sec Rest 20sec

Adopt the plank position, on your forearms and toes, holding your body in a straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your core and hold this position for the duration.

2 Bicycle crunch

Time 45sec Rest 20sec (60sec after second round)

Lie on your back with your shoulders off the floor, your fingers lightly touching the sides of your head, and your legs extended and held just above the floor. Bring your right elbow and left knee to meet then return to the start. Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides with each rep.

What’s the best way to build strong abdominal muscles? With sit-ups, right? Well, only up to a point. Performing a variety of abs exercises using solely your bodyweight can help improve your core strength, but to take it to the next level, eventually you need to intensify your workouts by adding resistance—just as with other muscle groups.  

Exercising with a medicine ball is one of the most effective ways to add variety and introduce external load to your abs workouts because you can hug them into your chest, press them into the floor and shift them around your body in a way that isn’t possible with a cumbersome dumbbell or kettlebell. 

When starting to use a medicine ball with your abs training, start with a fairly low weight as you become familiar with it and as you become more confident, increase the load to progressively overload your workouts. You can also use a medicine ball to test your co-ordination and stability, balancing your hands or legs on it during movements like planks.

This workout, created by level 4 personal trainer Lorna Wilkins, takes just 30 minutes. “Medicine ball exercises are great for strengthening your core, which in turn improves balance and posture,” says Wilkins. “These movements also help improve flexibility, intermuscular coordination and promote the development of explosive strength.” 

Remember, if your goal is to achieve visible abdominal muscles or get a six-pack you need to adjust your diet to reveal your abs, alongside performing weighted abs workouts like this one. Wilkins says this workout can be used as a core-focused finisher after a strength session or on its own. Either way, make sure you warm up properly and include some dynamic stretches to mobilize your joints and activate your muscles. 

How To Do This Medicine Ball Abs Workout

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest, repeating the circuit to complete it four times in total. “Try to complete as many repetitions of each exercise as possible in the given timeframe, all while maintaining good form,” says Wilkins. 

Ideally keep a couple of medicine balls close by so you can increase or decrease the weight as needed. You can also reduce the number of rounds to just one or two and use this medicine ball abs workout as a quickfire finisher.

1 Medicine ball mountain climber

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Get into a high plank position with your hands on top of the medicine ball. Your arms should be extended and your body in a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Brace your core and bring your left knee towards your chest, resisting any rotational movement and keeping your hips level, then return to your starting position. Swap and do the same on the right side. Continue to alternate.

2 Medicine ball Russian twist

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Sit on the floor with your knees bent, holding a medicine ball in front of your chest. Lean back so your torso is at 45° and lift your feet off the floor. Engage your core, twist your torso to the left and lightly tap the ball on the floor. Rotate your torso to the right and repeat on the other side.

3 Medicine ball V-up

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you, holding a medicine ball on the floor behind your head. Keeping your arms straight, engage your core to lift your torso, arms and legs at the same time, and try to touch your feet with the medicine ball. Return to your starting position under control and repeat. You might want to use a lighter medicine ball for this one. 

4 Medicine ball crunch

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back holding a medicine ball close to your chest, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Engage your core and press your lower back into the floor, then curl your upper back and shoulder blades off the ground. Contract your abs muscles hard, then slowly lower your torso back to the starting position. 

5 Medicine ball plank with toe taps

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Get into a high plank position with your hands on top of the medicine ball. Your arms should be extended and your body in a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Brace your core and, keeping back flat, raise your left foot and tap it on the floor a few inches to the left, then return it to your starting position. Repeat the process with your right foot on your right side. Continue to alternate sides.

6 Medicine ball scissor kick

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you, holding a medicine ball above your head with straight arms. Lift both legs so they are pointing straight up. Slowly lower your left leg until it’s just above the floor, then as you raise it back to the starting position, lower your right leg until it’s just above the floor. Continue alternating sides.

7 Medicine ball hollow body hold

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you, holding a medicine ball above your head with straight arms. Press your lower back into the floor and lift your lower back and feet just above the floor. Hold this hollow dish-shape as long as you can, while breathing normally. When you fatigue, pause, reset, then go again. To make it easier, hold the ball just above your chest.

When I committed to adding more abs workouts to my training, I was delighted to find out effective routines don’t need to be that long. Who really wants to spend 30 minutes or more doing crunches, planks or Russian twists? (If you raised your hand, sorry but you’re lying to yourself.)

This is why I love certified personal trainer Roxanne Russell’s videos. They are effective, easy to follow and, above all, easy to fit into your schedule. This week time slipped away from me and my normal gym workout routine took a back seat—but to keep a promise to myself to include more abs work in my week, I grabbed my exercise mat and my dumbbells and got going.

Side note: If you don’t have dumbbells, Russell says you can do this one with kettlebells too. 

Movements in Roxanne Russell’s Abs Workout

1. Dead bug right side
2. Dead bug left side
3. Straight leg crunch reach
4. Sit-up with dumbbell punch
5. Sit-up with twist
6. Russian twist
7. Oblique crunch toe tap right side
8. Oblique crunch toe tap left side
9. Plank drag
10. Plank pike

The routine is just 10 minutes long but there are long work intervals and minimal breaks (50 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds’ rest). Because of my lack of abs and core training (for now, at least), this definitely isn’t my strongest area, so I stuck with fairly light dumbbells throughout. Of course you can make this more challenging by choosing a heavier weight.

By the end of this workout my abs were burning. My face was an unpleasant shade of red and, although I had headphones on so I can’t say for certain, I’m pretty sure my breathing was loud enough for my downstairs neighbors to hear.

The movements I found the most challenging were the single dead bugs, plank passes and plank pikes (I hate planks), but with my light dumbbell weight I was able to make it through all 50 seconds of work.

As short abs workouts go this is probably one of my favorites overall. After just 10 minutes of work, my core section was extremely fatigued, but I didn’t mind because I felt genuinely stronger. Whether I’m short on time or not, this workout will be making a regular appearance in my routine from now on.

If you’d like some more short abs workouts to try, Coach has plenty. This five-minute abs workout and this 10-minute abs workout will strengthen your muscles in next to no time. And you can put a dumbbell to good use with this home abs workout and dumbbell abs workout.

When I think of things to be thankful for, the fact that abs workouts don’t need to be 30 minutes long is right up there. Not number one, obviously, but easily top 10.

Don’t believe you can train them effectively in that time? Trust the experts. When we quizzed Jess King, trainer at F45 Mill Hill, about core training she said, “I would recommend doing core exercises two to three times per week at the end of a training session. Doing five to 10 minutes of core training with two or three exercises is a great way to finish a workout!”

I’m trying to add more abs and core focused training to my regular routine, so this short workout from certified personal trainer Kira Stokes was perfect to tack on to the end of my lower-body workout.

No equipment is required, although you may notice Stokes is using a cushioned balance pad. It’s called the Kira Kushion and Stokes sells it on her website. However I got on fine with just an exercise mat.

Watch Kira Stokes’s Abs-Strengthening Workout

The first movement—a combination of the walking plank and beast hold—should be done for 60 seconds, while Stokes recommends 30-45 seconds for the sprinter sit-ups and V-sits. Stokes suggests performing the entire circuit through with no rest, repeating three to four times.

Disclaimer: I rested between sets, for 15 seconds at first, then closer to 30 seconds as my abs felt more fatigued. That’s OK, though—I can add this session to my training routine and reduce the rest periods each time I perform it. Once I cut the rest periods I can add an extra five seconds a week to the final two exercises. Doing a workout once is great; repeating it and gradually increasing the difficulty each week is how you get stronger.  

Looking for some more abs-focused routines? Coach has plenty of short sessions. There’s a five-minute abs workout and a 10-minute abs workout, and (almost) splitting the difference is this seven-minute abs workout.

We all know the benefits of a stronger core. Better mobility, better stability, better posture… the list goes on. But despite this knowledge, I rarely train my abs or core. I find it tedious, not to mention painful. When I do fit in an abs workout, it’s short and sweet—which neatly describes this 15-minute routine from personal trainer Oyinda Okunowo.

There are just three moves and, better yet, modifications for each one—perfect for someone who rarely trains abs, like me. You don’t need any equipment (excluding an exercise mat if you want a softer surface to lie on) so it’s easy to do at home. I used it as an abs finisher after completing a leg workout with kettlebells.

Watch Oyinda Okunowo’s Abs Workout

Okunowo prescribes three rounds, performing each exercise for 30 seconds (or 30 seconds on each side) with a minute’s rest between exercises, and boy did I need that minute. 

The three moves—versions of the V-sit, oblique crunch and reverse crunch—are simple to follow but the option of using modifications was welcome. By round three I was definitely considering them, but I managed to power through. 

While this workout will help build strength in your abs and obliques, it’s not the only step to take if you’re trying to develop a six-pack. To do that you’ll probably need to reduce your body fat percentage to reveal your abs because although this workout targets abs strength, these moves alone won’t help you develop visible abs. This is because you can’t target specific areas of fat on your body. For visible abs, your body fat percentage needs to be at the lowest end of the healthy range which is a difficult feat, but not impossible. A consistent regime that combines a six-pack-friendly diet with fat-loss workouts and direct abs training is what’s required. But if, like me, you stick to the odd abs session you’ll see plenty of other benefits. Did I mention improved mobility, stability and posture?

The next bits of abs work I’m planning is this dumbbell abs workout, followed by this short five-minute abs workout.

It’s well known that the best abs workouts consist of more than hundreds of crunches and that sit-ups alone won’t result in a six-pack. But that doesn’t mean these famous abs exercises don’t have a place in a gym-goer’s routine, and people who train regularly can tweak the movements to increase the challenge and get more out of each move.

This midsection-focused routine is a great example of that. It comes from level 3 personal trainer Oyinda Okunowo, who posts on TikTok under the handle Oyinda Fitness. And with just three movements, it’s a great routine to add to the end of your main gym workout.

You’ll need to be in the gym unless your home is decked out with fitness equipment. The workout requires a back extension machine and weight plate, a weights bench set to a decline and a cable machine.

Watch Oyinda Fitness’s Abs And Obliques Workout

Okunowo prescribes three sets of the first two movements, with 10 reps of the oblique crunch and 12 reps of the decline sit-up per set, then four sets of 10 reps of the cable crunch.

If you’re training to achieve visible abs, you’ll need to spend as much time on your diet as in the gym. That’s because to reveal your abs, your body fat percentage needs to be at the very lowest end of the healthy range, and for the majority of people it’s hard to get there. Our guide to a six-pack diet outlines what it takes, but the short version is that you’ll follow a high-protein diet and stay in a long-term calorie deficit. 

It takes a lot of work and planning, but if you have disposable income the best meal prep services can make it easier by delivering all your meals and snacks, and enabling you to tailor your nutrition to your training.

There are lots of abs exercises you can do, but even so, kudos to Chris Heria, the founder of the calisthenics program ThenX, for finding and sequencing 20 moves into this abs workout, especially since they’re all bodyweight exercises.

This workout takes just 20 minutes, but will target the abdominal wall and challenge even the strongest and fittest athletes. It’s a no-repeat workout, although be prepared to work through multiple variations of planks, sit-ups and crunches.

It’s a session to come back to regularly if you’re trying to develop six-pack abs, although, as Herria says, when you want to improve the appearance of your abs it’s more important to focus on nutrition. Everyone has abdominal muscles, it’s just that most people's aren’t visible because a totally normal and healthy layer of body fat is covering them. If you have the aesthetic goal of revealing them, a typical six-pack diet involves achieving a calorie deficit and increasing the proportion of protein on your plate. However, strengthening the muscles via workouts like this one will help achieve better muscle definition. 

There are also benefits to building strong abs that have nothing to do with looks. They can help with balance and stability, and improve your efficiency during strength training and aerobic exercise.

You don’t need equipment for this workout and can follow along with Heria in the video below as he demonstrates the 20 exercises.

This session targets a range of muscles including the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and the transverse abdominis. Heria incorporates cardio exercises into the workout—such as burpees and mountain climbers—that will help you burn calories too.

Think about squeezing your core throughout these exercises, because this will ensure your abdominal muscles are engaged and active. It will maximize the strengthening benefits and also make the exercises feel easier.

Looking for more ways to train your abs? Change things up with this standing abs workout, or add weights into the mix with this dumbbell abs workout.

Most gym workouts will end up training your core—it’s central to how you move, after all— but if you’re hoping to make your abs more prominent it’s worth finishing some sessions with dedicated abs workouts (along with following a six-pack friendly diet).

You don’t need long. A five-minute abs workout is a good place to start, but if that feels easy, and even a 10-minute abs workout fails to pose a challenge any more, take on this 15-minute no-repeat routine from personal trainer Caroline Girvan.

Girvan uses one dumbbell to increase the challenge, but using work periods instead of reps makes it more accessible for a range of training levels. Dig out your dumbbell (use a light one if you have the option), roll out your exercise mat and press play on the follow-along video below.

The workout runs through a succession of dead bugs, crunches, sit-ups and planks, requiring you to perform 40 seconds of each variation, followed by a brief five seconds of rest.

Before starting any movement, brace your core, and keep your movements slow and controlled. Focus on using your upper abs when raising your torso and pressing your lower back into the floor while performing the dead bug and the leg raise.

If you feel your form begin to suffer at any point, stop, rest, reset and begin again. 

For more abs routines, try this dumbbell abs workout which can be progressed easily with a heavier dumbbell. If you find exercising on the floor uncomfortable, check out this standing abs workout—it requires a range of equipment, though, so you’ll need access to a gym.

On the days when you don’t have time for a full gym workout, you don’t need to rule out exercising altogether if you’re in the mood to be active. Moving your body a little is better than not moving it at all and you can still strengthen your muscles in a short amount of time.

Abs workouts are great for days when you’re after a workout snack. While compound exercises are great for training your abs and core, direct abs work is well worth adding on top of that. Short abs circuits are mostly easy to do at home too, requiring little if any equipment – you won’t even need to turn the TV off.

This workout from fitness trainer Ali Meltzer is only three movements, and challenges your arms as well as your abs. All you need is a pair of dumbbells, but if you don’t have any equipment at home, the workout will still benefit your abs. You can always check our selection of the best dumbbells for home and see if any pairs suit your budget.

This 10-minute session also works well as a workout finisher, when you’re looking for an extra burn at the end of a strength session. Watch Meltzer demonstrate the movements with the correct form in the Instagram reel below.

Complete each exercise for 30 seconds with 10 seconds of rest, and repeat for a total of five rounds. Ensure your core is engaged throughout the entire workout by squeezing the area between your upper abdominal muscles and your ribs. Keep breathing, though – often people hold their breath while bracing their core.

Concentrate on keeping your arm and shoulder muscles engaged too, especially when lifting the dumbbells overhead. It will promote hypertrophy (building muscle), as well as helping to promote proper form and prevent injury.

Combine Meltzer’s session with this dumbbell legs workout or home legs workout for a full-body burn, and rotate it with this 10-minute abs workout from a fitness model to ensure variation in your training.

When you think of abs workouts, you probably think about crunches and other mat-based  bodyweight exercises. These will certainly help build a strong core, but if you’re frequently training your abs it’s a good idea to vary how you challenge those muscles.

We’ve got this standing abs workout, this lower abs workout and this abs exercises on a pull-up bar to help, and to that selection we’d add this advanced abs workout from Ella-Mae Rayner, a qualified PT and online coach. It uses a power tower, which combines a pull-up bar with a captain’s chair machine, for a seriously effective core workout.

