Russian twists are one of my favourite weighted Ab exercises for targeting the obliques and improving rotational strength. Discover 10 effective weighted Ab exercises to boost core strength and burn belly fat. Spine stability exercises like this one are great because they challenge many muscle groups at once while keeping the spine safely in a neutral position. A safe practice is always to begin with bodyweight ab exercises. Before we go over the exercises, we’ll go over what weights you’ll need and afterwards, we’ll share a sample workout that will engage your core and stabilize your spine. Our Abs Routine for Beginners provides an efficient way to strengthen your core and improve your overall fitness level. Download and print our beginner abs workout PDF template so you can follow along without needing to check your phone. By working on the upper, middle, and lower abs, beginners can develop a strong core. Research shows that core stability training significantly improves balance and reduces back pain. Today we are going to target tone our abs, with my all new Quick and Easy Abs Workout Video! Toe touches up the ante for your lower abs, so you'll feel the burn a lot quicker. You can tent your fingertips so you don't take away from the abdominal work, says Jones. A good rule of thumb for an effective calorie deficit is about 500 calories below your daily maintenance calories. You must consume fewer calories than you burn, compelling your body to use stored fat for energy. In addition, the dead bug forces your limbs to do a little dance in opposition to each other, which can help improve your coordination and balance. The most common plank has you balance on your forearms and toes, with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Unlike other crunch variations, you sit or lie down on a cushy machine and perform crunches with added resistance. 14 waist exercises to add to your workout routineThese exercises are perfect for those who don’t have access to gym equipment or prefer to work out at home.This plank variation turns the classic core exercise to the next level.The Dumbbell Chop is a weighted ab exercise that targets the core, particularly the obliques, and helps improve rotational strength and stability.“They create a static contraction of the ab muscles, meaning the muscles are engaged but not actively moving through a range of motion.The high Birddog is a much more challenging exercise that should provide your abs with a far more intense workout. To perform the crunch (leg raise), lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms resting by your sides. This exercise specifically targets your lower abs, helping you achieve a flat stomach and a small waist. Start with 10 celebratory hip thrusts to target your glutes and core muscles for a flat stomach and small waist. To start, let’s talk about some exercises for a flat stomach and small waist. When it comes to having a flat stomach and a small waist, it’s all about targeting those muscles and shedding excess fat. Bicycle crunches are a great way to target the rectus abdominis and the obliques in one easy exercise. The boat pose is one of the best ab exercises because it engages your entire core to keep you balanced and upright. The standing lift also works your abs like a crunch as you move the medicine ball from side to side. Side crunches work the internal and external oblique muscles and the transverse abdominus. Slowly lower your hips toward the floor a few inches and return to the beginning position. Twist your body from one side to the other while keeping your arms extended. You can also use a weight plate, dumbbell, kettlebell, or anything heavy found at home, such as a gallon of water. You will want to be able to get out of bed and out of your car without agony. While maintaining form, roll the wheel back to the starting position. Over time, with consistent practice, you can see visible improvements in definition, tone, and strength in your abdominal muscles.Instead, incorporating these weighted ab exercises into your weekly workout routine will help build a strong, developed core without spending hours in the gym or starving yourself with restrictive diets.This first exercise is recommended by Matt Laurie, M.S, B.S, ACSM-Cpt, Precision Nutrition Lvl.We’ve compiled a list of the best bodyweight abs exercises that you can do at home or on the go.Haines-Landram says, “Start in a plank position with your grip on a pair of dumbbells and arms straight.When it comes to getting fit, bodyweight abs exercises are a great way to get started.As a personal trainer with over a decade of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how adding resistance to Ab workouts can transform results.That said, here are four of the best ab workouts for specific training goals. 'If they are working with a trainer or attending classes then modifications should be made and trainers will be able to provide an alternative exercise. 