Have you ever wondered what are the best workout exercises for abs? Of course you have. Who doesn’t love a set of chiseled abs? They look and feel good, and they’re not bad looking either. Plus, washboard abs subconsciously tell us a lot about a person, their discipline, and their level of fitness. Look at someone with clearly defined abs and you’ll probably think, “Whoa. This guy is in good shape.
Since you’re reading this article, you’re probably interested in building your abs and making them look great. Before moving forward, it should be noted that your abs will only show up well if you have a lower body fat percentage. But, for them to look deep and defined, you also need to train them regularly. Like any other muscle in your body, your abs also benefit from tension and stress. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the five best abdominal workout exercises of all time.
Best Ab Workout Exercises of All Time
Abs workout 1
- Elbow planks – 30 to 60 seconds
- Weighted Side Bends – 12-20 reps per side
- Hanging Leg Lifts – 5 to 15 reps
- Cable or Band Lumberjacks – 8-15 reps per side
Do this circuit training. Start with planks, do them as instructed, and move on to the next move. Once you’ve gone through the list, take a minute or so to catch your breath and give your abs a break, and start again. Aim for two to five rounds. We recommend using a dumbbell that’s heavy enough for side bends, but you can also use something like a heavy water jug if you’re doing them at home.
For the woodcutter, you would ideally have a cable station. But, if you’re doing them at home, a resistance band can work. Tie it somewhere around chest level, grab the band and start twisting horizontally.
Ab workout 2
- V-ups – 8 to 15 reps
- Twisted crunches – 12 to 20 reps
- Supermans – 5 to 10 reps, holding two to four seconds each time
- Kneeling crunches with cable or band – 12 to 30 reps
Unlike the previous workout, this one consists mostly of moves that don’t require any equipment. That said, we urge you to focus on good form when doing your v-ups and supermans. Both activities are great, but your technique can break down if you’re not careful.
If you can do it near a cable station, great. If you don’t have access to one, attach a resistance band somewhere, grab it, get on your knees, and start squeezing. You may want to choose a band with more resistance for this movement. As with the previous workout to get abs, perform these moves in a circuit and aim for two to five total rounds.
Ab workout 3
- Dead Bug – 8 to 10 reps total
- Heel crunches – 16 to 30 reps total
- Side planks – 30 to 60 seconds per side
- Ab Wheel Rollout – 5-15 reps
This is a fantastic home workout for getting abs because all you need is a ab wheel, which is inexpensive. On top of that, the dead bug is a great move to train your abs, and it also helps you improve your intermuscular coordination and overall balance.
Heel crunches and side planes accentuate your obliques more, but they also train your abs reasonably hard. In keeping with the tradition of the previous two workouts, do this one as a circuit and aim for up to five laps in total.
4
- Bird Dog – 8 to 10 reps
- Russian twists – 16 to 30 twists
- High planks – 30 to 60 seconds
- Partial abdominals – 15 to 30 reps
This workout for getting abs is a bit more advanced than what we’ve seen so far, but the benefits are huge. Most notably, these moves will make your whole heart burn. Russian twists are fantastic for developing your obliques, while high planks and bird dog build stability and core strength. Partial sit-ups are meant to help you burn your abs at the end of each round. As with other workouts, perform these moves sequentially, rest a bit between sets, and aim for up to five rounds.
5
- Decline Crunches – 12 to 25 reps
- Hollow holds – 15 to 60 seconds
- Side jackknife – 10 to 20 reps per side
- Floating Kicks – 20 to 60 seconds
To ramp up the intensity even more, we have this fast but intense workout to get abs. Each of these moves is designed to push you hard and help you build a set of rock-solid abs.
Decline crunches accentuate your abs, hollow grips force you to engage your whole body, side jackknife trains your obliques, and floating kicks completely exhaust your core.
As always, do these moves one at a time, rest a bit between sets, and aim for up to five rounds.