A small study by the University of San Diego found the captain’s chair was one of the most effective ways to engage your abdominal muscles and develop core strength. To our minds, it’s one of the lesser-known pieces of equipment in the gym, so it’s great to see it featured in Rayner’s routine. 

Rayner demonstrated each exercise with the correct form in an Instagram post:

The session combines hanging leg raises and hanging knee raises, performed using both the bar and arm rests, plus a 10-second hold of each movement, and finishing with hanging knee twists to work your obliques.

When doing these exercises it’s crucial you keep your core engaged. Also, try not to swing your hips because this will remove tension from your abdominal muscles so you miss out on the intended stimulus. 

Make sure you warm up before attempting this workout because it requires good mobility. We recommend this simple but effective gym warm-up routine, which will prepare you for any kind of session.

The exercises that involve hanging off the bar require good grip strength. They will also engage your forearms and upper-back muscles. As a result, you might struggle to complete these movements if you’re lacking in upper-body strength. If that’s the case, supplement this workout with our beginner upper-body workout.

If you’ve vowed that 2023 is the year you build stronger abs, then start with this straightforward plan from Alexandra Nixon, a level 3 personal trainer, and online fitness and nutrition coach. She’s devised a week’s worth of abs workouts that involve just two exercises per session.

“We all have abs,” says Nixon. “Some people’s abs are more visible than others depending on body fat levels, but they are there, so they can be trained. Our abs are worked during most compound exercises and some argue that you don’t need to train your abs in isolation.”

While Nixon says that technically you don’t need to train your abs directly, it can be worthwhile if you want them to grow and get stronger – and you probably do because stronger abs can improve your balance, strengthen your back and help prevent injuries. 

Then, Nixon adds, “if you decide to, you can reveal the six-pack you’ve been building by reducing your body fat.” This 30-day abs challenge may help you do just that by mixing isolation moves with HIIT workouts.

How To Do These Workouts

There are three workouts spaced across the work. Each workout consists of a superset – two exercises done back to back. Repeat the superset for a total of three times.

“Ensure you focus on completing each rep slowly and with control, and add more weight as you get stronger,” says Nixon.

Monday Workout

1A Weighted sit-up

Sets 3 Reps 8-10 Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell or other weight across your chest, engage your abs and lift your upper body off the floor, bringing it to your thighs. Pause for one second, then lower slowly.

1B Reverse crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Rest 60sec

Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees bent at 90° and knees directly above your hips.  Keep your hands by your sides, engage your abs, and bring your hips and knees up and in towards your chest, lifting your hips off the floor. Lower slowly.

Wednesday Workout

1A Weighted bent-knee crunch 

Sets 3 Reps 8-10 Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet off the floor, holding a dumbbell with your arms extended. Engage your abs and lift your shoulders off the floor. Keep your head neutral by tucking your chin in to your chest. Lower slowly.

1B Leg raise

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Rest 60sec

Lie on your back with your legs extended and lower back pressed into the floor. Engage your abs and lift your legs, keeping them as straight as possible, until they are pointing at the ceiling. Lower them slowly until they’re just above the floor, then begin the next rep.

Friday Workout

1A Weighted Russian twist

Sets 3 Reps 8-10 Rest 0sec

Sit on the floor with your knees bent, holding a dumbbell in both hands. Lean your torso back 45° and lift your feet slightly off the floor to create a V-shape with your torso and thighs. Engage your abs and rotate side to side slowly, touching the floor with the dumbbell on each side. 

1B Forearm plank 

Sets 3 Time 30-60sec Rest 60sec

Lie on your front, propped up on your forearms and toes. Your elbows should be directly underneath your shoulders. Hold your body in a straight line, engaging your abs and glutes.

If you want to develop the muscles in your midsection you need to work them hard, but you’ll find that exercises that target them directly wear them out pretty quickly. That’s why our recommended abs workouts are so short, and why this 10-minute abs workout designed by fitness model Gilles Souteyrand is so effective. 

“This circuit is easy to follow but works your core incredibly hard, so it forces your abs to become stronger and more defined,” he says. “It’s vital that you activate your abs before you start and then keep them tensed throughout each move to work the muscles close to their capacity. By the end they should be cramping and painful, but that’s what it takes to make them look and perform better.”

Souteyrand was speaking after the launch of his Body By Gilles workout and nutrition plan. This type of direct abs work complements alternating days of high- and low-intensity workouts on the plan. Now in his 40s, Souteyrand also emphasizes the importance of mobility work, and this session employs the kick-out, or sit-out, which is one of our favorite mobility exercises.

How To Do This 10-Minute Abs Workout

Do the nine moves in order for 20sec each, resting for 10sec between moves. At the end rest for 30sec, then repeat the circuit. That’s it.

“Do this at the end of a session a couple of times a week, then change the moves you do – keep changing the exercises to keep your abs guessing,” says Souteyrand. “And always stretch afterwards with some yoga movements.”

Choose from these abs exercises to update the workout once your body is used to the moves below, and use this stretching routine to warm down afterwards.

1 Hollow plank

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why It works your all abs muscles, including the deep-lying stability muscles, as well as strengthening your lower back.

How Lie on your back with your arms and legs fully extended. Contract your abs and raise your hands and feet off the floor. Maintain this tension on your core for 20 seconds without letting your hands or feet touch the floor.

2 Plank side-to-side feet jump and tuck

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why It works your upper and lower abs, as well as your obliques (side abs).

How Start in the top of the press-up position, then jump your feet forwards so your knees come towards your hands. From there kick your legs back and to one side, then bring your knees back into the middle and then out to the other side. Focus on keeping each jump smooth while maintaining tension on your working muscles.

3 Bicycle crunch

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why It primarily works your obliques, but your upper and lower abs are also heavily recruited to keep your upper back and feet up off the floor.

How Lie on your back, then crunch your torso up while lifting your feet from the floor. Crunch and twist your torso so your elbow comes forwards while bringing in the opposite knee, so they meet over your body. Reverse the move to the start position, then repeat with the opposite elbow and knee, making sure you keep your feet off the floor for the full 20 seconds.

4 Rolling plank

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why A tough variation on the classic plank that places more emphasis on your obliques.

How Start in the plank, resting on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders. Roll to one side so that your hip touches the floor, then roll back to the other side so that hip touches the floor. Repeat, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

5 Heel touch

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why Far harder than it looks, this move works your upper abs and obliques.

How Lie with your upper back off the ground, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Crunch and reach forwards with one straight arm to touch your ankle, then go back to the start and repeat on the other side. Keep your upper back off the floor throughout.

6 Side plank crunch

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why Another move that works your obliques, while the crunch movement recruits the small stabilising muscles to keep you balanced

How Start in a side plank position resting on one forearm, with your elbow under your shoulder. Hold your top arm straight out next to your head with your top leg raised. Contract your abs to bring your elbow and knee together, then straighten both back out. Swaps sides for the second set.

7 Legs-together hip thrust

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why One of the hardest and best ways to work your lower abs, which is crucial if you want to turn a four-pack into a six-pack

How Lie on your back with your legs together and raised off the floor, and your arms straight and on the floor. Contract your abs to lift and raise your glutes and lower back off the floor. Hold this position at the top, then lower back to the start and repeat.

8 Press-up kick-out

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why A challenging but rewarding move that works your chest and shoulders as well as your abs.

How Perform a press-up then, as you return to the start position, go onto one hand to raise your torso and kick your leg through, Return to the start position, do another press-up, then repeat but kick through to the other side. Keep each rep smooth and controlled and make sure your abs are fully engaged to prevent yourself from falling over.

9 Plank with leg raise

Time 20sec Rest 10sec

Why Raising your legs alternately will force your entire core to remain activated for the full 20 seconds of work

How Start in the plank position, resting on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders. Brace your core, then raise one foot as high as you can, keeping your leg straight. Lower it again, then raise your other leg. Keep each rep smooth and controlled, and hold your foot in the top position briefly to really work the abs hard.

It is, as everyone knows, really quite hard to get the type of six-pack you see on fitness models, and even harder to maintain it. It is, however, far easier to get a four-pack. If you regularly perform abs workouts and back that up by eating a healthy diet, your upper abs will quickly start to emerge.

Unfortunately the rest of your abs won’t simply follow. The upper abs are the first to show and the easiest to work, because most of the best-known abs exercises target them specifically. That’s why we say sit-ups don’t give you a six-pack. 

The lower abs are a tricky area to home in on. Not only does the area around the lower abs seem to be fat’s favourite place to deposit itself, but celebrity trainer Peter Maciver (who has worked with Dua Lipa, and Marvin and Rochelle Humes, among others) explains that your lower abs need more focus than any other part of your abdominals because they only ever get worked with targeted exercise. 

“You repeatedly use your upper abs with everyday movements like getting out of bed or up from the sofa, so these are always switched on and getting worked, whereas your lower abs aren’t,” he says.

Maciver has devised a four-move routine to target your lower abs. Fair warning: unless you’re the lowest end of the healthy body-fat percentage range you’re unlikely to see visible lower abs muscles. However, there are plenty more benefits to strengthening your core muscles – which include your lower abs – ranging from better running form to improved posture.

Convinced? Sure you are, so here are three lower abs workouts to add to your training. The first is from Maciver, then we have two more that employ a pull-up bar or gym rings to expand the range of lower abs exercises in your abs arsenal.

We suggest gymnastic rings because they create more instability, which is great for developing your core strength, but you can also use a pull-up bar. If you want to save money, cancel your gym membership, buy one of our recommendations of the best pull-up bars and perform these sessions at home. 

Five-Minute Lower Abs Workout

Complete the allocated reps for each of the moves below and if your lower abs can stomach it, repeat the entire circuit for up to three times in total.

1 Leg raise 

Time 30sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back with your feet together and legs extended, with your hands by your sides, palms down on the floor. Raise your legs, keeping your hands flat on the floor and your lower back pressed into the floor. Slowly lower your legs, stopping just above the floor, and pause for a moment before raising your legs back up. 

2 In and out

Time 30sec Rest 15sec

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms in front of you, lift your feet off the floor and draw your knees to your chest. Simultaneously lower your torso and extend your legs in front of you, then bring your knees and chest together again. Repeat the movements with control. 

3 Toe tap

Time 30sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back and raise your legs into tabletop position, with a 90° bend at your hips and knees. Keeping the bend in your knee, lower your right foot to tap the floor, then return to the start. Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

4 Reverse crunch

Time 30sec Rest 15sec

Lie on your back and raise your legs into tabletop position, with a 90° bend at your hips and knees. Use your lower abs to bring your knees towards your chest and lift your hips (and only your hips) off the floor. Return to tabletop position and repeat.

Superset Lower Abs Workout

Our next two lower abs workouts combine a superset with a tri-set to fatigue your lower abs in less time by reducing the rest time between exercises. 

The superset in this first session works your core and lower abs especially hard as you move your legs upwards, downwards, left and right. Keep each rep quite fast but always controlled so it’s your muscles that do the work, not just your legs swinging back and forth. 

Then the tri-set targets your entire core, which must maintain tension to keep your body stable, as well as your side abs with the introduction of movements that keep your body guessing.

1A Hanging knee raise

Targets Entire core

Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 30sec

Hang from a set of rings or pull-up bar with an overhand grip and straight legs. Brace your abs, then draw your knees up towards your chest. Hold this position for a one-count, then lower back to the start. That’s one rep.

1B Hanging knee twist

Targets Entire abs and core

Sets 4 Reps 15 each side Rest 60sec

The set-up is the same as move 1A, except once your draw your knees up, you keep them bent and rotate them one side, then the other, alternating sides for the duration of the set.

2A Alternating leg raise

Targets Lower abs

Sets 4 Reps 25 each leg Rest 30sec

Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head, holding your feet just off the floor with legs straight. Raise one leg and lower it again, then repeat with the other leg.

2B Plank jack

Targets Entire core

Sets 4 Reps 25 Rest 30sec

Start in a plank position resting on your forearms with feet together. Jump your feet out to the sides, then back in again. That’s one rep.

2C Superman plank

Targets Entire core

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Start in a plank position resting on your forearms with feet together. Lift your left leg while extending your right arm forwards, then bring them back to the start position. Repeat with the opposite limbs. That’s one rep.

Lower Abs Workout On A Pull-Up Bar

The first part of this workout is done entirely from a pull-up bar or gym rings and is a pre-fatigue superset. The hanging leg raise comes first to really test your abs, so when you move on to the slightly easier hanging knee raise, you will already be fatiguing so additional muscle fibres will be recruited to help with the reps. This means you work your abs harder in less time.

The subsequent tri-set targets your lower abs and your obliques. These reps should be fast yet controlled – the key is to get into a smooth and regular rep movement pattern while maintaining tension throughout your entire core. Be prepared: this tri-set is tough and your abs will burn, so extend the rest periods slightly if you need a little more recovery time.

1A Hanging leg raise

Targets Lower abs and core

Sets 3 Reps 8-12 Rest 0sec

Hang from rings or a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Brace your abs and raise your legs, keeping them straight, until they are parallel to the floor. Pause for a one-count, then lower.

1B Hanging knee raise

Targets Lower abs and core

Sets 3 Reps 15-20 Rest 60sec

Hang from rings or a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Brace your abs, then draw your knees up until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause for a one-count, then lower.

2A Garhammer raise

Targets Lower abs and core

Sets 4 Reps 20-25 Rest 20sec

Start at the top of the hanging knee raise, then squeeze your abs to raise your knees higher. Lower back to the start, keeping tension on your abs throughout. Ensure these reps are fast but controlled.

2B Hanging knee side raise left

Targets Lower abs and obliques

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Rest 20sec

Hang from rings or a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Brace your abs, then draw your knees up and to your left-hand side. Pause for a one-count, then lower.

2C Hanging knee side raise right

Targets Lower abs and obliques

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Rest 60sec

Hang from rings or a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Brace your abs, then draw your knees up and to your right-hand side. Pause for a one-count, then lower.

For most areas of the body, a five-minute workout is unlikely to leave a lasting impression, but regularly adding a short abs routine to the end of a longer session in the gym can make a world of difference. 

Case in point: this five-minutes abs workout from 1Rebel coach Augusta Woods, which is a ruthlessly effective way to target your abs – although it may feel longer than five minutes while you’re doing it. While it’s challenging, we found it treads the fine line between progress and pain. If you find it too hard for your level, it scales easily, making it the perfect abs challenge for all comers.

“It’s called Hollow Victory,” says Woods, “because by the end you’ve definitely achieved something, but it will leave you feeling it. Plus, there’s a tonne of hollow holds.

“You work straight through for five minutes: 30 seconds of a static hold, then 30 seconds of a high-intensity exercise that will target your core. All the exercises will test your core, but returning to the hollow hold each time demands willpower and focus – you have to pay strict attention to form when your body is starting to fatigue.

“If 30 seconds sounds too intense to begin with, then try going down to 20 seconds or even 10 seconds for every exercise. You will know after the first attempt where you’re at, then remember that level and try to build upon it the next time. You can also mix and match different exercises – the key is keeping the hollow holds as your base.”

You’ll find many more moves to sub in with our collection of the best abs exercises, or you can vary the routine using one of these three abs workouts which target your upper, lower or side abs in turn.

Five-Minute Abs Workout

1 Hollow hold

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with your legs together and extended, with your arms extended behind your head and your lower back pressed into the floor. Raise your legs and arms about 15cm off the ground and lift your shoulders as well. Keep your core engaged and lower back pressed into the floor throughout the hold.