'Some women during and post-pregnancy should avoid performing lower ab exercise,' says Josh Davies, PT at Aimee Victoria Long. With this in mind, trying to lower your body fat beyond a healthy body fat percentage can play havoc with your hormones, even if it means losing that little fat deposit at the bottom of your core. Find out more about diastasis recti or training your core post-pregnancy. The Side Plank Knee Raise is a great exercise for building core strength and stability. The Side Bridge Hip Abductor is a great exercise for strengthening the glutes and core muscles. The Side Bridge is a great exercise for targeting the core muscles, such as the obliques and glutes. The leg raise primarily works on the lower abs and helps improve abs muscle definition.1 Park DJ, Park SY. The decline cable crunches hit the abs and build a muscular core. It’s one of my favorite exercises that helps me improve the shape of my abs. It works throughout the body, including the abs and obliques. For an effective ab workout with weights circuit, aim to complete each exercise for the prescribed number of reps or time. Internal and external obliques A strong core is more than toned abs; it’s the foundation of overall strength and stability which, according to studies, is critical in preventing injuries and improving posture. It’s also a great workout to keep your abdominal exercise workouts consistent. To show your entire core some more love, incorporate the following easy abs workouts into your routine. Plus, strengthening your abs muscles can actually help take pressure off the spine to ease back pain. Weighted Ab Exercises To Melt Belly Fat Cut through the noise and get practical, expert advice, home workouts, easy nutrition and more direct to your inbox. 'I would go for 5 – 15 minute sessions 2-3 times a week depending on your other regular exercises,' says Sweatband consultant personal trainer, Ruth Stone. 'When you train your core, your lower back also gets stronger and healthier, making you less likely to suffer from back pain,' explains David Wiener, training specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics. C) Lower into the squat position, driving your body down while maintaining a strong grip on the barbell. Adding extra weight will increase the challenge in each exercise, getting you to your strength and/or aesthetic goals faster.Pull yourself back up using your core and obliques.However, muscles like to be tested and pushed to fully lengthen, and contract, to be functional.The hanging leg raise works on the overall core, including the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.Keep your chest tall and your core tight and pick the weight up with one arm while maintaining a neutral spine.This is a great ab workout as part of a warm-up before moving onto heavier weights or as part of a core-focused gym session aiming for a holistic workout. The dead bug is a low-impact, high-reward exercise that’s about as fun as it is effective. You can easily make your crunches more challenging by holding a weight plate, a book, or something similar in front of your chest for added resistance. Perhaps the neatest thing about crunches is that they can be done anywhere, with no equipment necessary. Not everyone can do full leg raises with straight legs, at least from the get-go, and that’s okay. The hollow hold calls for you to balance on your butt, with your legs a few inches off the floor and your arms over your head. The tension created by flexing the abs to keep your back straight is immense. This article was originally written by Mike Dewar, CSCS, weightlifter and strength & conditioning coach who founded J2FIT. The woodchop recruits your entire core, including your obliques.Hit your obliques with this weighted twisting move that also improves rotational core strength.Side Plank Hip Dip is an effective exercise to target your glutes and core muscles.The best ab exercises are the most effective exercises for shifting belly fat and developing a lean stomach.This exercise will help you improve your balance, stability and posture.Hold the position for a few seconds, then lower your hips back down.Maintain a neutral spine, keeping your core engaged and back flat.The Bicycle Twist Crunch is an effective core exercise that works your abs, obliques and hip flexors. Indeed, before we go any further, we want to clarify that the point of workouts which strengthen your core are is so much bigger than the pursuit of a six pack. These exercises are not only a workout for your body, but also for your brain.' 'Adding weight to your core exercises allows you to increase the load you're putting through your core,' explains personal trainer and founder of the Body Beautiful Method, Aimee Victoria Long. B) Once your upper body position is set and abdominal wall is still braced, lift your feet off the floor. Exercises such as side planks, TRX knee tucks and pikes are all just bodyweight exercises and are still incredibly effective.' 'Some of the hardest core exercises use purely body weight. There are some people who'll need to think a little more carefully about what exercises they're performing within ab workouts and why. 