A Personal Trainer Says That These Are 18 of the Best Ab Exercises to Build a Stronger Core

1

Sit-Ups With Towel

How to do it:

1. Roll up a towel and place it under lower back. Sit in a butterfly position with the soles of feet touching each other.
2. Lie back and inhale. As you exhale, brace core and lift body back up and touch hands to feet (allow your abs to do the work, not your back or neck).
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

2

Hip Lifts

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back. Lift legs up until about perpendicular with torso. Keep hands planted on ground beside you.
2. Pull navel toward spine and lift hips a few inches off of the floor; flex feet toward head. Lower hips back down to the ground.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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3

Flutter Kicks

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back. Keeping legs straight, lift until straight above hips.
2. Keeping lower back against the floor, lower legs as far down as you can without raising back off ground.
3. Make small kicks up and down with legs, inhaling and exhaling through nose.
4. Do 10–20 reps (kicks).

4

Lateral V-Ups

How to do it:

1. Lie on side with hips stacked and feet together.
2. Perform a side crunch while lifting both legs off the ground; try to touch hand to top foot.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps, then return to starting position and repeat on other side.

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5

Scissor Kicks

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back. Raise legs slightly off ground while keeping lower back pressed against ground.
2. Cross right leg over left leg, then immediately cross left leg over right leg (like a scissor motion). Try to keep toes pointed.
3. Do 10–20 reps (scissors).

6

V-Sits

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back with legs outstretched.
2. Sit up and bring knees to chest and touch heels. Lower legs back down.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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7

V-Ups

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back and extend arms straight up until about even with ears.
2. Inhale and draw belly button in toward spine. On exhale, sit up and bring straight legs up to meet arms.
3. Return to starting position. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

8

Bear Crawl

How to do it:

1. Start on all fours in tabletop position.
2. Keeping back flat and chest parallel to the floor, lift knees about an inch off the ground.
3. Press toes into the floor and take two to three small steps forward with opposite legs and hands. Crawl backward.
4. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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9

Leg Lifts

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on ground with legs outstretched.
2. Keeping core braced and back flat against ground, lift legs about a foot off ground. Pulse feet up and down (one pulse equals one rep).
3. Do 10–20 reps.

10

Hollow Body Hold

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back.
2. Lift both legs up at the same time, then lift head and shoulders up off the mat with arms extended. Try to keep your core braced and avoid arching back.
3. Hold for 20 seconds to 1 minute.

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11

Hip Dips

How to do it:

1. Get in side plank position.
2. Lower hip to floor, then lift back up.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps, then repeat on opposite side.

12

Bird Dog

How to do it:

1. Begin on all fours in tabletop position.
2. Keeping back straight, extend right arm and left leg straight. Return to starting position and extend left arm and right leg out straight.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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13

Toe Touches

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back and lift legs straight up pointed toward ceiling.
2. Lift back and shoulders off ground and aim to touch toes. Lower legs back down.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

14

Plank

How to do it:

1. Lie on stomach. Lift body a few inches off ground, bracing with forearms and toes, until back forms a straight line.
2. Keep core engaged and back flat/straight. Inhale and exhale.
3. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

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15

Dead Bug

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on the ground, legs bent up in tabletop position and arms flat at sides.
2. Slowly extend one arm straight out behind you as you simultaneously extend opposite leg.
3. Hold, then return to starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
4. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

16

Bicycles

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back and bend knees at 90-degree angle. Place hands behind neck, elbows out.
2. Lift shoulder blades off the floor and pull left knee toward chest as you extend right leg. Touch left knee to right elbow. Repeat on other side.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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17

Plank Rolls

How to do it:

1. Start in a forearm plank position.
2. Squeeze your glutes and abs, then rotate pelvis down to the left, then toward the right. Keep back flat.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

18

Crunch

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on back and bend knees. Place hands behind head.
2. Lift shoulders off ground and chest toward knees. Hold for a moment, then return to starting position.
3. That’s one rep. Do 10–20 reps.

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