2 Plank

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Lie on your front, then raise your body supporting yourself on your forearms and the balls of your feet. Engage your core and glutes to align your body in a straight line from shoulders to ankles.

3 Hollow hold

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

4 Mountain climbers

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Lie on your front, then raise your body supporting yourself on your hands and the balls of your feet, with arms extended and hands under your shoulders. Drive one knee at a time to your chest, keeping your back straight. Continue at pace.

5 Hollow hold

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

6 Toe touch

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Lie on your back, extend your legs and point your toes at the ceiling. Slowly raising your back off the floor, reach up with both arms to try to touch your toes, then return your back to the floor.

7 Hollow hold

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

8 Walking plank

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Adopt the plank position. Then, keeping your core tight and your hips in line with your shoulders and ankles, push up to the high plank position one hand at a time, finishing with your arms extended and hands underneath your shoulders. The slower you complete this move the better. Alternate your leading hand.

9 Hollow hold

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

10 Bicycle crunch

Time 30sec Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with your hands touching the sides of your head, elbows pointing sideways. Raise both legs off the ground and then slowly bring one knee up towards your chest, and the opposite elbow towards the knee. Alternate sides.

More Short Workouts

• 10-Minute Abs Finisher
• 10-Minute Workouts That HIIT It Hard
• The Six-Move Six-Pack Home Workout To Build Abs
• Five Minutes Of Fire Legs Workout Challenge

Right off the bat we should say this is not that eight-minute abs workout from the 1990s, featuring US trainer Jaime Brenkus. This is a spicy abs finisher created exclusively for Coach by Saman Munir, trainer at EvolveYou, which is a workout app for women. It’s not intended to be a short daily session – it’s a smart way to end a cardio workout or weights workout.

“A finisher is an advanced workout technique that involves quick, intense bursts of cardio and/or strength exercises performed at the end of your regular workout. It will make sure that you’ve completely emptied the tank,” says Munir.

The workout finisher below is made up of four bodyweight exercises. Work for 40 seconds, then take a 20-second breather before going onto the next move. 

Complete two rounds of this circuit in total.

8-Minute Abs Workout

1 In and out

Time 40sec Rest 20sec

Sit with your feet off the floor, back straight and knees close to your chest. Extend your legs away from you and lower your torso, keeping your back straight. Before your feet or torso touch the floor, use your core muscles to drive your knees back to your chest, then slowly straighten your body out again.

2 Sit-up to rotation

Time 40sec Rest 20sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, your hands by your head with your elbows pointing to the sides. Using your core, raise your torso and as you do so, lift your right knee and rotate your torso so the left elbow moves to meet it. Return to the start and repeat on the other side. Alternate sides with each rep. 

3 Walking plank

Time 40sec Rest 20sec

Start in a high plank position, holding your body in a straight line from shoulders to heels, supporting yourself on your hands and toes, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. With your core engaged, lower onto one forearm, then the other, then push back up to your hands one side at a time. Keep your body as straight as possible throughout.

4 Mountain climber

Time 40sec Rest 20sec

Start in a high plank position. Bring your left knee to your right elbow, return to the start, and then repeat with the right knee to the left elbow. Keep alternating sides at pace, engaging the core and ensuring your hands stay directly underneath your shoulders when on the floor.

There’s a good reason why the gym ball is often used for abs workouts: the instability it creates makes all the best core exercises that little bit more challenging. Keeping yourself balanced while resting on the ball engages all your stabiliser muscles and builds functional strength that will help you in other workouts and also benefit you in your everyday life.

This quick gym ball workout targets muscles all over the body, but your midsection in particular, since with every move your core will be working overtime to keep you balanced on the ball.

Aim for three rounds of the four-move circuit, doing the exercises back to back and then resting for 90 seconds. If you have time, you can always go for another circuit, or add in some more gym ball exercises. Add two extra reps to every move once the circuit stops posing a challenge.

Gym Ball Abs Workout

1 Press-up

Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Rest your feet on the ball and walk your hands out into an elevated plank position. Lower your chest until it’s hovering just above the floor, then push back up.

2 Pike 

Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Start in a plank position with your shins and the tops of your feet resting on the ball. Use your feet to roll the ball towards your chest while you raise your hips towards the ceiling to form an inverted V. Roll the ball back out again.

3 Back extension

Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Lie face down with your hips supported by the ball and your feet on the floor. Place your hands by your temples and engage your core, glutes and hamstrings, then raise your chest and straighten your legs. Then lower back to the start.

4 Glute hamstring raise

Reps 8 Rest 90sec

Lie on your back with your shoulders on the floor and your heels resting on the ball. Engage your core to raise your hips and form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Use your feet to roll the ball towards your bum, then roll it away again.

So we lied in the headline, there is no shortcut to a six-pack, but we do promise you that this medicine ball abs workout is a terrific way to challenge your core and will eventually result in a six-pack if you combine it with other abs workouts and eat healthily. A white lie at worst.

If you haven’t been using medicine ball exercises in your abs training to date, then you’ve been missing out, because the medicine ball is a tool you can use to challenge your core in a number of ways. Those include chucking the ball about, resting on it to create an unstable base during exercises, and just using it to add extra weight to a move.

To enjoy all those benefits you’ll need to add one to your home gym, and our round-up of the best medicine balls can help if you don’t have one already. Alternatively, hit the gym where you’ll generally find a variety of balls going largely unused while people queue for dumbbells and barbells. The fools. Once you have your medicine ball in hand, tackle this challenging six-move abs workout.

Press-up

Reps 12

This six-move med ball circuit – of which you’ll do four rounds in total – kicks off with a tough variation of the classic press-up. Doing it with your hands on the ball works your core far harder than in normal press-ups, and you’ll work your chest, shoulders and triceps too.

How to do it Assume the press-up position but with your hands on the ball rather than flat on the floor. Engage your core, then bend your elbows to lower your chest. Press back to the top.

Crunch

Reps 12

The classic crunch is great for working your upper abs, but this variation – where you hold the med ball against your chest then raise it high at the top of each rep – gives these muscles a far harder challenge.

How to do it Start in the standard crunch position with your back on the floor, your feet together and your knees bent. Hold the ball with your hands either side of it. Contract your abs to raise your torso, and then straighten your arms to lift the ball as high as you can.

Crunch with twist

Reps 12

The weight of the med ball makes this move more difficult because your upper abs and side abs need to be firing on all cylinders to lift your torso, then move it from side to side, then lower back to the start. Make it even harder by not letting your upper back hit the floor between reps.

How to do it The move is similar to the previous one, except at the top of each rep you rotate the ball, with straightened arms, to one side then the other, before returning to the start.

Leg raise

Reps 12

If you want a six-pack then it’s vital you don’t neglect your lower abs. Give them the attention they deserve with this move.

How to do it Lie flat on the floor with straight legs and the med ball held tight between your feet or ankles. Lay your arms flat by your sides. Raise your feet off the floor, pause, then raise them as high as you can while keeping your legs straight. Pause at the top, then lower them slowly. Don’t let your heels touch the floor in between reps.

Throw

Reps 12

This explosive move requires you to move your whole body powerfully and quickly to get your abs working as a single unit to encourage faster and more impressive growth.

How to do it Stand tall holding a med ball in both hands. Squat down, then powerfully push through your heels to jump high. As your feet leave the ground, extend your arms to throw the ball as high as you can directly overhead. Catch it, then go straight into the next rep.

Slam

Reps 12

Each circuit finishes with a set of heart rate-raising, core-crunching explosive med ball slams. The key here is to slam the ball into the ground as hard as possible: the harder you do, the more your abs are working close to capacity. Imagine you’re trying to make a hole in the floor (but don’t actually).

How to do it Stand tall with the ball in both hands. Raise it above your head, then slam it straight down into the floor in front of you. Catch it and repeat immediately.

The best abs workouts involve more than just sit-ups, and to help you vary your training this standing abs workout shows off an array of exercises to target all the muscles in your midsection.

This means you’ll be working your lower abs, upper abs and obliques, as well as the deep-lying core muscles that are so important to functional strength and injury prevention.

“While it is always tempting to chase a six-pack, our deep stabilising core muscles drive movement and keep us safe by reducing the chance of injury,” explains personal trainer Luke Hamilton, owner of Hamilton Fitness. “Ideally, we should learn to activate and strengthen all areas of the core to build a solid foundation, free from injury.”

Standing up to perform your abs workout makes it easier to work through different planes of motion as well, which is the best way to ensure you’re targeting the whole core, rather than just the showy muscles on the front that you hit with sit-ups. This abs workout consists of five moves that will have you working in the frontal (side to side movement), transverse (rotation), and sagittal (forward and backwards) planes. 

It takes only 15 minutes but requires some equipment in the form of resistance bands, a kettlebell and battle ropes, so it’s probably one for the gym unless your home is unusually well equipped. If you have a pair of dumbbells, try this abs workout with weights instead, which also keeps you on your feet.

How To Do The Workout

This is an EMOM workout, which stands for “every minute on the minute”. Do the stated reps of each exercise, then rest for the remainder of the minute. Start your next exercise on the minute until you have completed each exercise and repeat for a minimum of three rounds.

Hamilton recommends using the first round to figure out and adjust your reps, increasing or decreasing them as necessary. A – aim to finish the reps within 45 seconds, leaving 15 seconds of rest.  Do all the reps on one side, and then move on to the next.

You will need a resistance band and battle ropes for this workout but other exercises can be performed with any weights you have available. If you’re a beginner, use lighter weights until you have perfected your form. 

1. Resistance band woodchop 

Reps 8-10 each side

Secure a long loop resistance band to something heavy, approximately half a meter to your left. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band to the outside of your left hip. Engage your core and rotate your torso to the right, then drive the band above your right shoulder. Rotate back to your starting position for one rep. Your arms should be extended throughout the movement. Maintain a soft bend through your knees and begin with a lighter band until you’ve nailed the technique.

2. Side bend

Reps 8-10 each side

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold your chosen weight by your side. Bend to one side at the waist, keeping the weight close to the outside of your leg and letting it reach knee level. Then, in a controlled manner, drive the weight back to the starting position to complete one rep. Try to avoid leaning forwards or backwards, and keep your head neutral to ensure the pressure doesn’t shift to your lower back. 

3. Standing Russian twist

Reps 8-10 each side

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold your chosen weight close to your chest. In a controlled manner, rotate your torso to the left and keep your hips facing forwards. Rotate back to the center to complete one rep and repeat on the right side. To avoid excess pressure on your lower spine, allow your hips to rotate as well. 

To progress this exercise, extend your arms in front of you to increase loading on the shoulders and arms, and increase core activation. 

4. Kettlebell swing

Reps 8-10 each side, or 20 if using both hands

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your chosen weight between your legs. Engage your core, keep a slight bend in your knees, and maintain a flat back as you hinge forwards at your hips and let the weight swing between your legs. Drive your hips forward in a thrusting motion to send the weight up to shoulder height, then control the descent back down. This is one rep.

Aim for 20 reps or swing a lighter weight with one hand for eight to 10 reps. For an extra challenge, use both hands and swing the weight above shoulder height – this requires more effort by your core to control the movement. 

5. Battle ropes wave

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and bend your knees to lower into a half-squat. Take hold of the handles with your palms facing, and stand close enough to the ropes so that you don’t have to reach forwards. Engage your core and pull your shoulders back and down. Keep your back straight. Flick your wrists as fast as possible to raise and lower the ropes, sending waves down the ropes.

The art of this exercise is the subtle flicking of the wrists. Try not to use your entire arm to pull the rope up and down. 

Just because you’re not chasing a six-pack, it doesn’t mean you should neglect your abs. Personal trainer and performance nutritionist Tarek Shuhaibar has created a seven-move workout that won’t just fire up all the muscles in your midsection, it will also help your weightlifting workouts.

“During pretty much all of the major compound lifts – such as back squats and deadlifts – being able to maintain a neutral and stable pelvis under load is a key factor in being able to progress,” says Shuhaibar. “If you find your core losing tension and pelvis tilting, your form will break down and you may risk injury. The moves in this abs routine will teach you how to keep your hips and core stable.”

You don’t need any equipment for the following workout. Shuhaibar recommends spending one minute on each exercise with minimal rest between moves. If you struggle to hold each exercise for a minute, start at 30 seconds and build up the time you spend on each move over subsequent sessions. 

1 High plank

Lie on your front, then push yourself up so you are supported on your toes and hands. Your arms should be extended and your wrists are directly under your shoulders. Engage your core and hold your body in a straight line. 

2 Side plank left

Lie on your left side with your left forearm on the floor perpendicular to your body, and your elbow under your shoulder. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line. Raise your right arm or rest your right hand on your hips. 

3 Side plank right

Repeat the side plank movement on the other side.

4 Forearm plank

Rather than supporting your body with your hands, as in the high plank, use your forearms, with your elbows directly under your shoulders, and your hands flat on the floor. Engage your core and hold your body in a straight line. 

5 Reverse plank

Lie on your back. Extend your arms to raise your body, supporting your weight on your heels and hands, with your wrists under your shoulders. Engage your core and hold your body in a straight line.

6 Dish hold

Lie on your back with your legs together and arms by your sides. Engage your core and draw your bellybutton in towards the floor, then lift your legs and arms just off the floor. Keep your lower back in contact with the floor throughout. 

7 Prone cobra

Lie on your front with your arms by your sides. Squeeze your legs and glutes, and lift your arms and chest, but keep your lower stomach in contact with the floor. Squeeze your shoulder blades and keep looking at the floor. 

In general, we’re all about the long term when it comes to fitness. Getting in shape can take a long time, and keeping yourself in shape is the work of a lifetime. However, there’s a lot to be gained from short-term challenges and goals as well. Not only are they a great way to kick-start your fitness and motivation, but you can also achieve an astonishing amount in just 30 days.

This 30-day abs challenge is the perfect example of those benefits. If you follow each of the workouts closely, you’ll finish the month with a stronger core and more defined abs. Whether they’ll be defined enough to class as a six-pack is hard to say – what you do in the kitchen is a big part of that – but we can promise more definition, better posture and improved mobility.

The challenge has been designed by trainer Taofique Folarin. With this plan, you’ll be working out on 26 of the next 30 days, doing either core exercises or a HIIT workout.

All the info you need to complete the plan is below – you just need to bring a can-do attitude. Once you finish the plan you might well feel that something’s missing from your life afterwards, so to help fill the void you can take on one of the other abs workouts we’ve added below.

How To Do This 30-Day Abs Challenge

“This challenge not only targets all parts of the abdominals but also works your core endurance,” says Folarin. “It builds in intensity, allowing you to notice your improvements every day, until you have mastered each exercise by day 30.”

The workouts use only bodyweight exercises so you can do them anywhere and any time you have a spare moment, making it easier to stick to the plan whatever life throws at you. Even better, the exercises are suitable for all fitness levels.

Each week of the plan involves doing the same workout for five days, increasing the difficulty of the workout by adding ten seconds to the time you perform each exercise each day until you hit 60 seconds. The timer resets at the start of the next week, but you also add an exercise to the workout. So in week 1 you’re doing a three-move workout, in week 2 a four-move workout, and so on.

You’ll also up the intensity once a week with a HIIT workout done at an interval ratio of 40 seconds’ work, 20 seconds’ rest, for five sets. “The HIIT will improve your endurance and burn the fat so you reveal those solid abs you have been building,” says Folarin.