'The abdominal muscles run across the front section of the core, and they overlap and interplay with each other – they don’t work on their own, they tend to work as a team. You should brace any time you lift anything heavy and bracing will increase core muscle activation during your abs workout too. If you want to target those side abs more, you can literally add a twist to the exercise by doing oblique crunches instead. If you are a beginner and lack the strength to engage your abs properly, consider doing your leg raises one leg at a time, with your other leg bent and your foot on the floor. A less challenging type of leg raise than the hanging variations, the lying leg raise is an excellent entry-level ab exercise for all parts of your six-pack abs.2 The hanging leg raise is a great way to build your ab muscles. It is one of the hardest ab exercises you can do – it’s not technically advanced but simply gruelingly brutal. Seated Knee Tucks: 3 sets of 10–12 reps An example of that would be a reverse crunch, where we are lifting the pelvis off the floor using our abdominals to draw the pelvis up to our ribs.' 'What we need to do is think about the direction muscles are trained in. Making sure your entire core is strong, not just the upper abdominals, is key. Abs Workout with Weights like dumbbell V-ups work the upper and lower abs through a full range of motion. Adding resistance intensifies the move for stronger, more defined abs. Mix and match a few into your abs routines 2-3 times per week. To ramp up the intensity and challenge your core, it’s time to add resistance by using weights. “Anyone who wants stronger abs should master the plank. When it comes to core stability and training, we also prefer to do a single-arm farmer’s carry, also sometimes called a suitcase carry. Hanging from a bar will seriously boost your grip strength which will help with exercises such as deadlifts, farmer’s carries, and pull-ups. It’s also very scalable — you can straighten your legs or hold a dumbbell between your knees to make the move harder. Like the sit-up, the hanging knee raise is a beginner- and intermediate-friendly chest exercise that requires minimal equipment and is excellent for strengthening your core. Are you looking to get stronger and leaner abs without spending hours in the gym? After a few weeks of crunches, you’ll probably need to move on to a plate-loaded, machine, or cable crunch to keep making progress. Examples include the hanging leg raise, jackknife, reverse crunch, or V-up. That said, you should incorporate one crunch variation, one leg raise, and one isometric movement most of the time. It can help improve posture and balance while strengthening your lower body. Not only does it help improve posture and balance, but it also engages your shoulders, arms, and legs. Check out our tutorial or guide to learn more about this exercise and how to do it properly! Carrying heavy dumbbells challenges your grip and bracers your abdominals to stabilize your core. This dynamic side bend hits the obliques while challenging your balance and stability through the hips and shoulders. Hit the lower abs by curling your hips upward while anchoring the upper body. The following moves target all areas of the core – front, sides, upper, and lower abs. Getting sculpted and strong abs takes more than just crunches. Now let’s get into the 21 best-weighted ab exercises to include in your workouts! Try the celebratory hip thrust, bottoms-up, cocoons, crunch (leg raise), and dead bug to engage your core and strengthen your abdominal muscles. Instead, incorporating these weighted ab exercises into your weekly workout routine will help build a strong, developed core without spending hours in the gym or starving yourself with restrictive diets. The Dumbbell Chop is a weighted ab exercise that targets the core, particularly the obliques, and helps improve rotational strength and stability. The Half Turkish Get-up are weighted ab exercises for developing strength and stability in a controlled manner. Squats can be an abs workout because they activate a lot of the muscles throughout your core in order to stabilize your body in this position. Bodyweight ab exercises are an effective way to build and tone your abdominal muscles without the need for gym equipment or weights. The Lying Straight Leg Raise is a great exercise for strengthening your core muscles and improving hip and leg stability. This simply means that you want to perform the concentric portion of the exercise at count 1, pause and squeeze your abs tight on count 2, and do eccentric half of the move on count 3. A stability ball is a large, vinyl ball that comes in various sizes and can be as large as 2.5 feet in diameter. The reverse curl is another one of the best core workouts you could do. Crunch Launched late last year, Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 headphones upgrade the original PX8 design for better, easier, and more comfortable listening. The PowerBlock Pro 50 adjustable dumbbells (pair) are $549.00, down from $643.00 for 15% off. Adjustable dumbbells are the cheat code because they give you range without the clutter. Second-guessing whether you’re doing your crunches the right way? Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. You may wonder how you’ll train your abs without gym equipment. One way around this problem is to stop training your abs at the gym and work on them at home. This will give your muscles enough time to recover and grow stronger. V Up is a great core exercise that works your abdominal, oblique and lower back muscles. Superman Plank is an effective exercise for strengthening your core and upper body muscles. Straight Arm Crunch is a great core exercise that works your abs and obliques, helping to strengthen your core. Engage your core and forcefully slam the ball into the ground in front of you. “Start in a neutral position holding a medicine ball or wall ball in both hands,” says Haines-Landram. The explosive nature of this exercise will elevate your heart rate, helping torch more calories and melt away belly fat to achieve a more sculpted abdomen. Your arms should become a static extension of your body to hold onto the bar or band, and all movement to rotate the body should come from the core.” Complete three sets of eight to 12 reps per side. Your time is precious, which is why it’s important to get the biggest bang for your buck in your exercise routine. Continue to add more weight as moves get easier, so long as your form stays locked in. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets. Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men's Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. Your core is important for bracing to protect your spine, which helps to reinforce good posture and is key for big time lifts. This exercise combines the instability of a Swiss ball with added resistance for a killer ab workout. In this guide, I’ll share my top 10 weighted Ab exercises that will help you torch belly fat and sculpt a rock-solid core. This plank perturbation exercise challenges every muscle in the core, as well as the hips and lower body too! Moving the torso and moving a weight around while standing on one leg is the ultimate stability exercise! For oblique training and exercises, check out How to Train Your Obliques. Note that they are for the rectus abdominis, your six-pack muscle, first and foremost. It’s a small, triangular muscle present in about 80% of the population. In addition to the big four above, you might also have a muscle called the pyramidalis in your lower abdomen. Thank you for reading this comprehensive guide to weighted Ab exercises. Many compound lifts engage the abs significantly, even if not targeted Ab exercises. Weight adds resistance, forcing your abdominal muscles to work harder, which leads to increased muscle fiber recruitment and hypertrophy. Yes, weighted Ab exercises are highly effective. The picture shows an unweighted version; to add a weight, hold a dumbbell in each hand. The weight adds extra resistance, making your core work harder as you twist. 'At 53, this is my go-to 10-minute ab workout' As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. It also increases upper body flexibility and improves functional fitness. The side bend is an excellent exercise to isolate the external and internal obliques and help achieve a balanced and toned midsection. Adding dumbbells to this exercise can increase resistance and muscle engagement and help you develop a well-defined and sculpted midsection. The hanging knee raise is my favorite ab exercise that I often do to reinforce my midsection. Embrace the strength of a robust and free exercise database. Additionally, incorporating cardio exercises into your routine, such as running or cycling, can help burn calories and reduce overall body fat. First and foremost, it’s important to focus on your core muscles. Cardio exercises help burn calories and reduce overall body fat, including the stubborn fat around your midsection. At first, you might find it difficult because it requires a lot of strength in stretching out your legs as long as you can. While this exercise is primarily a leg exercise, it also doubles as an ab exercise. “The Bird Dog Exercise is a classic core exercise that emphasizes lower back strength and balance. In my experience training clients, I've found the bird dog to be one of the best core exercises out there. If you're just starting out, grab lighter sizes (5-10lbs). Take our quick fitness assessment quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your experience level. Not sure which weight is right for you? You can use dumbbells for most of these moves, but if you've got medicine balls or kettlebells, they may work better for some specific movements. Pull it diagonally downward across your body to the outside of your right hip. It works your abdominal, glute, and hip muscles for a full-body workout.Do this exercise by hanging from a pull-up bar or using a captain’s chair.Pulling the weight towards the floor with your abs primarily hits your rectus abdominis but also