Abs of Steel! Here Are 8 of the Best Core-Defining Workouts You Can Do at Home
Woman doing ab workout at home
Personal trainers frequently get asked for the best exercises to flatten the stomach. While ab workouts can help with that, they also provide so much more than the aesthetic of a toned stomach area.
"The abs are a key part of the body’s core system," explains Ellen Thompson, CPT, the head personal trainer at Blink Fitness. "A strong core provides stability and support for the spine and pelvis and also allows you to maintain proper posture. It can also help prevent injury from both athletic and everyday activities."
Fancy studio classes, like barre and Pilates, focus heavily on the core—and they can be a blast. Yet, if you lack time to get to one (or the gym), it's possible to log some stellar stomach workouts from the comfort of your own home. These equipment-free exercises to tone the stomach will have you feeling—and, sure, looking—like your strongest self.
Related: 'I'm a Cardiologist—This Is the One Workout I Do Multiple Times a Week for Heart Health'
What Are the Ab Muscles?
Part of the reason that common exercises to flatten the stomach do far more than just that is that these workouts engage numerous muscles. Thompson says the most effective stomach workouts will engage the:
Rectus abdominis. More commonly known as the six-pack, the rectus abdominis sits vertically along the front of the abs from the pubic bone to the sternum. It helps you flex your spine.
External obliques. You'll find these muscles on the side of your abs. They run from the lower ribs to the pelvis on a diagonal and assist with rotation, bending and spine stability.
Internal obliques. These muscles are below the external obliques and go in the opposite direction (pelvis to the lower rib). Together, the internal and external obliques enable rotation and provide support.
Transversus abdominis. Set underneath the internal obliques, this muscle wraps around the abdomen—imagine a corset. The transversus abdominis is critical for spinal and pelvic stability and support.
3 Benefits of Ab Workouts
1. Breathing (seriously)
Yep, stomach exercises will ultimately help you with the essential life function of breathing. "One of the most important aspects of core strength is breathing and rib mobility," Gina Newton, CPT, a NASM-certified personal trainer, 200RYT and women’s health advocate and coach.
The diaphragm and pelvic floor are in lock-step, moving together on each breath. "This helps promote natural core and pelvic floor strengthening," Newton says. "Deep breathing helps us manage our stress hormone through the parasympathetic nervous system and healing and tissue repair by increasing oxygen."
2. Fitness goals? Check
Stomach workouts can help you reach your other fitness goals faster. "Being able to engage your core properly will allow for better quality movement and prevent injury," explains Maricris Lapaix, a Centr trainer
For example, you may be able to progressively lift heavier weights more quickly without needing to bench yourself with an injury. "A common mistake when performing a bicep curl with a light load is to lift passively," Lapaix says. "There’s no thought of bracing the core throughout the movement because the load feels light enough for the arms. Because of this, the common next step is to increase the load."
Here's the problem: "Without the foundation of mindfully utilizing the core even in lighter loads, someone may recruit other muscles to help complete the bicep curl and potentially strain their back," Lapaix says.
3. Functional strength and posture
These top exercises to flatten the stomach offer benefits beyond looks and even the gym. They help you live life better. "It can help in maintaining proper form for picking up a large amount of groceries and bringing them in the home and keeping balance with other daily house chores," Lapaix says.
Since the abs are critical in pelvic floor strength and stability, they can also help you from hunching over at your desk or when in line for those aforementioned groceries. "Our abdominals help keep our frame upright and impact breathing and pelvic floor, hip and glute strength," Newton says. "All of these muscles need to work together to manage our posture and core strength from our tongue down to our pelvic floor."
Related: Which One Gives You a Better Workout—Barre or Pilates? Trainers Weigh In
How Often Should I Do Ab Exercises to Flatten the Stomach?
It depends on factors like your health and whether you are pregnant or recently had a baby. Generally, though, Thompson suggests doing stomach workouts two to three times per week or adding them into full-body workouts.
However, even the best stomach workouts aren't the magic fix for toning the stomach region. Trainers share that a "flat stomach" and "six-pack abs" aren't attainable for everyone because genetics can play a role. That's why focusing on all the benefits of core workouts, like functional strength, is key. Speaking of which, Lapaix stresses it's important to do more than workouts to tone stomach muscles.
"Total body training is what will give someone a better chance of achieving their specific goals, including aesthetics if that is a part of the focus," Lapaix says. Cardio and engaging other muscle groups in the upper and lower body are also important.