Then, on days 29 and 30, you round off the plan with your hardest HIIT and abs workouts of the period to demonstrate (to yourself and whoever may be watching – be it your flatmate or fellow gym-goer) how much you have progressed.

30-Day Abs Challenge

Pin or print the 30-day abs challenge, or keep scrolling to find it written out as well as form guides for each exercise.

Abs Exercises Form Guides

Dead bug

Lie on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your legs raised with your knees bent at a 90° angle. Simultaneously lower your right leg, straightening it as you do, and left arm towards the ground, until they are just above the floor, then bring them back up and repeat with the opposite limbs.

Sit-up

Lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees and your feet on the floor. Use your core muscles to lift your torso off the ground until it is vertical, then lower back to the start.

Russian twist

Sit on the floor with your legs bent at the knees and feet held just above the ground. Lean back so your upper body is at a 45° angle to the floor. Link your hands together in front of your chest then twist your torso from side to side.

Leg raise

Lie on your back. Keeping your legs as straight as you can, raise them until the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. Lower slowly back to the start.

Mountain climber

From a press-up position, bring one knee up to your chest at pace, then the other. Continue, alternating knees.

Walking plank

From a plank position supported by your forearms, move one hand at a time to get up into a press-up position, then drop back onto your forearms one arm at a time.

HIIT Exercises Form Guides

High knees

Run on the spot, bringing your knees as close to your chest as possible.

Frogger

From a press-up position jump both legs forwards so that your feet land outside your hands. Then jump your feet back to the starting position.

Tuck jump

From standing, jump as high as you can, lifting your knees towards your chest. Land softly and go straight into another jump.

Burpee

From standing, drop into a press-up position (and do a press-up, if you like), then jump your feet back to your hands, stand up and leap straight up. Land softly and repeat.

What To Eat During The 30-Day Abs Challenge

If you’re tackling this challenge in the hope of eventually carving out a six-pack, then you’ll need to pay as much attention to your diet as you do to your workouts to achieve your goals. Beyond staple diet advice that works for everyone, like drinking plenty of water and getting at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, you’ll benefit from keeping an eye on your overall calorie intake and ensuring you eat enough protein to support your muscle repair and growth.

We have a four-week muscle-building diet plan you can use, plus a four-week meal plan to lose weight, both of which will ensure you’re eating a balanced diet while eating the right kind of stuff to hit your fitness goals.

There is also the option to outsource the cooking by using a healthy meal delivery service, which will prepare all your meals for you in line with your stated fitness goals and activity levels. Or, if that seems a little too expensive, you can at least let others plan your meals and do your shopping for you by signing up with a recipe box service like HelloFresh or Gousto.

More Abs Workouts

Upper abs, lower abs and obliques circuits

This trio of circuit workouts cover every part of your abs and are the perfect way to progress your core training if you finish the 30-day challenge desperate for more. You can do the upper abs and obliques workouts without any equipment, but you will need a pull-up bar for the lower abs circuit. See the workout

Dumbbell abs workout

If you have a single dumbbell to hand, put it to good use with this quick and effective core workout. You’ll be doing six circuits of five moves, resting only at the end of each round to keep your core muscles working hard for a sustained period. See the workout

Lower abs workout

If you have aspirations to carve out a six-pack it’s vital that you spend time focusing on the lower abs or you’ll end up with a beautifully defined four-pack. This tough session uses a mix of hanging exercises (you can use gym rings or a pull-up bar) and floor moves to put your lower abs to work. See the workout

More Challenges

• Do The 30-Day Plank Challenge
• Try The 30-Day Squat Challenge To Build Functional Muscle
• Attempt The 30-Day Press-Up Challenge
• Take The 30-Day Burpee Challenge

The best abs workouts for building a six-pack usually involve a mix of dedicated abs moves as well as compound exercises that engage big muscle groups, which build strength all over the body while also working your core. 

This approach is great for sculpting a six-pack, because you not only work the core muscles but also burn more calories through the challenging full-body compound moves, which helps reduce body fat to reveal the abs beneath.

However, to take this approach you generally need access to a gym, or an impressively well-stocked home gym that has heavy free weights to use for compound moves like barbell squats and deadlifts. 

If you don’t have that, then this home abs workout is a great alternative for those aiming to build a stronger core and more defined abs. The workout uses high-rep sets done as supersets to keep your abs under constant tension, and it works your core from a range of angles so all the muscles in your midsection get stronger. 

All you need for the session is one dumbbell. Although you’re doing high-rep sets there are only six exercises and not a lot of rest, so it’s a speedy workout you can easily fit into a lunch break or add to the end of a home HIIT workout.

Home Abs Workout

This session is made up of six moves, split into three supersets—which means you do two exercises back to back with little or no rest between them. That means you complete all the reps of move 1A then the same for 1B, only resting after all the reps of the second move. You’ll do three supersets of moves 1A and 1B then repeat this approach with moves 2A and 2B, and with 3A and 3B.

In the first superset the moves work your upper abs, then your side abs. The second superset hits your lower abs, then side abs, and the final superset primarily targets your side abs. Do this home abs workout once a week for a month and you’ll see your abs become stronger and more sculpted.

The workout requires a dumbbell. If you don’t have one, use our recommendations of the best dumbbells to find one which suits your budget, or go the DIY route and rustle up a makeshift free weight—anything from a tin of beans to a brick works.

To sculpt hard abs faster, engage your entire core region before you begin the first rep of each set. Starting with these target muscles fully activated means you’ll maintain better form during the set and work your abs harder.

1A Dumbbell crunch reach

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 0sec

Targets: upper abs

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and a dumbbell held above your chest with arms straight. Crunch upwards, raising the weight as high as you can. Pause at the top of the movement, squeeze your abs, then lower back to the start.

1B Seated dumbbell Russian twist

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 2min

Targets: side abs

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet slightly raised, holding a dumbbell in front of you secured in both hands. Keeping your feet off the floor, twist to one side, pause, and then twist to the other. That’s one rep.

2A Straight leg raise

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 0sec

Targets: lower abs

Lie flat on your back with your legs straight. Engage your abs and keeping your legs straight, raise your feet as high as you can, then slowly lower them again. Make it harder by not letting your feet touch the floor between reps.

2B Straight-leg side twist

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 2min

Targets: side abs

From the top position of the previous move, keep your legs together and slowly lower your feet down to one side, then back up and over to the other. That’s one rep. Keep each rep smooth and controlled.

3A Standing dumbbell Russian twist

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 0sec

Targets: side abs

Stand tall with your arms out in front of you holding a dumbbell. Keeping your hips forwards, rotate your hands to one side and then back across to the other. Keep the reps smooth and your arms parallel to the floor.

3B Dumbbell side bend

Sets 3 Reps 15 each side Rest 2min

Targets: side abs

Hold a dumbbell in one hand and bend your torso down towards your weighted hand, then straighten back up and lean slightly away to the other side. Keep your movement side-to-side only; don’t lean forwards or backwards.

Your body is very clever. But the problem with it being so adaptable and quick to respond to change is that if you only ever train your abs through crunches, it will soon get used to this training stimulus and so has no need to make these muscles bigger, stronger and more defined. The solution is to introduce some extra training stimulus to force your abs back into growth, and this five-move dumbbell session will do just that. Select a weight that allows you to complete all the reps of all the sets with good form, and fully engage your entire core before starting each set.

Superset

This superset not only works your abs hard – because they must manage the weight as you move up and down – but it also involves multiple other muscle groups to send your heart rate soaring, eliciting a fat-burning response as well as a muscle-building one.

1A Thruster

Targets Entire abs and core

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 30sec

Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Keeping your abs tight, squat down, then stand back up – pressing your hands directly overhead as you do. Pause briefly at the top, then go straight into the next rep.

1B Lunge press

Targets Entire abs and core

Sets 4 Reps 6 each side Rest 60sec

Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Keeping your abs tight, take a big step forwards and lunge down, pressing the weights directly overhead. Return to the start, then repeat, alternating your leading leg.

See related

• The Best Abs Workout: Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs, And Obliques And Core
• The Best Abs Exercises For All Levels Of Gym-Goer

Triset

This tri-set targets still works your main abs, but also hits the obliques or side abs too with the introduction of rotational and sideways movements. Keep all reps controlled and remember: concentrate on keeping your entire core engaged from the first rep until the very last.

2A Lunge rotation

Targets Abs and obliques

Sets 4 Reps 12 each side Rest 10sec

Start tall, holding a dumbbell in both hands overhead. Take a big step forwards and lunge down, bringing the weight down and over your leading knee. Return to the start and repeat, alternating your leading leg.

2B Woodchop

Targets Lower abs and obliques

Sets 4 Reps 12 each side Rest 10sec

Holding a dumbbell in both hands, squat down and move the weight to one side. Stand back up and raise the weight above your opposite shoulder. Do all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.

2C Side bend

Targets Lower abs and obliques

Sets 4 Reps 12 each side Rest 30sec

Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your other hand against your head. Bend down to the side holding the dumbbell, tensing your abs as you do. Pause at the bottom position, then stand back up. Do all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.

You can get fit at home without using any weights at all, but if you add resistance with a set of dumbbells you can add a new dimension to your home workouts. This dumbbell abs workout will do wonders for your core strength, and one weight is all that’s required.

While the core is the focus of this dumbbell workout, which targets your abs, obliques and lower back, the five exercises involved will also work muscles in your upper and lower body. It’s an effective home dumbbell workout that anyone can tackle, and you can adjust the difficulty by picking a weight appropriate for you.

If you don’t own dumbbells and plan to perform this session at home, we recommend buying an adjustable dumbbell so you can increase the weight once your body becomes accustomed to the workout. You’ll find a wide range of options in our selection of the best dumbbells. A set of dumbbells is a worthwhile investment, not least because this home abs workout uses one as well. 

How To Do This Dumbbell Abs Workout

Do the following five moves in order, performing 15 reps of a lift then moving on to the next one without rest. After the final move, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat. Do six circuits in total. Make the circuit easier with a lighter dumbbell, or harder with a heavier one. Here are our suggested weights.

Beginner 8kg
Intermediate 12kg
Advanced 16kg

1 Swing

Reps 15 Rest 0sec

How Hold a dumbbell in both hands. Bend from the hips to lower the weight between your legs, then push your hips forward to raise it up to shoulder height. Reverse back down to the start.

Why? Our dumbbell abs workout begins with the classic kettlebell swing, but without the kettlebell. The hip hinge that forms the basis of this move is one of the core foundational bodyweight movements that you should work on mastering before beginning any weight training programme.

2 Side bend

Reps 15 each side Rest 0sec

How Stand tall, holding the dumbbell in one hand. Keeping your chest up, lower the weight – this will hit your obliques. Complete all the reps, then switch hands and repeat.

Why? Most abs routines veer too far down the crunch route, leading to an imbalance whereby the obliques are not developed enough. This exercise is one of the best for targeting the latter. Strong obliques provide a foundation of rotational strength, vital for those who play contact sports or are in physical/manual occupations.

3 Woodchop

Reps 15 Rest 0sec

Squat, holding the weight in both hands to one side. Raise it across your body to head height, then back down. Do all the reps, then switch sides.

Why? Another excellent oblique-targeting move, this also improves your body’s co-ordination and core strength because you need to resist rotating the torso.

4 Crunch

Reps 15 Rest 0sec

Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent, holding the dumbbell to your chest with both hands. Use your upper abs to raise your torso, then lower slowly to the start.

Why? The crunch is the true test of fundamental core strength and provides great stimulation to the abdominals. The only way to increase its difficulty is to add weight, and the dumbbell crunch does this perfectly. Pick a weight you can perform eight to ten reps with, and initiate through the abs muscles themselves, not the hip flexors.

5 Russian twist

Reps 15 Rest 60sec

Start at the top of the crunch but with your feet off the ground. Rotate back and forth, keeping your abs braced. A twist to one side then the other counts as one rep.

Why? The elevated position of the feet in this exercise places enormous strain on both the upper and lower abs, which are typically a tricky area to stimulate. The twisting movement involves the obliques also which you will find invaluable when stabilising the body on heavy, compound lifts.

If carving out a six-pack was easy, everyone would have one, so we’re not going to try to kid you into believing that there are any shortcuts to a chiselled midsection. It’s also true to say that six-packs can’t be made in the gym alone – you need to back up your exercise with a smart approach in the kitchen if you want to get lean enough to reveal your stomach muscles.

However, doing the right kind of exercises is undoubtedly an essential part of building a stronger, more defined core and this six-pack home workout is full of the best abs exercises. By that we mean moves that push you out of your comfort zone and attack the abs from all angles, so you don’t end up with a two- or a four-pack instead of the full half-dozen.

Like all the best home workouts you don’t need a huge amount of equipment, but you do need a set of dumbbells for some of the moves. If this is the prompt you need to invest in a pair, the best dumbbell type, in our opinion, are hexagonal dumbbells that provide a stable base for the weighted T-raise exercise in this circuit.

How To Do This Six-Pack Home Workout

This session is made up of six moves, which you’ll do as a circuit in order from 1 to 6, sticking to the reps and rest details described. After completing all the reps of move 6, rest for three minutes, then do the circuit again. Do four circuits in total. To work your abs harder for a more effective session, engage your entire core before the first rep of each set so that the muscles are fully firing from the beginning to the end of each circuit.

Six-Pack Home Workout

1 V-sit

Targets core

Reps 10 Rest 10sec

Lie with your fingers by your temples and feet off the floor. Draw your knees in towards your chest as you crunch your torso up so your elbows go past your knees. Lower your feet and upper back towards the floor, but don’t let them touch it before you start the next rep.

2 Straight-leg raise

Targets Lower abs

Reps 10 Rest 10sec

Lie on your back with your hands by your head or your sides. Keeping your feet together, raise them as high as you can, while keeping your legs straight. Maintain the tension on your lower abs as you slowly return to the start position.

3 Weighted crunch reach

Targets Upper abs

Reps 10 Rest 10sec

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, holding a dumbbell above your chest in both hands with arms straight. Crunch upwards, pausing at the top of the movement, then lower back to the start.

4 Weighted seated Russian twist

Targets Side abs

Reps 10 Rest 10sec

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet raised, holding a dumbbell in front of you. Twist to one side, then to the other, then return to the middle. That’s one rep. Aim to keep your feet off the floor throughout.

5 Weighted T-raise

Targets core

Reps 10 each side Rest 10sec

Start in a press-up position with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your core tight, lift one weight and rotate your torso to point it straight up. Your head should follow the weight. Reverse the move to the start. Alternate your lifting arm with each rep.

6 Mountain climber

Targets core

Reps 25 Rest 3min

Start in a press-up position. Without letting your hips sag, draw one knee up and bring it across your body towards your opposite elbow. Return to the start, then repeat with your other leg. That’s one rep. Keep reps fast but controlled.

More Abs Workouts

If you’re looking to sculpt a six-pack then having a variety of abs workouts in your armoury is helpful to keep your training interesting. Here are a few more options to try.

Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs And Obliques

This trio are, to our minds, the best abs workouts going because together these circuits work the abs from different angles to focus on the different parts of your core in turn, so you can be sure no muscles get left behind. While there are no weights involved in the workouts, you will need a pull-up bar to do the hanging moves involved, but our round-up of the best pull-up bars can help you find the right one for your set-up.