your obliques and deep core muscles to some extent.Increased Muscle Strength and DefinitionWhen you use weights, your abdominal muscles have to work harder to overcome the resistance.Side Plank Knee Tuck is an excellent exercise to strengthen your core, glutes, and obliques.Do not raise the arm higher than the shoulder, nor the leg past the height of the hips.You can perform this exercise from a pull-up bar or captain’s chair.Having 3 weight sizes (1 light, medium, and heavy) right next to you is optimal so you can switch out easily.These simple yet effective core workouts are designed to minimize strain while maximizing results, even if you’re new to exercise or carrying extra pounds. The plank is a classic core move that involves holding the top of a push-up position — either on your hands or on your forearms — for time. The ab rollout strengthens the core by providing an ab stretch, which targets what’s known as eccentric strength. Most stomach movements, such as crunches and knee raises, flex the abs. Incorporating regular walking sessions into your routine not only complements your core exercises but also contributes to an active lifestyle essential for long-term health benefits.It works the abs, obliques, and lower back muscles while also giving you a good stretch.A strong core can help us not only be a better runner, cyclist, or athlete, but it can also help us perform our day-to-day tasks with much greater efficiency.The V-up hold is an isometric ab exercise that builds core strength and stability and enhances endurance in abdominal muscles.The Standard Crunch is an effective exercise for targeting your abdominal muscles and strengthening your core.You’ll also get the benefit of improving hip mobility and shoulder stability. Our mission is to educate and inform you about the latest in professional bodybuilding, fitness, and sports-related content. Acting a lot like a weight training belt, your transverse abdominus encircles your abdominal contents. There are external and internal oblique muscles, but because they work together, most people refer to them as one muscle, simply called the obliques. Saxon side bends are a great way to train your core using a medicine ball, dumbbell, kettlebell, or weight plate. This exercise is a great twofer as it simultaneously works your shoulders and abs. Hers Workouts We’ll finish our list of weighted Ab exercises with a classic move taken to the next level. This weighted Ab exercise not only targets your obliques but also improves balance and coordination. This exercise keeps your abs under constant tension throughout the movement, making it incredibly effective for building strength and definition. Move from one exercise to the next with minimal rest, and take a 1-2 minute break after completing a full circuit. This overload is essential for building muscle and achieving that sought-after “six-pack” look. Dumbbell toe touches are perfect for hitting the upper part of the core while also engaging the arms and shoulders. “HIIT alternates between intense bursts of exercise and rest periods,” Garcia tells us. Strengthening those core muscles is majorly beneficial for fitness performance and daily life in general. You wouldn’t dare skip leg day, so why would you consider skipping your lower abs or obliques? It will require eating a nutrient-rich diet and engaging in a regular concentration of ab exercises, all while limiting those take-out pizza indulgences. Try to complete 3 or 4 total circuits of the stability ball workout. Each exercise in this free exercise ball routine is performed on a large stability ball. As Saladino notes, the way lots of people train their abs only depends on ramping up the volume of reps to increase the muscle-building stimulus. "They're going to sit there and pump out a thousand crunches, they're just trying to focus on that burn. I've always tried to approach ab training in the way I'd train every other muscle group." Click here to return to our full list of strength training exercises. Click here to return to our list of strength training programs and workouts. That’s one rep. Pull with your lats to return to the pushup position and begin the next rep. Bend your hips and roll the ball toward you so your torso becomes vertical. Explosively twist your body to one side and then twist back. Set an adjustable cable pulley to shoulder-level (or attach a band to a sturdy object), and grasp the handle with both hands. Strengthen your core with these exercises to experience the benefits of improved core strength. Not only will you achieve toned muscles and a smaller waist, but you’ll also experience improved core strength and better posture. The Frog Crunch is a great exercise for targeting your lower abs and obliques. This exercise not only works your core muscles but also engages your chest, triceps, and shoulders. “This method keeps your heart rate elevated, promoting fat loss while building lean muscle.