Here are best bodyweight ab exercises to sculpt your abs without the need for fancy gym equipment. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the best bodyweight ab exercises that effectively target your core muscles, whether you’re working out in the comfort of your home or taking advantage of gym equipment. Get ready to achieve a stronger and more defined midsection!
Best Bodyweight Ab Exercises to Train your Abs
Training your abs with bodyweight exercises can be highly effective for building core strength and stability. Here are some of the best bodyweight ab exercises to target your abdominal muscles:
- Plank: Assume a push-up position with your arms extended and hands directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engage your core, and hold this position for as long as you can.
- Reverse Crunches: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended upward and your knees slightly bent. Lift your hips off the ground while contracting your abs, bringing your knees towards your chest. Lower your hips back down without touching the floor and repeat.
- Mountain Climbers: Start in a push-up position and alternate bringing one knee towards your chest, then quickly switch legs in a running motion. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Russian Twists: Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight, and twist your torso to one side, touching the floor beside you. Repeat the twist to the other side.
- Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Bring one knee towards your chest while simultaneously twisting your torso to bring your opposite elbow towards the bent knee. Alternate sides in a cycling motion.
- Hanging Leg Raises: If you have access to a pull-up bar, hang from it with your arms extended. Engage your core and lift your legs up towards your chest while keeping them straight. Lower them back down slowly and repeat.
- Flutter Kicks: Lie flat on your back with your hands by your sides. Lift your legs slightly off the ground and alternate kicking them up and down in a scissor-like motion.
- Dead Bug: Lie on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Lower one arm and the opposite leg towards the floor while keeping your back pressed into the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Spiderman Plank: Begin in a plank position and bring one knee towards your elbow on the same side of your body. Return to the plank position and repeat with the other knee.
- Lying Leg Raises: Lie on your back with your hands under your hips and legs straight. Lift your legs towards the ceiling while keeping them together and lower them back down without touching the floor.
Remember, consistency and proper form are essential for seeing results with any exercise routine. Include a variety of these bodyweight ab exercises in your workout routine, and gradually increase the intensity as your core strength improves. Always listen to your body and avoid any exercises that cause pain or discomfort.
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10 Best Bodyweight Ab Exercises to do at Home
Here are ten more of the best bodyweight ab exercises you can do at home:
- Single-Leg V-Ups: Lie on your back with your legs extended. Raise one leg and reach your arms towards your toes, lifting your upper body off the ground. Lower back down and repeat on the other leg.
- Bear Crawl: Start in a tabletop position with your knees slightly lifted off the ground. Crawl forward using opposite hand and foot movements while keeping your core engaged.
- Side Plank Hip Dips: Begin in a side plank position, supporting your body with one forearm. Lower your hip towards the floor and then raise it back up. Repeat on the other side.
- Inchworms: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend forward at the waist and place your hands on the floor. Walk your hands forward until you reach a plank position, and then walk them back towards your feet. Stand up and repeat.
- Cross-Body Mountain Climbers: In a plank position, bring one knee towards the opposite elbow, then quickly switch to the other knee.
- Seated Leg Tucks: Sit on the floor with your hands on the ground behind you for support. Lift your legs off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest. Extend your legs back out without touching the floor and repeat.
- Alternating Toe Touches: Lie on your back with your legs extended towards the ceiling. Reach one hand towards the opposite foot by lifting your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Candlestick Dippers: Lie on your back with your legs extended vertically. Lower your legs towards the floor as you lift your hips off the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Plank Jacks: Begin in a plank position and jump your legs out wide and back together, similar to a jumping jack motion.
- Lying Windshield Wipers: Lie on your back with your legs extended upwards. Lower your legs to one side without touching the ground, then lift them back up and lower them to the other side.
As with any exercise routine, it’s essential to maintain proper form and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with the movements. Additionally, remember to warm up before starting your workout and cool down afterward to prevent injuries. Enjoy your home ab workout!
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10 Best Bodyweight Ab Exercises to do at the Gym
When you have access to gym equipment, you can take your ab workout to the next level. Here are ten of the best bodyweight ab exercises to do at the gym using equipment:
- TRX Knee Tucks: Set up TRX straps at about waist height. Assume a plank position with your feet in the foot cradles. Pull your knees towards your chest while maintaining a strong plank position.
- Weighted Russian Twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Hold a weight plate or a medicine ball with both hands and twist your torso from side to side.
- Cable Woodchoppers: Stand sideways to a cable machine with the handle set at shoulder height. Hold the handle with both hands and pull it diagonally across your body, engaging your core as you twist.
- Decline Bench Sit-Ups: Secure your feet under the footpad of a decline bench. Lie down with your arms behind your head and perform sit-ups while keeping your core engaged.
- Hanging Knee Raises with Ab Straps: Hang from a pull-up bar and use ab straps to support your forearms. Lift your knees towards your chest, focusing on using your core muscles.
- Bosu Ball Planks: Place a Bosu ball flat side down and assume a plank position with your forearms on the dome surface. Engage your core and hold the plank position.
- Medicine Ball Slams: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball above your head. Slam the ball down to the ground with force and catch it on the bounce. This exercise engages your entire core.
- Seated Leg Curl with Stability Ball: Lie on your back with your feet on a stability ball. Lift your hips off the ground, engage your core, and pull the ball towards your glutes using your legs.
- Landmine Twists: Insert one end of a barbell into a landmine or corner. Hold the other end with both hands at your chest and twist your torso from side to side.
- Ab Roller Rollouts: Use an ab roller wheel, start on your knees, and roll the wheel forward while maintaining a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Roll out as far as you can while keeping your core tight and then roll back to the starting position.
When incorporating gym equipment into your ab workout, it’s essential to use proper form to prevent injuries. If you’re new to these exercises, consider working with a fitness professional or trainer to learn the correct technique. Gradually increase the difficulty and intensity of these exercises as your core strength improves.
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