Home Abs Workout

The only equipment needed for this workout is a dumbbell, and it doesn’t have to be a heavy one because in this home abs workout you’ll be doing a high number of reps of each move to maximise your muscles’ time under tension.

Getting a six-pack requires more than just including abs workouts in your training. You have to be smart with your diet too, because only a low body fat percentage will reveal your abs. That said, a good six-pack workout is also an essential part of the process, and this will involve a lot more than just smashing out as many crunches as you can.

The workout below has just four abs exercises in it, but it’s designed to target your core from all angles and to put your abs under different kinds of pressure to help them grow and become more defined. 

You’ll need access to a gym for the workout because it involves using a cable machine to add some resistance, which is an oft-neglected part of effective abs workouts. If you’re looking to build bigger muscles it’s better to do sets of eight to 12 reps with resistance, with the final couple of reps being difficult to complete, rather than powering through 30 reps—that’s true of the abs as much as any other part of the body.

The Workout

1 Dragon flag

Sets 4 Reps 6 Rest 90sec

Lie on a decline or flat bench, holding the edge of it behind your head with both hands. Swing your feet upwards until your body is almost vertical, then keep your core tight and your body as straight as possible while pointing up in the air. Slowly lower your feet under control until they are just above the bench.

2 Six-second plank

Sets 3 Time 6sec Rest 30sec

Get into the plank position with your body in a straight line. Tense your abs and glutes and hold for six seconds, then lower your hips to the ground for two. Repeat this six times, then rest for 30 seconds before your next set.

3 Cable crunch

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 90sec

Kneel below a high pulley rope attachment. Hold the cable rope and lower the rope until your hands are either side of your head. Keeping your hips still, flex your waist as you contract your abs so that your elbows travel towards the ground.

4 Pallof press

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 90sec

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a cable with both hands directly in front of your chest. Press the handle straight ahead. Ideally the handle should not shift sideways at all during the movement. Bring the handle back to your chest.

Abs Training Tips

Use isometrics

“If your abs are constantly in a contracted position it can pull your body into bad posture – so it’s important to strengthen them but in an elongated position,” says Ben Scott, a former professional cricketer turned performance and fat loss specialist. “Planks and other similar holds are ideal, but don’t just hold for as long as you can because your technique will give up way before you do. Short holds, done correctly, are much more effective.”

Don’t just hip flex

“The old sit-up with someone holding your feet the ground is dead,” says Scott. “It distorts your hip tilt and you’ll end up using your hip flexors to actually do the move, over-activating a muscle that is shortened anyway. Most people know not to do sit-ups for abs, but watch for the same problem in leg raises and other moves—ensure you do them with correct form.”

Load the muscle

“People tend to bang out abs exercises for 20-plus reps—even though everyone understands that for hypertrophy in other muscles between eight and 12 reps is best,” says Scott. “Yes, it can be harder to load the abs safely, but you do need to apply some load to get adaptation for growth. Fuller abs will be more visible once the fat melts off.”

There is no shortage of abs workouts on the internet. But which of the dozens, if not hundreds, of abs exercises should you focus on? Which are a waste of time? And how often should you train your abs anyway?   

To help you make the most of your time, we consulted Nick Mitchell, the founder and CEO of Ultimate Performance. Mitchell is a highly respected fitness industry veteran who’s single-handedly responsible for more six-packs than you’ve had hot dinners.

With Mitchell on board, we’ve drawn up this comprehensive abs workout guide, suitable for complete novices and experienced exercisers alike. Below you will learn all about the muscles that make up the classic six-pack, the truth about belly fat, why you should build your abs workouts around compound exercises, and how to directly train your abs over the course of five weeks to guarantee progress.

Buckle up, we’re going in.

How To Get Abs

We all have abs, but for most they’re hidden beneath a layer of body fat. To reveal your abdominal muscles, most men need to have a body fat percentage of around 10% (it’s around 15-20% for women).

“If you can pinch more than an inch around your midsection, following a specific fat-loss plan will help to reveal your abs,” Mitchell says (there are more complex and up-to-date ways to measure body fat). 

That said, it’s not just about how lean you are. “Anybody with low body fat can have abs, no matter how strong or muscular you are,” Mitchell continues. “But abs on a skinny guy who can’t bench his bodyweight just isn’t impressive. For a set of abs to be truly special, you need a good level of strength and muscle across your whole body.” 

In Mitchell’s book, that means strength training.

The Abdominal Muscles Explained

Before diving head first into an abs workout, it’s worth considering which muscles make up the six-pack musculature and the various functions of the abdominals in order to train them effectively. 

The six-pack is made up of four muscle groups: 

1. Transversus abdominis: This deep-lying muscle holds your ribs in position and stabilizes the pelvic region. 
2. Rectus abdominis: This sheet of muscle is divided into segments, providing the six-pack look. 
3. Internal obliques: These broad muscles frame the six-pack, enabling side flexion and rotation.
4. External obliques: Similarly involved in side flexion and rotation, these lateral abs muscles also pull the chest down and compress the abdominal cavity to help brace your core.

“Working in unison, the abdominal muscles that make up the six-pack region have two key functions,” says Mitchell. 

1. Movement of the spine (flexion, side-bending and rotation)
2. Stabilization of the spine (resistance to flexion, side-bending and rotation)

Both functions should be drilled rigorously and regularly. “However, complex compound exercises such as back squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and pull-ups should form the cornerstone of your training plan if you want eye-catching abs,” says Mitchell. 

That’s because you can’t squat, deadlift, overhead press or pull-up without working your abs. “These movements tend to involve heavy loads exerted on the body, which requires large amounts of muscular force,” Mitchell elaborates. “And it’s this transfer of muscular force through the body that best helps develop abdominal musculature.”

The Best Abs Workout For Beginners

If this is the very beginning of your six-pack journey, it’s best to start simple and build slowly. “If abs are your goal, the majority of your training should be focused around the major compound lifts and working to get progressively stronger,” says Mitchell. 

However, if your heart is set on training your abs in isolation, there are a few things Mitchell suggests you try to keep in mind. 

1. Keep It Simple

“Most abs exercises I see people perform outside of my gyms are too advanced and often butchered in their execution,” he says. “I prefer to limit the options to two or three proven exercises, then focus on getting progressively stronger.” 

2. Consistency Is Key

“Treat your abs like any other body part split,” says Mitchell. “Think of training them just like you would for your chest or back. The last thing you should be doing is changing your workout or exercises every single session.”

3. Focus On Flexion 

“Beginners, in my view, should primarily focus on abdominal crunches,” says Mitchell. This is because they drill one of the main functions of the abdominal muscles—spinal flexion. “Crunches are a common exercise but rarely are they done right.” 

4. Finetune Your Form 

“To make the most of this effective exercise, I recommend using an abdominal crunch pad, or ab mat, that you should be able to find in most commercial gyms,” says Mitchell. “This allows for a greater range of motion—and a greater range equals greater stimulation, a greater challenge and, ultimately, a greater six-pack.” 

5. Vary The Point Of Attack

“While you shouldn’t mix up your exercises too often, I do recommend switching up the angle of attack so you don’t hit a plateau,” says Mitchell. “Perform crunches on the floor, on a bench with a slight incline and on a decline bench to keep progressing.”

6. Add Resistance

“At some point your bodyweight is unlikely to present enough of a challenge to keep you getting stronger,” says Mitchell. “That’s why it’s crucial to add load. I like to hug a dumbbell into my chest to make it more challenging. Alternatively, replicate the movement with the rope attachment on a cable machine to provide resistance.”

How To Do This Abs Workout

To put this six-step plan into action, Mitchell has devised a simple five-week abs workout built around the abdominal crunch exercise. 

Progressive overload is achieved by slightly adjusting the number of reps, tempo, resistance and angle of attack over the four weeks. After four weeks, Mitchell suggests adding a second exercise, performed as a superset with minimal rest between sets. 

You can add these core finishers to the end of your regular training session or use them as short and sweet standalone abs workouts. If doing the latter, add a five-minute pre-workout warm-up to minimize the risk of injury. 

Crunch Tips

In order to make the most of this five-week abs workout, Nick Mitchell stresses your form and technique needs to be spot-on. “You need to maintain constant muscular tension while demonstrating a high level of control, intensity and range of motion,” he says. 

It sounds simple enough, but all too often, Mitchell says, the abdominal crunch exercise is botched: “I’m always seeing people launching their body weight through their hips and not contracting their abs enough.” He suggests following these pointers. 

• Focus on shortening and squeezing your abs muscles on the way up.
• Think about drawing your rib cage towards your pelvis.
• Exhale deep and hard as you contract your abs.
• At the top of the move, pause and squeeze your abs for two to three seconds.
• Focus on lengthening and stretching your abs as you slowly descend.
• Maintain tension across your abs as you lower under control.

Week 1

1 Incline abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 3111 Rest 60sec 

Set a weight bench to a shallow 10˚ incline and use an ab mat under your lower back to increase the range of motion for the exercise. Keep your feet flat on the floor, cross your arms and tuck your chin in to your chest. Curl your upper body off the bench until your torso is almost upright, maintaining tension in your abdominal muscles throughout, then lower under control. To achieve the 3111 tempo, lower for a count of three seconds, pause for one, drive up for one, pause for one. 

Week 2

1 Weighted incline abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 3112 Rest 60sec 

Perform the exercise as above while holding a single dumbbell against your chest to increase the level of resistance. Hold the weight in both hands, with your elbows tucked in to your body. Pause for a count of two seconds at the top of the exercise, contracting your abs muscles hard to increase their time under tension. 

Week 3

1 Weighted abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Tempo 3112 Rest 60sec 

This exercise should be performed flat on the floor, increasing the difficulty level. Position an ab mat under your lower back, keep your feet flat on the floor and hold a dumbbell across your chest as you curl your upper body up. Pause for two seconds at the top of the exercise, contract your abs hard, then lower slowly. Inhale as you lower, exhale as you curl up, and perform each rep with complete control. 

Week 4

1A Weighted abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 3112 Rest 30sec 

Perform the abdominal crunch on the floor, using an ab mat and dumbbell to increase the range of motion and resistance. Once all reps are complete, rest for just 30 seconds, then move on to exercise 1B. 

1B Decline abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 2212 Rest 90sec 

This exercise mirrors the incline abdominal crunch, but should be performed on a weight bench set to a shallow 10° decline so you have to fight that little bit harder against gravity. Note that the tempo is slightly different here too. Lower for two seconds, pause for two, drive up for one, pause for two. Rest for 90 seconds, then return to exercise 1A to start the second superset. 

Week 5

1A Weighted abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 3112 Rest 30sec 

Perform the abdominal crunch on the floor, using an ab mat and dumbbell, as detailed above. 

1B Decline cable machine abdominal crunch

Sets 3 Reps 10-12 Tempo 2212 Rest 90sec 

Position the head end of a weight bench next to the pulley station of a cable machine. Set the bench at a shallow 10° decline and the cable machine with a rope handle set at its lowest position. Lying on the bench, again using an abmat, grasp the handles of the rope so that your hands are next to your head. Keeping your elbows locked in position, contract your abs to curl your upper body off the bench until almost upright. Keep the weight stack light to ensure good form throughout this technical exercise. 

The Best Abs Workout Plan

Now you know how to use the crunch to progressively strengthen your core. Your next challenge will be introducing functional abdominal movements to further improve your core stability, while providing cross-over benefits for all your other lifts and any sports you play as well.  

At this stage, your abs workout exercise selection should be determined by your general strength and fitness level. The hanging leg raise, for example, is an excellent, advanced core exercise, but if your grip doesn’t allow you to hang on to a pull-up bar long enough for an effective set, it won’t provide the stimulus you need.

“You would be better off picking an exercise that allows you to target your abs in a more isolated manner without other body parts breaking down first,” says Mitchell. 

So, which exercises should you pick? Mitchell recommends including one or two moves for every major core function. “That means exercises that include flexion of the spine, such as crunch variations, side bends, rotational movements and something that will present an adequate stabilization challenge.” 

Here, Mitchell has picked his go-to abdominal exercises for each major core function, based on ability levels from beginner to advanced. 

Beginner Abs Workout Exercise Options

Intermediate Abs Workout Exercise Options

Advanced Abs Workout Exercise Options

Common Abs Workout Mistakes

Selecting exercises unsuited to your current strength and fitness level, Nick Mitchell says, is one of the most common abs workout mistakes. At best this will hamper your attempts to strengthen your six-pack muscles, at worst it could lead to injury. Here are some other pitfalls that could be scuppering your best-laid abs workout plans. 

Targeting The Wrong Muscles Altogether

The abdominal crunch is a common culprit for this misstep. “Most people fail to perform this exercise with anywhere near the level of control they should be,” says Mitchell. “I often see people launching their bodyweight through their hip flexors, or craning their neck.” Instead, keep your chin tucked in to your chest and focus on moving at a slow and controlled tempo. 

Inconsistent Exercise Selection

Dozens of abs exercises exist, from beginner-friendly planks and suitcase carries to advanced Pallof presses and wood chops—yet variety isn’t the spice of life when you’re devising the most effective abs workout. “Resist the temptation to switch up your abs exercises every single session,” says Mitchell. “Consistency and progressive overload is key.” 

Becoming Over-reliant On Your Bodyweight

Part of the fun of abs workouts is you can target your core muscles any time, anywhere. All you need is your bodyweight to challenge them through full flexion, lateral flexion and rotation. “Yet, at some point, you need to add resistance if you want to get stronger,” says Mitchell. Hugging a dumbbell or weight plate to your chest is always a good place to start. 

Working Through Only One Plane Of Motion 

Your six-pack muscles are designed to do more than simply look good in the mirror. They are responsible for spinal flexion, trunk stability and the transfer of strength and power from one side of your body to the other. Therefore, you need to train them accordingly. “For starters, that means building your workouts around the major compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and pull-ups,” says Mitchell. 

Abs Workout FAQs

It takes a lot of work to develop a six-pack. It requires you to intensively train your upper abs, lower abs and obliques, as well as moving your body fat percentage to the lower end of the healthy range. That last part is the most important and also the hardest, but the training part is much more straightforward (if still hard). Working your abs directly doesn’t require the type of equipment you’d find in a gym, because your bodyweight provides sufficient resistance and stimulus to sculpt a harder and more defined core.

To get started, try this 20-minute abs circuit, designed by the fitness experts at the New Body Plan. It hits all the key areas of your abs from different angles and using different rep ranges to work and fatigue the maximum number of muscle fibres, so your body has no option but to rebuild your midsection stronger than it was before.

How To Do This Workout

Perform the exercises in order, sticking to the work and rest periods detailed. At the end of the first circuit, rest for three minutes, then repeat. If you’re a beginner, aim to do three circuits; if you have more training experience, do up to five circuits in isolation or throw in a few circuits at the end of another body part weights workout for a tough but effective “finisher”. Watch your form carefully, especially with the crunches if you’ve had back issues. If you can’t maintain the correct form, stop, rest and try again.

1 Crunch

Reps 10 Rest 20sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your fingers either side of your head by your temples, elbows pointing forwards. Engage your abs, then raise your torso until your elbows pass your knees. Don’t round your back at any point. Hold this top position for a count of one second, then slowly lower your torso back to the floor.

Make it harder: Don’t allow your upper back to touch the ground between reps.

2 Crunch pulse

Reps 20 Rest 20sec

Start at the top of the crunch but hold your arms straight up so they’re pointing to the ceiling. Pulse up, pushing your fingers as high as you can into the air, keeping your abs fully engaged throughout the set. The movement range is very small, so the number of reps is high, and you must ensure your abs muscles are responsible for the movement, rather than using momentum to rock body down and up.