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e This intensity maximizes calorie burn in less time and optimizes fat loss while building core strength,” explains Ronny Garcia, CPT, with Blink Fitness. The below training modalities offer a well-rounded blend of strength training and cardio to promote fat loss while building lean muscle. Jack Knife Pullover Leg Raises are a great exercise to strengthen and tone your core muscles. Jack Split Crunch is a great exercise for developing core strength and stability. Jack Plank is an effective exercise for developing core strength and stability. Before we dive into the exercises, let’s talk about safety. Try other workouts like the one above in the TRX Training Club app! If you’ve only got 10 minutes, try the workout below to hit every muscle in your core! Perform a single arm row, and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Then, walk from one end to the other in a controlled manner while ensuring the weight isn’t pulling you forward. Before performing this exercise, set a distance between 15 to 20 meters. However, instead of the feet being stationary, an additional challenge is created when moving the body horizontally across a distance.” “A waiter’s carry involves carrying a weight overhead in one arm while walking a certain distance,” Haines-Landram explains. This stability ball workout uses 5 basic stability ball exercises to target your core from multiple angles. It works your lower abdominal muscles since this exercise relies solely on those muscles to lift your legs off the ground. While there’s no single “best” Ab exercise, many fitness professionals consider the cable crunch or weighted plank among the most effective. I’ve found this to be one of the most challenging weighted Ab exercises, as it forces you to engage your entire core to maintain stability. Today, we’ll share with you ten of the best weighted ab exercises that you can incorporate into your workout split. Rest and recovery are just as important as exercise. Fuel your body with nutritious foods that are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. In addition to exercise, maintaining a balanced diet is crucial. Stick to your exercise plan and stay committed to your goals. Keeping both arms bent and your core as straight as possible, slowly circle the weight around your head and back to the starting position,” says Haines-Landram. Leg raises are a killer lower ab exercise, and adding weights makes them even more effective for firming up your lower belly and promoting belly fat loss. This compound movement engages multiple muscle groups, including your core, helping to strengthen and define your midsection while shedding stubborn belly fat. A plank can be done by holding your body static in a pushup position with your arms locked straight or forearms resting on the ground. “They create a static contraction of the ab muscles, meaning the muscles are engaged but not actively moving through a range of motion. To perform a single-arm overhead press, Haines-Landram tells us, “Stand in a neutral position with a dumbbell or kettlebell in one arm at shoulder level. Building a solid core is fundamental to sculpting a trim and toned midsection. Join Relifesports Family and get exclusive offers & fitness tips. This should be done with control, keeping your core engaged throughout. After reaching the bottom of the movement, slowly reverse the motion, returning the dumbbell to the starting position. Dumbbell Chop It works your obliques, hips, glutes, and quads, and can be done from the comfort of your own home. Check out our tutorial or guide to learn how to do the Side Plank correctly and get the most out of your workout! Check out our tutorial or guide to learn how to perform side crunches correctly! Not only that, but side crunches can also help to improve your posture and balance. You’ll not only work your core, but all the muscles around the hips, knees, and ankles. Leg drops are one of the best Swiss Army Knife exercises for developing a lean and balanced core. The exercise also challenges your obliques as you pass the weight back and forth. V Sits with weight passes challenges your lower abs and hip flexors to hold the V shape. The 2 Best Exercises for Abs The ab roller is a fantastic exercise for not only building your abs, but also shoulders, arms, chest and back.' 'This is hands down the BEST exercise for your abs, so if you’re not doing it you’re missing out! You absolutely do not need any gym equipment to train your core effectively, says PT Aimee Victoria Long. I usually hit my abs two times with weights and once a week without weights to solidify my score. Planks also torch significant calories in a short time and help tone your abdominal muscles. You can perform various ab exercises on a cable machine, including the high-to-low chop. A comparative study of plank and isometric bilateral leg raise exercises. Plank is a great exercise for toning and strengthening your core muscles! It works the abs, obliques, and lower back muscles while also giving you a good stretch. Legs Up Crunch is an effective core exercise that works your rectus abdominis and oblique muscles. The Leg Raise Crunch