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8 Fantastic At-Home, No-Equipment Ab Exercises
1. Bird dogs
A fixture in postpartum stomach workouts, Newton says bird dogs feel low impact but work overtime to hit the entire core and pelvic floor. Throughout the movement, keep the hips steady and spine straight to avoid twisting or leaning on either side.
How to do it:
Start on all fours with your head, rib cage and pelvis aligned.
Brace your abs.
Lift one leg and the opposite side's hand. Do not shift your body or arch the back.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Do two sets of 10 reps on either side.
2. Mountain climbers
According to Thompson, mountain climbers target the rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis and hip flexors and can even give you a burst of cardio. Thompson reminds people to avoid sagging their hips or lifting them too high.
How to do it:
Begin in a high plank position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
Engage your core as you bring your right knee in toward your chest.
Quickly switch the legs, bringing your left knee toward your chest.
Keep going as if you're running in place for 30 to 60 seconds.
3. Glute bridge marches
Surprised to see a glute bridge in a routine focused on workouts to tone stomach muscles? Don't be. "Glute bridge marches activate your core and glutes that are both important to your stabilization," Lapaix says, adding that glute bridges engage the rectus and transversus abdominis.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground.
Draw your naval in toward the spine, keeping your back flush with the mat.
Brace your core and push through one heel as you lift the other foot off the ground.
Drive your knee towards the chest.
Return to the starting position.
Switch sides.
Repeat.
4. Dead bugs
Another one often recommended during the postpartum recovery period (after getting clearance from your care team), dead bugs are a no-equipment way to improve core and back strength.
"The most important part is making this a very slow movement and your lower abs should be burning by the end," Newton says.
How to do it:
Lie down on your back with your spine neutral and back flat on the floor.
Brace your abs, ensuring that they remain nice and flat.
Inhale into your back and sides.
Exhale, keeping your abs flat.
Bend your knees.
Anchor your feet flat on the floor.
Lift one leg at a time, bringing your knee to the chest while keeping your pelvis totally still. Avoid letting your back arch or pelvic rock.
Repeat on both sides.
5. Side plank with oblique crunch
Lapaix loves this move, which targets the obliques, transverse abs and rectus abdominis."It’s a great way to test your control in the frontal plane," she says.
To get the most out of side planks with oblique crunches, Lapaix advises people to remain aligned from head to toe throughout.
How to do it:
Begin in a side position with your elbow stacked in one line underneath your shoulder.
Extend both of your legs straight.
Draw your bottom leg in to create a kickstand.
Using your free arm, place your fingertips lightly behind your ear.
Draw your knee and free elbow towards each other for the oblique crunch.
Return to the starting position with the top leg extended back out.
Repeat.
Do the same number of reps on the opposite side.
6. Plank
This stomach exercise works all the ab muscles but form is key and not always maintained. "Avoid lifting or dropping your hips, letting your lower back sag, or holding your breath," Thompson says.
How to do it:
Start in a push-up position. Position your hands directly under your shoulders. The goal? To form a straight line with your body from head to heels.
Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute (or more) as long as you maintain good form. Breathe the entire time.
7. Russian twists
You can do Russian twists with or without a medicine ball or another weighted object (even water bottles and cans of food). If you're progressing to a weighted version, Thompson stresses it's important to avoid using momentum to swing it.
How to do it:
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, leaning back slightly to engage your core.
Optional progression: Have a weight or medicine ball in both hands in front of your chest.
Twist your torso to the right, and bring the weight next to your right hip.
Return to the center.
Twist to the left, bringing the weight (if applicable) beside your left hip.
Continue alternating sides.
8. V-Up
This challenging ab exercise works the rectus abdominis. "It’s a great way to test your core control, but avoid using momentum to complete the movement," Lapaix says.
How to do it:
Begin with your arms extended overhead and your legs extended.
Lift your arms and legs at the same time.
Meet in the middle in a V-shaped crunch.
Control the tempo on the way back to the starting position.
Repeat.
Next up: 'I'm a Neurologist—This Is the Afternoon Snack I Eat Almost Every Day'
Sources
Ellen Thompson, CPT, the head personal trainer at Blink Fitness
Gina Newton, CPT, NASM-certified personal trainer, 200RYT and women’s health advocate and coach
Maricris Lapaix, a Centr trainer