Make it harder: Raise your heels off the ground to work your lower abs too.

3 Reverse crunch

Reps 10 Rest 20sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your arms by your sides, or put your hands flat under the small of your back. Engage your lower abs, then raise your heels off the floor. Keeping your core tight, use your lower abs to raise your knees and bring them towards your chest, avoiding any rocking motion. Hold the top position for a count of one second, then lower your feet back to the floor.

Make it harder: Don’t allow your heels to touch back down on the floor between reps.

See related

• The Best Abs Workout: Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs, And Obliques And Core
• How To Get A Six-Pack
• The High-Rep Home Abs Workout

4 Lying leg raise

Reps 20 Rest 20sec

Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your arms by your sides, or put your hands flat under the small of your back. Keeping your legs straight and feet close together, engage your lower abs to raise your feet around 30cm. Hold this top position for a count of one second, then slowly lower your feet back to the floor. Keep the small of your back pressed into the floor throughout.

Make it harder: Raise your feet as high as you can, then lower them without letting your heels hit the floor between reps.

5 Plank toe tap

Reps 15 each side Rest 20 sec

Start in the plank position on your front, holding your body in a straight line on your forearms and toes, with your feet together and your core, lower back and glutes engaged. Keeping your head in a neutral position and your breathing relaxed and regular, lift your left foot and take it out to the side. Touch the floor with your toes, then return your left foot to the start position. Repeat with your right foot. Alternate sides with each rep.

Make it harder: Start in feet-elevated plank position, with your feet on a chair, step or other raised surface.

6 Plank shoulder tap

Reps 15 each side Rest 3min

Start in the plank position on your front, holding your body in a straight line on your forearms and toes, with your feet together and your core, lower back and glutes engaged. Keeping your head in a neutral position and your breathing relaxed and regular, lift your left hand and touch it to your right shoulder. Return to the start position, then repeat the movement pattern with your right hand to your left shoulder. Alternate sides with each rep.

Make it harder: After each left and right shoulder tap, perform a press-up.

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Your abs get a decent workout every time you squat, lift or press a weight because their key roles include stabilising your torso and transferring power between your upper and lower body. But only ever doing indirect abs training via the big lifts won’t get you a sculpted six-pack. For that, you need to hit your abs directly.

“Fully engaging your abs when doing the workouts ahead is really important to getting the most benefit from the sessions,” says Men’s Fitness cover model Alex Crockford (Instagram: @AlexCrockford). “I think about ‘sucking in’ my abs before and during the set, and breathing out on the concentric contraction, which can also help with a mind to muscle connection.”

And where do most people go wrong in their pursuit of washboard abs? “They keep doing the same exercises, and this lack of variety and progression means they make no progress,” he says. “I also see a lot of people rushing through the exercises without effective technique. Focus on great form and really engaging the muscles, and you’ll get the results you want faster.”

To help change up your abs training, Crockford has devised these two hard-hitting abs workouts to help you sculpt a lean and defined six-pack.

Workout 1: This six-move six-pack circuit will hit your upper, lower and side abs to give solidity and definition to your entire midsection. Do this circuit twice a week after a main workout.

Workout 2: This core circuit will work your deep-lying stabilising muscles, which will improve how your abs look and perform, improving your posture and sports performance. Do this circuit once a week after a main workout.

Workout 1: Six-Move Six-Pack Circuit

1A Crunch

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 10sec

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, with your fingers by your temples. Engage your abs, then raise your torso off the floor without tensing your neck. Keep that tension on your abs as you slowly lower your torso back to the floor.

1B Bicycle

Reps 12 each side Rest 10sec

Lie flat on your back with your fingers by your temples and legs straight. Raise your torso off the floor, engage your abs, and lift your feet off the floor. Crunch up and rotate your torso to one side, bringing your opposite knee in to touch your elbow. Alternate sides with each rep.

1C V-sit

Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Lie flat with your arms by your sides and your legs straight with feet together. Keeping your hands on the floor, raise your legs as high as you can while you raise your torso towards your thighs. Slowly return to the start, keeping your entire core tight and engaged.

2A Mountain climber

Sets 3 Reps 20 Rest 10sec

Start in the press-up position. Without letting your hips sag, draw one knee up and bring it towards the elbow on the same side. Straighten that leg, then repeat, bringing your other knee towards your elbow. Keep the reps fast and controlled.

2B Diagonal mountain climber

Reps 20 Rest 10sec

Start in the press-up position. Without letting your hips sag, draw one knee up and bring it towards your opposite elbow. Straighten that leg, then repeat, bringing your other knee towards your elbow. Keep the reps fast and controlled.

2C Squat thrust

Reps 20 Rest 60sec

Start in the press-up position with your body straight from head to heels. Keeping your back straight and your abs engaged, draw your knees in towards your chest so that both feet land under your body. Jump your feet back out to straighten your legs.

See related

• The High-Rep Home Abs Workout
• The Best Abs Workout: Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs, And Obliques And Core

Workout 2: Core Control Hard Abs Circuit

1A Plank saw

Sets 3 Time 30sec Rest 10sec

Get into position, supporting yourself on your forearms. Engage your abs, then raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position, then move your body forwards so your head goes past your hands, then pull back.

1B Rolling plank

Time 30sec Rest 10sec

Get into position, supporting yourself on your forearms. Engage your abs, then raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position, then roll one hip downwards, then rotate your hips up and over to the other side.

1C Plank shoulder tap

Time 30sec Rest 60sec

Start in the top press-up position but with your feet slighter wider apart. Keep your abs and glutes engaged to hold this position, then lift one hand off the floor and tap your opposite shoulder. Return it and repeat with your other hand, then keep repeating.

2A Plank toe tap

Sets 3 Time 30sec Rest 10sec

Get into the plank position and keep your abs and glutes engaged to hold this position. Lift one foot off the floor and move it to the side. Tap the floor with your toes, then return to the start. Repeat on the other side. Continue, alternating toe taps.

2B Plank jack

Time 30sec Rest 10sec

From the plank position, engage your abs. Without letting your hips sag, jump both feet out to the sides, then back in. Continue repeating this movement.

2C Side plank

Time 30sec Rest 60sec

Lie on one side, supporting your upper body on that forearm. Engage your abs, then raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line. From there, raise your top arm and hold this position. Swap sides halfway through.

The best beginner moves for building an impressive set of abs require no kit at all. That’s great news, because it means you can start sculpting a solid six-pack any time, anywhere. But after those initial results the returns can start to dry up and it won’t matter how many crunches you do – your bodyweight is no longer enough to keep the gains coming.

It’s at this point you need to increase the workload on your abs so they carry on growing both bigger and more defined. And one easy yet highly effective way to do this is to introduce extra resistance to your abs routine with dumbbells. Try this challenging but rewarding six-move session to get your six-pack back on track.

How to do the workout

This session is made up of six moves, split into two tri-sets – which means you do three exercises back to back with little or no rest between them. So you complete all the reps of move 1A, then the same for 1B and 1C. You get 10 seconds of rest between the first two moves, then a 60-second break after the third. You’ll do three tri-sets of moves 1A, 1B and 1C, then repeat this approach with moves 2A, 2B and 2C.

Pick a dumbbell weight that you can manage with good form for every rep. If it’s too heavy you’ll resort to using momentum to move the weight, but you need to maintain tension in your core muscles at all times to build a rock-solid set of abs.

1A Dumbbell crunch reach

Targets upper abs

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 10sec

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and a dumbbell held above your chest with arms straight. Crunch upwards, raising the weight as high as you can. Pause at the top of the movement, squeeze your abs, then lower back to the start.

1B Dumbbell side bend

Targets side abs

Reps 12 each side Rest 10sec

Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand with a straight arm. Bend your other arm so your fingers touch your temple. Brace your entire core, then crunch towards the side holding the weight, then return to upright. Complete all the reps, then switch sides.

1C Dumbbell woodchop

Targets core

Reps 12 each side Rest 60sec

Hold the dumbbell in both hands above your head to the right of your body. Keeping your entire core braced, swing the weight down and across your body to finish outside your left shin, bending from your hips. Reverse the move to the start. Complete all the reps, then switch sides.

See related :

• The Best Abs Workout: Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs, And Obliques And Core
• Six-Pack Diet: 27 Foods That Will Help To Reveal Your Abs
• Sculpt Your Abs With This Six-Pack Workout Routine

2A Dumbbell T-raise

Targets core

Sets 3 Reps 6 each side Rest 10sec

Start in a press-up position with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your core tight, lift one weight and rotate your torso to point it to the ceiling. Your head should follow the path of the weight. Reverse back to the start, and alternate the lifting arm with each rep.

2B Standing dumbbell Russian twist

Targets side abs

Reps 12 Rest 10sec

Stand tall with your arms parallel to the floor holding a dumbbell. Keeping your hips facing forwards, rotate your hands to one side, then the other side, then back to the middle. That’s one rep. Keep the reps smooth and your arms straight.

2C Dumbbell windmill

Reps 12 each side Rest 60sec

Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand overhead with a straight arm. Brace you abs, look up at the weight and, keeping that arm straight, bend down so your free hand travels down the outside of your leg. Reverse the move back to the start. Complete all the reps, then switch sides.

To develop any muscle to its fullest growth potential, you need to move through a variety of angles and use different rep ranges – and your abs are no exception. Yes, you first must shift that spare tyre for them to show, but simply getting lean doesn’t mean you’ll have a solid and sculpted six-pack. For that you need to train your upper, lower and side abs both hard and smart, which is what this circuit session will do.

The first move of each tri-set works your upper abs, the second your lower abs, and the third your side abs (or obliques) to sculpt more defined muscles across your entire abdominal region. Focus on good form throughout and keep those abs engaged for the maximum muscle return.

How to do the workout

This session is made up of six moves, split into three tri-sets, which are mini circuits containing three different exercises. That means you’ll do moves 1A, 1B and 1C in order, sticking to the reps detailed and only resting after all the reps of the move 1C. You’ll do three circuits of the first tri-set, then move on to the second tri-set, in which you’ll repeat this pattern with moves 2A, 2B and 2C.

To help ensure you sculpt a hard six-pack faster, engage your abs before you start the first rep of each set. Starting with your target muscles activated means you’ll maintain better form during the set and so work your muscles harder.

Tri-Set 1

1A Knees-up crunch

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with your fingers at your temples, your knees bent and your feet up. Engage your upper abs to raise your torso off the ground, then crunch up to meet your knees. Lower slowly back to the start, keeping tension on your abs throughout.

1B Reverse crunch

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 0sec

Lie flat on your back with your arms flat on the floor and knees bent. Use your lower abs to draw your knees in towards your chest, then raise your hips off the ground, Lower slowly back to the start, keeping your entire core engaged.

1C Diagonal mountain climber

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Rest 2min

Start in a press-up position. Without letting your hips sag, draw one knee in and bring it across towards the opposite elbow. Return to the start, then repeat with your other leg. Keep reps fast but controlled.

See related:

• The Best Abs Workout: Circuits For Upper Abs, Lower Abs, And Obliques And Core
• The Best Abs Exercises For All Levels Of Gym-Goer
• Gym Ball Exercises That Everyone Should Be Doing

Tri-Set 2

2A Gym ball dumbbell crunch reach

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 0sec

Lie on a gym ball holding a dumbbell in both hands with your arms straight. Engage your abs to raise your torso, then squeeze your upper abs to raise the weight higher. Pause, then lower back to the start.

2B Gym ball upper body Russian twist

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Rest 0sec

Lie on a gym ball with your palms together and arms straight. Engage your core, then rotate your torso to one side, back to the start, then to the other. Make it harder by holding a dumbbell in both hands.

2C Gym ball decline plank with toe taps

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Rest 2min

Start in a plank position with your feet on a gym ball. Keeping your core engaged and your hips up, lift one foot off the ball and lower it to touch the floor. Reverse the movement, then repeat with the other foot.

It’s said that abs are built in the kitchen. In other words, your diet plays the leading role in making sure you’re not concealing the set of rectus and transversus abdominus and obliques you have. Nevertheless, how you get active plays a crucial supporting part in carving strong, defined muscles on your stomach’s surface and deep in your core. Endless sit-ups and crunches will leave you cramped in unnecessary agony and do nothing about the belly fat that’s in the way.

Instead, this innovative sandbag routine from Andrew Tracey, serial T-shirt avoider, will work your muscles through every conceivable plane of movement for full development. It’s an EMOM workout (EMOM stands for every minute on the minute) and this method will melt away the fat concealing them. Plus, build sandbag training into your week and you’ll improve your real-world strength in these areas:

• Grip Unlike a perfectly weighted and knurled barbell, it’s awkward to grab, meaning your hands and forearms are working constantly.
• Balance The contents shift as you move, forcing you to stabilise from the floor to your fingertips so your core is under pressure to keep you steady.
• Cardio As a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee study found, using a sandbag rather than dumbbells for a move causes your heart to beat 8bpm faster, meaning greater energy expenditure and more calories burned.

Match your effort with a star turn in the kitchen and award-winning abs are all yours. Bravo.

How It Works

Use a stopwatch and do the prescribed reps at the start of each minute. The faster you do them, the more time you have to recover before the next exercise. “As you get further into your session fatigue forces you to slow down, but then rest periods plummet and you have to work harder, meaning you churn through calories,” says Tracey. “It might feel easy at first but it catches up with you after ten minutes.”

Directions

At the start of the minute, do 12 reps of the move, then rest for the remainder of the 60 seconds. (Do six reps each side for the halo and woodchops.) Repeat the circuit three times for a total of 18 minutes’ action. Alter the reps or weight to make it easier or harder but remember it should feel OK at first, punishing at the last.

1 Power snatch

Squat and grab the bag. Raise it, leading with your elbows until it’s chest-high, then drop below it and punch it up. Generate power by thrusting your hips forwards as you stand.

2 Front squat

Hold the bag across the front of your shoulders, keeping your elbows high. Lower into a squat, keeping your knees wide and body upright, then stand. For the full effect, keep your body as still as possible by squeezing your core hard.

3 Halo

Circle the bag around your head, alternating direction with each rep.

4 Jump squat

Hold the bag across the back of your shoulders. Lower into a quarter squat, then drive up to jump.

5 Woodchop with lunge

Swing the bag across your body from high to low, lunging to the side with each rep. Do six reps to one side, then switch. If your core is functioning, balance shouldn’t be an issue.

6 Reverse woodchop

Swing the bag across yourself from low to high. Lift quickly, then slow down towards the top to work your abs harder.

You already know that abs are built (well, revealed) in the kitchen: unless you’re eating right, there’s no way you’re ever going to see the six-pack you’re crafting. That’s why, to get a midsection worth showing off, you should expend most of your effort on nutrition: packing in the colourful veg, getting regular hits of protein and drinking a minimum of two litres of water a day. Making time to shop, prep and cook food will pay dividends: it’s probably where most of your effort should go.

But what about once you’ve stripped the fat? Whether it’s beach season or triathlon time, you still want a core that gets the job done – and that’s where this ab workout comes in. It’s based on the latest training science to ensure that you’re making maximum gains in minimal time: with old moves replaced by cutting-edge exercises. Get warm, hit the deck and do a couple of rounds after your regular workout session – or at home in front of the TV, whenever you’ve got time.