is an effective core exercise that works the abdominals, obliques, and hip flexors. It targets your hip flexors, abdominals, and obliques to give you an effective full-body workout. To see the best results, you should aim to do these exercises regularly. Remember to listen to your body and only do what feels safe and comfortable for you. If you’re a beginner or have limited mobility, there are modifications you can make to the exercises in this routine. No, you don’t need any special equipment to perform these exercises. So, here are three short but brutal weighted abs workouts. The V-sit combines a leg lift and an upper body crunch, making it an effective total abs exercise. That’s why so many people include exercises like crunches, planks, and sit-ups in their workouts, do cardio, and watch what they eat. It’s unlikely you’ll get the best abs definition without performing ab exercises, and they will also help with posture and stability while improving your fitness in other areas. While working the core to deliver optimal results, the plank also helps improve posture and stability while strengthening muscles in your back. These 10 best abs exercises from experts and fitness professionals will help you build a solid abs and lay a foundation by building core strength and taking your nutrition seriously. The front abs – also known as the rectus abdominis – gets a concentrated workout with the hanging knee/leg raise. Like any other muscle in the body, it’s easy to overwork your core muscles, so try including sit-ups 2-3 times per week in your gym schedule. The sit-up is a tried and tested exercise that builds definition in the abdominals while also improving back strength. Some of the most effective exercises for abs are also among the most basic. This is a great ab workout as part of a warm-up before moving onto heavier weights or as part of a core-focused gym session aiming for a holistic workout. 'Too many people are scared to try this exercise out of fear they can’t do it,' he says. C) Press the handle horizontally and extend your arms in front of you as you brace your core. A) Position a cable machine at chest height and attach a handle. Then, take hold of the barbell with an “over-under” grasp; one hand should be over the bar, while the other should be under it for extra strength. You will be engaging your obliques for this movement,” suggests Weber. Alternatively, you can add ankle weights or use resistance bands to make this a little harder,” she adds. It will give you a little bit of assistance in your core. Whether you’re preparing for beach season or simply wanting to feel stronger in your everyday life, the desire for a toned core is something many of us share. Set a barbell on a power rack at about shoulder-height (if you don’t have a rack, clean it to your shoulders). Lift your heels about 6″, and rapidly kick your feet up and down in a quick, scissor-like motion. Your lower back should be supported by the ball. Lie back on the ball with feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Lie on your back, knees bent 90°, and raise your arms straight overhead, keeping them pointing upward throughout the exercise. We’ve compiled a list of the best bodyweight abs exercises that you can do at home or on the go. Bodyweight exercises are the perfect way to engage your core muscles, and they don’t require any equipment or a gym membership. If you’re looking for an efficient and effective way to work your abs, look no further than bodyweight exercises. When it comes to getting fit, bodyweight abs exercises are a great way to get started. The exercise can help improve balance and posture, and can be done anywhere. Check out our step-by-step tutorial or guide to learn how to perform this exercise correctly and get the most benefit from it! Check out our tutorial or guide for more information on how to do this exercise correctly and get the most out of it! Gradually transition into easy exercises like the standing bicycle crunch or seated leg lifts to engage your abdominal muscles without straining them. The Dead Bug effectively strengthens abdominal muscles without placing excessive stress on the lower back, making it suitable for overweight individuals looking to enhance their core strength and stability. The fitness ball core workout below hits the upper abs, lower abs, and oblique muscles with a range of moves. It turns out that not only is an exercise ball routine an excellent way to target the abs, stability ball workouts have been developed for nearly every single body part. This is a great exercise if you want to work your entire core but don’t have much time to spare. “Keep your core braced throughout the exercise to get the best bang for your buck,” says Saini. Done for reps or time, this is a demanding ab exercise you can do anywhere and anytime. Read on to see eight different weighted ab exercises you can add to your workout, plus a recommended number of sets and reps for each. If you're looking to build a stronger core (and make life a little bit easier in the process), it might