Switch sit-ups for… dead bugs

Done badly, sit-ups put excessive strain on your lower back, work your hip flexors more than your abs… and even done well, they’re not ideal – after all, how many times in real life do you use your abs to do hundreds of tiny movements?

The move: Lie on your back with your arms pointing straight up in the air, bending your knees and hips to a 90-degree angle. Tighten your abs and press your lower back into the floor, then take a deep breath in. As you breathe out, slowly extend your left leg toward the floor and bring your right arm overhead so that it almost touches the floor, then come back to the start position and repeat on the other side.

Reps: 5 each side

Swap crunches for… bird dogs

In real life, your core does its best work when it’s resisting movement – whether that means staying on your feet when an obstacle race gets muddy, or not falling over when the bus brakes sharply. To help it out, you’ll want to include work for your obliques and lower back: crunches don’t do that, but ‘bird dogs’ (not to be confused with downward dogs) will.

The move: From the dead bug, roll onto your front and move onto your hands and knees. Bring one arm straight forward and the opposite leg straight out behind you, pause for a couple of seconds and lower under control. Repeat on the other side.

Reps: 5 each side

Upgrade your plank to… the super-plank

Planks are an excellent move, but… they take a while. If you’ve been training for a while, you can probably already hold one for a couple of minutes – and there’s always someone in the office who claims they can grind it out for an entire episode of Casualty. This isn’t strictly wrong, but at the very least it’s inefficient: surely there’s a way to get the same gains in less time? Yup.

The move: It’s the plank, but nastier. Bring your elbows forward and away from your body, then drive them into the floor until you feel your back and ab muscles engage. At the same time, squeeze your heels and glutes together, and tense your body as hard as possible. You shouldn’t be able to hold the move for more than 10-15 seconds: if you can, go harder.

Time: 10 seconds

Read on to find out why staying hydrated will help your abs

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Swiss balls are a quite alarming piece of equipment for the uninitiated, one prone to bounce you straight onto the floor if you approach them in anything but the most careful fashion.

However, once you have become accustomed to them, ideally without too many people watching, they’re an excellent accompaniment to a bodyweight workout. Having to balance any part of your body on the ball makes your muscles work all the harder, and it’s a rare exercise that challenges them more than the Swiss-ball pike.

The pike movement really hits the abs hard, and combined with having to balance on the ball, the whole movement is a core killer. Holding your upper body up means your arms and shoulders will also be aching the next day. In fact, there’s not much of your body that gets off lightly.

By the by, the Swiss-ball pike is also an excellent exercise for anyone who one day dreams of doing a handstand. And who doesn’t dream of doing a handstand?

How To Do The Swiss-Ball Pike

Mount your exercise ball with due care, resting your feet on it as you walk your hands out on the floor in front. You’re aiming for a raised press-up position with your body straight in line with your feet on the ball.

From there it gets tricky. Bend at the hips and draw your feet forward, rolling the ball along with them. Raise your hips towards the ceiling then hold them in the pike position for a couple of seconds before rolling back to the start.

Aim for two to three sets of five to ten pikes, but don’t be disappointed to fall short first time out. Or indeed second time out.

Swiss Balls

Exercise balls are cheap and easy to come by, making it worthwhile picking one up and using it at home rather than face-planting at the gym the first time you try and mount one.

Amazon and Argos have a variety of balls available, which don’t need to set you back more than £10.

Browse amazon.co.uk for Swiss balls

Browse argos.co.uk for gym balls

Try incorporating it into any of your regular bodyweight exercises to see how keeping your balance makes everything harder on your core. If you really love it, you can even use it as an office chair.

Try this challenging but rewarding six-move workout to sculpt a solid six-pack, from the experts at Coach’s sister brand Men's Fitness.

In the pursuit of rock-hard abs a lot of people still think you need to bang out hundreds of sit-ups morning, noon and night. But the fact that so many people can knock out triple digits for the move, yet still don’t have impressive abs, shows that they’re doing little more than wasting time and energy. So what is the best approach? We’re glad you asked.

RECOMMENDED: Why Sit-Ups Don’t Give You a Six-Pack

The short answer is the following six-move abs workout. The exercises are divided into two tri-sets, which is when you do three moves in succession with only minimal rest in between. The first tri-set hits your upper, lower and side abs from multiple angles to work them harder than ever. The second tri-set is made up of three plank variations, which will further tax your abs as well as the deep-lying muscles of the core.

Hitting the entire muscle region in this fast, intense way will expose many muscle fibres to a huge amount of tension and workload. And because your abs are like every other muscle group, the more you make them work, the more reason they have to grow.

How To Get The Most Out Of This Workout

• Tense before each tri-set: Before you start each tri-set take a second or two to inhale and fully engage your core. Starting with tension on your abs will make it easier to maintain this tension for the duration of the first move and the two moves that follow it.
• Use a full range of motion: The moves in the first tri-set require a lot of side-to-side rotations. This will work your side abs harder, but only if you rotate back and forth through a full range of motion. Focus on form and keep the reps slow and controlled for maximum impact.
• Keep your hips up: In the second tri-set all three moves are plank variations. It’s crucial that you keep your hips up and glutes engaged for the whole set. Letting your hips sag is bad form and disengages your core muscles, which need to be activated at all times.
• Keep breathing: When the going gets tough during abs moves it’s tempting to hold your breath to grit it out. Don’t. It’ll send your blood pressure sky-high. Keep breathing deep and controlled.
• Forget about pain: By the final move of each tri-set your abs will be on fire. That’s bad for you at the time, but means your abs are well out of their comfort zone. Ignore the pain – it’s only for a few seconds.
• Only do good reps: With any exercise, only quality reps count towards building muscle definition. As soon as your form suffers, stop, take a breath, then go again, if you can do so safely.

The 20-Minute Abs Workout

1A Gym ball twist

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Tempo 2011 Rest 10sec

Lie with your upper back supported on a gym ball and feet flat on the floor. Use your abs to raise your torso. Rotate it to one side, then back down. Repeat to the other side and continue alternating sides.

1B Gym ball Russian twist

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Tempo 1111 Rest 10sec

Still on the gym ball, hold a weight plate above your chest with straight arms. Lower it to one side, back to the top, then down to the other side. Continue alternating sides.

RECOMMENDED: The Russian Twist

1C Gym ball jackknife

Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Tempo 2111 Rest 2min

Get into a press-up position but with your feet on the gym ball. Bring your knees to your chest, then to one side. Return to the start, then repeat to the other side. Continue alternating sides.

2A Gym ball decline plank

Sets 3 Time 30-60sec Rest 10sec

Start in the plank position but with your feet on the gym ball. Raise your hips to keep your body straight from head to heels. Hold for as long as you can, up to 60 seconds.

2B Gym ball incline plank

Sets 3 Time 30-60sec Rest 10sec

Start in the plank position but with your hands on the gym ball. Raise your hips to keep your body straight from head to heels. Hold for as long as you can, up to 60 seconds.

2C Gym ball side plank

Sets 3 Time 30-60sec each side Rest 10sec

Start in the side plank position but with one elbow on the ball. Raise your hips to form a straight line from head to heels. Hold for up to 60 seconds then switch elbows.

RECOMMENDED: A Brutal 20-Minute Abs Workout

Your abs are no different to any of your other major muscle groups in that they need to be exposed to high volumes of workload to grow bigger, stronger and more defined. And for a genuinely impressive six-pack, you also need to place your abs under as much muscular tension as possible, because exposing your muscles fibres to time under tension breaks them down, which initiates the process whereby they grow back bigger and stronger.

This six-move abs-focused workout – split into two three-move tri-sets – will work your abs hard to move and manage your bodyweight while also placing them under significant tension, through increasingly higher rep ranges, to do as much muscular damage in the shortest possible time.

Do the three moves of the first tri-set in order, sticking to the sets, reps, tempo and rest detailed. Then move on to the second tri-set and do the same. That’s it. Do this workout twice a week for a month on top of your normal training plan and you’ll shock your abs into shape.

How to get the most out of this workout

Maintain tension for every rep: For a truly effective workout, you must apply then keep tension on your abs from the start of move 1A right through to the end of the set of 2C. Forcing your muscles to stay engaged will hurt, but that’s what forces change.

Stick to the right reps: In each tri-set the moves get slightly easier but the number of reps increases. Working your abs through different rep ranges in a workout hits more muscles fibres as others are recruited to help out those that are fatigued.

Don’t rest until the end: Try not to rest between moves A and B and moves B and C in either tri-set – you should rest only after all the reps in the tri-set are done. The more time between moves, the longer the time your abs are not engaged or working.

Power through the pain barrier

When the going gets tough, remember these three tips:

1. Embrace the pain: During this workout your abs will start to cramp – if they don’t, you’re not sticking to the tempo – but this short-term pain is the price you have to pay for long-term progress. Embrace it.
2. Catch your breath: When you do cramp and feel like you can’t do one more rep, stop for two deep breaths, still keeping your abs tensed. This short pause will allow you to finish the set.
3. Focus on form: Once your abs start to fatigue it’s tempting to rush through the remaining reps to get to your rest break. Don’t. Keep reps controlled so your abs don’t switch off.

20-Minute Abs Workout

1A Crunch

Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 0sec

Lie on your back with knees bent. Raise your torso and engage your abs. Crunch your torso up, hold at the top for a second, then take two seconds to lower back to the start. Don’t pause at the bottom.

RECOMMENDED: Crunch Exercises For Building A Six-Pack

1B Bicycles

Sets 4 Reps 20 each side Tempo 1111 Rest 0sec

After the last rep of 1A lift your feet up off the floor. Crunch your torso up and rotate at the top while bringing one knee in to meet your opposite elbow. Keep reps smooth and your abs tight.

1C Plank with toe touch

Sets 4 Reps 25 each side Tempo 2111 Rest 90sec

Form a plank with your feet on a box and abs engaged. Lift one foot out to the side and lower so your toes touch the ground. Return it to the box and repeat with the other foot.

2A Hanging leg raise

Sets 4 Reps 8-12 Tempo 2011 Rest 0sec

Hang from a pull-up bar with your abs engaged. Keeping your feet together and legs straight, raise your feet to hip height and hold for a second. Take two seconds to lower back to the start. This is a tough move but try to get to eight reps as a minimum.

2B Hanging knee raise

Sets 4 Reps 20 Tempo 1111 Rest 0sec

Stay hanging from the pull-up bar with your abs engaged. Raise your knees as high as you can, keeping tension on your core, then lower and straighten your legs.

2C Hanging knee twist

Sets 4 Reps 25 each side Tempo 1111 Rest 90sec

Still hanging from the bar with your abs engaged, raise your knees and rotate them to one side. Lower them back to the start, then repeat, alternating sides with each rep.

As well as performing the preceding workout, make sure to follow these four simple, but essential, bits of advice.

Add a High-Intensity Cardio Session to the End of Your Workouts

A common misconception when it comes to building a six-pack is that it takes hours and hours of cardio time to burn off the excess fat found in the mid-section. In fact a quick ten-minute hit of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) can burn 150-250 calories quite easily and you only have to do it for a short period at the end of a workout, sparing you the mental anguish of a full hour’s cardio after strength training.

Try some of these quick cardio workouts on for size:

• Row at full intensity for two minutes, followed by two minutes at 50% intensity and repeat for 12 minutes.
• Cycle with a high level of resistance for ten minutes.
• Jog or run at a high pace for ten minutes.
• Sprint for 30 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds, repeating for ten minutes.

Over a period of four weeks this disciplined routine could help you cut 1-2% body fat, making a big difference for those on the brink of a fully visible six-pack.

Replace One Carbohydrate-Heavy Meal with Some Form of Low-Density Carb Each Day

As much as all the gym work is important, six-packs are achieved through nutrition more than anything. By replacing just one dense source of carbs such as bread or pasta from one meal everyday you could be cutting as many as 300 calories from your diet. Try replacing them with extra vegetables or lower-density carbs like wholemeal pasta and you’ll start shedding fat quicker. Over a period of four weeks, just following this one tip could help you lose up to 1.5kg.

Train your Calves, Forearms and Abs together

This does sound like a random grouping of muscles to be training together, but there is a method to the madness. Naturally most guys at the gym want to go for the big boy lifts – benching, squatting etc – but when you’re planning to include an abs workout too, they tire you out to the point where you probably won’t want to bother. To remedy this, why not try one session a week for your calves, abs and forearms? Training all these body parts together will make sure that you’re attacking them with full intensity. It’s not necessary to dedicate a whole workout to just abs, so adding these smaller muscle groups to the workout will ensure that you don’t get too tired and get a good workout for your six-pack.

Drink a Litre of Water When You Wake Up

When you’re putting on muscle or shedding fat, keeping hydrated is integral. You’re never more dehydrated than when you wake up in the morning so if you immediately hydrate yourself you’ll kick-start your body’s metabolism much quicker, potentially getting an extra hour or so of optimal metabolic function going each day.

Naturally it’s wise to keep this up throughout the day. A well-hydrated individual will always have noticeably less body fat than a chronically dehydrated person.

Can you really get a six-pack in a month? Yes, if you use a sensible exercise and nutrition plan, says Chris Walton, the director of personal training at London’s Embody Fitness and specialist in body transformations. He shares his advice below. 

We've also got four tips on getting a six-pack in four weeks, from easy food swaps to workout add-ons that will help you reach your goal faster. Of course, your diet is crucial – the six-pack diet explains the best foods to help you build muscle and lose flab.

What's the best way to get a six-pack fast?

How quickly you can reveal your six-pack depends largely on how committed you are – and how prepared you are to ignore the standard advice. The NHS, for example, advises dropping no more than 1kg a week for healthy weight loss. Not only is that based on poor assumptions, it’s also totally unambitious. First, it assumes exercise isn’t part of the plan. Why? Because the second assumption is that weight loss is achieved by restricting calories. That’s in spite of mounting evidence suggesting losing weight isn’t as simple as a calories in/out equation.

Besides, getting a six-pack is not about losing weight – it’s about burning fat. And losing 1kg-plus of fat per week isn’t just possible, it’s the real way to reveal your abs. At Embody Fitness, we routinely see clients lose 10kg of fat in eight weeks. This is done through portion control and by using diet to regulate the hormones controlling blood sugar and appetite. We also train our clients in a way that stimulates muscle growth, as well as creating a “metabolic disturbance” that keeps their metabolism – the body’s fat-burning mechanism – high for up to 36 hours after training (see below).

In fact, you can eat more thanks to the metabolism change that comes from building new muscle tissue. This will support further lean tissue growth as well as ensuring the body doesn’t feel “starved” and hold on to fat.

A lot of people go carb-free when trying to lose fat. This is a mistake – the body reacts badly to a low-carb diet after two or three weeks. First, your thyroid slows production of the cells responsible for metabolism, and second, there’s an increase in production of the hormone cortisol. As well as storing fat around the belly, this breaks down muscle tissue and causes insulin resistance, which all spells bad news for fat loss.

So, yes, it’s totally possible to see your abs in four weeks. If you’re overweight it’ll take longer, but the immediate changes should be dramatic enough to keep you going until a six-pack starts taking shape.

Metabolism Disturbers

Start your workouts with supersets that put your body in fat-burning mode for 36 hours.

1A Deadlift Works the back of the lower body.

1B Bench press Works the front of the upper body.

2A Squat Works the front of the lower body.

2B Chin-up Works the back of the lower body.

Resistance Abs Workout For A Six-Pack In Four Weeks

Try these six moves to help build new muscle and give your six-pack definition.

Tacking on a few sit-ups to the end of your workout isn’t going to cut you a washboard stomach, and neither is doing endless sets of crunches. What you really need is added resistance to exhaust your abs fully, so you grow new muscle and give your six-pack definition. Follow this workout to get the type of abs you only ever thought were possible in movies. Also, make sure to follow the tips on the following page.

Wobble cushion plank

Activate the deep core muscles and place tension in the abs with this move that targets the core and abs.

Sets 3 Time 20-60 seconds

Hold your body in a straight line from head to heels. Brace your abs to control the wobble.

Cable woodchop

This move targets your abs along the rotational plane, as well as your shoulders.

Sets 2 Reps 10 each side

Keep a slight bend in your elbows, but lock them in place to avoid using your arms to move the weight. Pivot on the ball of your inside foot as you twist.

One-arm cable cross crunch

This targets your abs and obliques (side abs), which provide support for your abs.

Sets 2 Reps 10 each side

Medicine ball leg drop

Hit your lower abs to support the crunches and work your abs from a new angle.

Sets 2 Reps 10

Start with your legs in the air and don’t let your heels touch down between reps. Keep your legs almost straight throughout the move.

Side plank star

Raising your leg and arm creates tension in your obliques and works your core.

Sets 4 Reps 10-30 seconds

Start with your body in a straight line from neck to ankles. Without sagging at the hips, raise your top arm and leg simultaneously. Swap sides with each set.

Medicine ball side throw

A high-tempo move that requires co-ordination under pressure and targets the abs and upper back.

Sets 2 Reps 10 each side

Rotate all the way through and release the ball to a partner. Engage your abs throughout to power the move.

Now head over to read our four top tips to getting a six-pack in four weeks – these easy tweaks will help you achieve a washboard stomach as quickly as possible.

Scroll Down For Competition Details

Building a great midsection takes work. Some people are naturally gifted when it comes to round muscular shoulders, peaked biceps or diamond calves, but no one has naturally great abs. Romane Lanceford is a leading fitness model, transformation coach and physique champion — his body, especially his abs, are now recognized around the world and his body is his living. As you can see he walks the walk, here are his tips for a chiseled midsection.

+ THE RIGHT MINDSET

“You can’t wish yourself to great abs. It takes a lot of focus to stay on track when you are dieting…suck it up because you are going to be hungry and there will be days you can’t be bothered. It’s going to take time so be patient. I put a picture on my fridge of what I want to achieve and look at it every day. Get your head in the game and you will see results in as little as 4 weeks.”

+ BURN MORE CALORIES

“A layer of body fat over strong abs keeps them hidden to the world. It isn’t rocket science so watch your total calorie intake and burn excess calories through exercise and cardio. This doesn’t just have to be running on a treadmill—choose what you enjoy whether it’s through sport, skipping, interval training, boxing or even the stepper, but burn those calories and commit to it at least 40 mins per day for at least 4 days per week. That fat isn’t going to disappear on its own is it?”

+ EAT YOUR WAY TO GREAT ABS

“It’s not just a case of restricting your calorie intake but it is about what you eat. We are all busy, but I manage what I eat every day and increase my protein intake through food and EFECTIV Whey shakes to keep my total protein numbers up. This helps make me feel fuller for longer and I also use it as a treat when I get any sweet cravings. See below for an example of my personal daily food intake when cutting for competition.”

MEAL 1
50 gms porridge with 2 scoops of EFECTIV Whey

MEAL 2
Chicken breast, sweet potato & salad, PRO-VIT Multivitamin

MEAL 3
Chicken breast, sweet potato & salad

MEAL 4
40 mins preworkout EFECTIV Whey shake in water

MEAL 5
Salmon with broccoli, 2 scoops AIM BCAA drink

MEAL 6
Total Fat Free Greek Yoghurt with EFECTIV Whey (my dessert)

+ EFFECTIVE TRAINING FOR 6 PACK ABS

"Remember the abdominal muscles are indirectly activated when you train other body parts especially when you do free weight exercises like squats and presses, so you don’t need to train them every day. So choose the right exercises and do them 3-4 times per week max.” Here is Romane‘s personal workout that takes no more than 15 minutes. This is a superset circuit for 5 sets with 20 reps, 30 seconds’ rest between sets. Add weights when you feel you want to add more tension as your abs get stronger over the coming weeks.

HANGING LEG RAISES TIP
Don’t swing & control the lift

CABLE CRUNCHES TIP
Keep midsection tight &crunch with abs, don’t use the arms to pull down

DECLINE SIT-UPS TIP
Hold a medicine ball with straight arms upwards

FRONT AB ROLL-OUTS TIP
Count to 5 on the roll-out

+ SO LET’S GET THIS STARTED!

Romane and his sponsors EFECTIV NUTRITION are willing to bet that following these simple tips you can make some great changes to your mid section. Share your results with us for the chance too…

WIN A ONE-YEAR SUPPLY OF EFECTIV WHEY PROTEIN

1 Take a picture holding that day’s newspaper to confirm date
2 Follow Romane’s tips above
3 4 weeks later repeat step 1 with EFECTIV Whey in picture
4 Post the pictures on instagram @efectivnutri

Best transformation chosen wins. Winner announced Nov 30th on @MensFitnessUK and @efectivnutri

Terms and conditions apply. No purchase necessary

efectivnutrition.com

Few actors have been able to nail the contrasting roles of Hollywood heartthrob and arthouse icon with as much success as Ryan Gosling. Since landing his breakthrough role in smash-hit chick flick The Notebook nearly a decade ago, the chiselled Canadian star has repeatedly proven he’s got the talent and star power to back up his abs.

In addition to scoring mainstream hits alongside fellow A-listers George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in The Ides Of March and Gangster Squad, Gosling has garnered critical acclaim for his performances in gritty indie flicks such as Blue Valentine and Drive, not to mention earning a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a drug-addicted school teacher in Half Nelson in 2007. His refusal to be typecast has allowed him to repeatedly take on new and challenging roles, and his latest film, the Thailand-set revenge drama Only God Forgives, is no exception.

In the driving seat

Working for a second time with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn, Gosling plays Julian, an American immigrant who runs a Thai boxing club in Bangkok as a front for a drugs operation. The role required Gosling to go on a crash course in Thai boxing, to ensure he could hold his own in the fight scenes.

‘It was vital that Ryan was able to look and act the part of a Thai boxer,’ says Winding Refn, ‘because he had to fight for real. It wasn’t full impact, but there had to be impact, because we shot everything in widescreen so we couldn’t hide anything or edit things out of the scene.’

The situation was further complicated by Gosling’s late arrival. ‘Originally, there was another actor who was set to play Julian, but he dropped out fairly close to the production date, meaning Ryan only had a month to train in Muay Thai,’ says Winding Refn. ‘So it definitely helped he was in such great shape already.’

The man charged with getting Gosling up to speed was veteran Muay Thai coach Vohn Thonaphan. ‘Ryan trained for two to three hours a day, three to four days a week before shooting began,’ says Thonaphan. ‘Luckily he was already quite fit and a fast learner.’

Repeat performance

The sessions began with plenty of old-school Muay Thai strength and conditioning – performing endless reps of classic bodyweight exercises to build functional strength and muscle endurance. ‘We would pick eight exercises, such as chin-ups and press-ups, that work different muscle groups across the body and perform them in order, like a fighting sequence,’ says Thonaphan. ‘In total, we’d aim for three sets of 20 reps for each exercise.’

After conditioning, the next step was to teach Gosling the art form itself. ‘We taught Ryan a mixture of traditional Muay Boran and contemporary Muay Thai,’ says Thonaphan. ‘In Muay Thai, you can throw punches, kicks, elbows and knees, so we had to teach him how to perform all these techniques correctly before we could show him how to apply them in a fight.’

This meant plenty of pad work and stretching. ‘Muay Thai requires a lot of flexibility, especially when you’re throwing kicks,’ says Thonaphan. ‘Most Thai boxers start training at a young age when it’s easier to stretch your muscles. Once you reach your 20s it becomes a lot harder, and it was definitely one of things that Ryan found most difficult.’

Final fight

With the production date fast approaching, Gosling progressed from hitting pads to live sparring. It proved to be tougher than expected. ‘Muay Thai is extremely brutal,’ says Winding Refn, ‘and Ryan was black, blue and yellow after sparring, which I think kind of surprised him.’

But the actor’s dedication paid off when shooting the film’s key fight scene. ‘When we got to that point, Ryan was used to it, so he said, “Let’s just beat the shit out of me”, which was fine by me,’ says Winding Refn with a smile. The result is an epic showdown of beautifully choreographed brutality, which also earned an approving nod from Thonaphan. ‘Ryan did really well,’ he says. ‘It’s a credit to his fitness levels, as well as the discipline and concentration he put into learning Muay Thai.’

The result is a film about men elbowing each other in the face that, thanks to Gosling’s presence, your significant other will want to see too. Although to prepare for the inevitable comparisons between your abs and Gosling’s, you might want to try his workout.

1. Knee strike bridge

• Lie on your back with one foot on the ground and the other in the air.
• Using the grounded foot, press into the floor and lift your hips, driving your airborne knee as high as possible.

2. Crunch and punch

• Start in a crunch position with your hands by your chin.
• Throw a punch towards the opposite knee. Keep punching while holding the position for a time.

3. Abs scissor

• Lie on your back with your hands behind your head.
• Lift both feet into the air, keeping your legs straight. Kick one high and the other low, alternating with every rep. Don’t let your feet touch the floor until you’re done.

MultiFlex home gym

‘You’ll be able to get six-pack abs while simultaneously getting a back massage’ shouts the marketing blurb for the MultiFlex, a sort of fitness rocking cradle. How you’re supposed to carve a six-pack – a goal traditionally achieved by doing resistance exercises and burning off belly flab – while getting a massage, we’re not too sure. Something to ponder when rocking back and forth on your new toy, perhaps.

Abs cradle

Perfect for lazy gits. After rocking back and forth a few times you build up enough momentum to carry you through crunches without having to engage your core at all – and what’s the point of that? Abs cradles are normally pretty cheap, which means rickety, which means that after a few months they’re liable to collapse when you’re halfway through a crunch, pinning you like some kind of nasty gym-based bear trap. Avoid at all costs.

The Bean

The makers of this blow-up fitness tool, which looks like a cheap inflatable chair, wanted to create something that could be used for both abs and full-body workouts. In reality, they’ve made a less versatile version of the gym ball. We’ve tried very hard but can’t think of a good reason why you’d use this instead of the original.

Sit-up bars

Jamming your feet under a sit up bar so you can perform crunches without your feet leaving the ground will work your hip flexors more than your abs. And anyway, doing endless crunches is pretty pointless: for one thing, you’ll burn hardly any calories, and for another, you need to keep your reps in the 8-12 range if you want to build muscle size.

What it tests
This is a great core strength test, but it also relies upon the upper body to stabilise the movement. The rotation tests a movement that we don't make often because you have to keep the upper body static and rotate the lower body.
 
How to do it
Start in a press-up position with feet up on a chair or gym ball. Bring your left knee in to your chest above the floor. Slowly rotate it around to the right, under your body and as high up as comfortably possible. Pause, then slowly return and rotate past the start so your leg and hips are fully rotated to the left. Repeat with your other leg.
 
Can't do it?
Build up to the Scorpion by holding the "up" position of a press-up to improve your static core strength,' suggests Coulthard. 'You can also hang from a pull-up bar, bring your knees up and then rotate them from side to side.
 
How you rate

Good: 10-15 reps

Average: 6-9 reps

Poor: 0-5 reps

Now try dragon flags. We dare you.

In This Series

• Introduction
• How to do the perfect crunch

Here at Men’s Fitness the question we are asked most frequently is “How can I get a six-pack?” The abdominals are the Top Trump trophy muscles – but that doesn't mean they're just for show. Our obsession with abs is justified because they are essential for making us fitter, stronger and faster. The abs may have come to symbolise masculinity but they also hold the key to beating your personal bests, whether you're in the park or the gym.

What do the abs do?

The name abs causes some confusion. Although they are almost always referred to in the plural, and they look like a group of muscles, the abs consist of a single sheet that connects the top of your pelvic bone to the bottom of your ribcage. Hard connective tissue marks out eight segments, forming a visible six-pack (or eight-pack, if you're lucky). On each side of your abs are your obliques, which are their supporting wings.
 
But the abs are only part of the story – they're the standard bearer for the group of muscles that make up the flexible, powerful midsection of your body called the core. Every time you activate a large muscle group you also activate the core so that it can stabilise your body and provide a solid platform from which your strength can operate. During sport the core acts as an energy pipeline, transmitting the force you generate with one half of your body into the other – why else would you rotate your shoulders and arms just before you kick a football?
 
You can help to train your core for stability by replacing the weight bench you use for weightlifting with a Swiss ball, and by doing exercises such as shoulder presses and biceps curls while standing up. Having to stabilise yourself on a Swiss ball forces the muscles to work harder than they would if they were supported by a solid object such as a bench.

Six-pack science

If you want to build an impressive six-pack, you'll need to crank out at least 1,500 crunches a week, right? Actually, no. We all have a six-pack underneath our body fat because our abs are crisscrossed by connective tissue that makes them look as if they're made up of separate segments. In order to make your six-pack more defined you have to increase the size of these muscle segments. To do this, the basic principles of weight training apply.

 
You need to exhaust your abs by lifting a heavy load in a short, intense workout. You should then allow at least 48 hours for them to recover and grow before their next workout. You should also eat 1.5g-2g of lean protein per kilogram of your bodyweight as part of your normal diet when building muscle. Once you've built some muscular endurance in your abs with normal crunches, you need to add some extra resistance by holding a medicine ball, weight plate or dumbbell across your chest.
 
This approach will develop the muscle underneath your layer of belly fat, but the fat itself will remain. Crunches or sit-ups alone will never burn off your beer belly. In fact, scientists with far too much time on their hands at the University of Virginia worked out that it would take 250,000 crunches to burn one pound of lard, by which time you would probably have died of boredom anyway.
 
In any case, this pound of fat would be taken from your entire body, not just the area around your abs. You can't burn fat from around your middle simply by working a specific area of your body, and it takes a significant overall reduction in your body fat percentage to uncover your abs. The only way to achieve this is still the old-fashioned way, with cardiovascular exercise.
 
Before you sign up for a marathon bear in mind that short, intense cardio workouts are better at torching calories and are less likely to burn off muscle. In fact, three 30-minute sessions per week of short-burst, intense cardio (combined with a diet low in saturated fat and processed carbs) can control body fat. Try repeating a cycle of one-minute flat-out bursts followed by one-minute rests.

How to get great abs

While abs-specific training is essential for building a six-pack, you shouldn't get fixated on a favourite exercise or work this area exclusively. Because the abs are so large, it's important to use exercises that work the lower, upper and side portions of your abs. You will provide your abs with a fresher challenge and improve their condition faster by hitting them from different angles and even working their opposite number in your lower back. This ensures that you make even strength gains, protecting you against injury and making your whole body fitter. Try these abs exercises and abs workouts for starters.

The pay-off

Striving for that six-pack doesn't have to be a slog. If you provide your abs with new challenges every four weeks, stick to healthy eating habits and don't neglect your other workouts, you'll soon see results. And because of the vital role your abs play in keeping your body stable, you'll take the physical challenges of everyday life in your stride. All you have to do is get out of that chair and move your midriff.