be time to give weighted ab exercises a try. Build stronger, thicker abs for a more prominent six-pack with these weighted abdominal exercises! The best way to induce abdominal wall hypertrophy is to drop the high-rep and low-resistance training and start doing weighted abs exercises. “Rotational exercises can be performed while standing and using an external load such as a barbell anchored with a landmine attachment,” explains Haines-Landram. “Keeping your legs straight, continue raising them until they’re parallel to the ground. The goal is to keep your core straight and resist shifting your weight from side to side as much as possible.” Perform three sets of 16 to 20 alternating rows total (eight to ten per side). The Plank Hip Lift is a great exercise to strengthen your core and glutes. The Lying Leg Crunch is a great exercise to target your abs and hip flexors. It offers a range of benefits, from improved posture to strengthened muscles. It’s a great way to build strength and stability while also improving posture. Leg Raise Hip Lift is an effective exercise to strengthen your core and glutes. Not only does it help to strengthen your legs, it also provides a good stretch for your hip flexors. Bridge is a great exercise to strengthen and tone your core, glutes and hamstrings. It provides a great workout for strengthening your core and improving balance. Engaging your core, push the roller/weights out and away from your body, keeping your core engaged and avoiding slumping onto the floor 4. Performing the mountain climber exercise in sets ranging from 20 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your fitness level, will bring optimal gains throughout the body. Improved posture and stability are other great reasons to throw side planks into the mix. The motion of the bird-dog really helps to flex your hips, so it’s great for improving flexibility and good joints in this part of the body, as well as working out your abs. However, unilateral or one-sided exercises like this one-arm press make your midsection muscles work much harder. This results in a uniquely challenging exercise that hammers your abs and obliques. For this move, you must work hard to stabilize a weight while rotating your lower body and working your core. Keeping your core tight, rotate the bar toward one side of your body while pivoting both feet toward that direction. Pull yourself back up using your core and obliques. Keep your body in a straight line while keeping your core activated. Return to the floor position, and repeat the move with your other arm and leg. Anna Victoria, a certified trainer (NASM) and the creator of the Fit Body App, explains that dead bugs engage your transverse abdominis, which is also known as your “corset muscle.” This exercise is essential for any ab workout with weights circuit aimed at full-core activation. This ab workout with weights circuit targets every part of your core, helping you achieve definition and strength. This training method activates your core through various exercises, such as presses, lunges, and squats, which help sculpt your abs. Now, let’s dive into the best workouts to lose weight and sculpt abs. Ahead, find the 15 best weighted core exercises for a strong, defined core, as well as what weights to pick, according to trainers. The internal obliques, located just beneath the external obliques and running in the opposite direction, assist in breathing, twisting, and side bending but from a deeper layer. Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. A longtime runner and athlete, Maggie has nearly four years of experience covering topics in the wellness space, specializing in fitness, sports, nutrition, and mental health. You'll especially feel your obliques firing during this move. It’s a superb compound movement engaging multiple major muscles across your body, including your shoulders, glutes, and back muscles. The ball slam exercise is a dynamic and powerful movement that is more than just another ab exercise. Like regular and cable crunches, machine crunches work your rectus abdominis with a side dish of obliques. The machine offers stability and allows you to focus entirely on your abs and nothing else. Remember that while being able to use heavier weights is great, don’t use too much weight to the point where you have to use your entire body to get them moving. To strengthen your abs, a good place to start with abdominal workouts for core strength is with isometric, or non-moving exercises such as the plank. I love bodyweight exercises like planks and hanging leg raises to work my abs, but I also like to up the intensity with weighted ab exercises. Weighted abs exercises incorporate resistance to target and strengthen the abdominal muscles more effectively than bodyweight exercises alone. However, to bolster your abdominal muscles and thicken six-pack abs, you should incorporate some weighted core exercises into your training regime. Incorporating core exercises into your routine can help strengthen your abdominal muscles and improve overall stability.