The key to a strong and injury-free body is having strong core muscles. Not sure how to begin? This is where we come in.
You don’t need any special equipment to do this abs workout, but you could add weights to make it harder. If not, just get out one of the best yoga mats and do these three moves to get stronger abs without having to lie down on the floor.
This routine is easy for beginners, and I show you how to do each exercise below so you don’t have to guess how to do it.
You might like this: A woman in activewear with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face showing off her abs
Forget about sit-ups and crunches: This “core crusher” abs workout is great for beginners and builds strong muscles without them. A picture of a man doing a side plank
I’m a personal trainer. Forget about heavy weights and do this three-move workout to get strong arms and abs.
Core muscle workout: A personal trainer says this standing abs sequence is hard, works, and is easy to do at home. It works your core by making you rotate, balance, and control your strength.
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Give me the 3-move abs workout:
To do the workout, work for 45 seconds and then take a break for 15 seconds. Do the circuit five times.
1. Bear squat with a loaded beast
This move gets your wrists and ankles moving while also working your core, hips, glutes, and legs. You can go deeper into the squat because you’re lying down, which makes you more mobile overall. However, because you’re lying down, your quads, shoulders, and arms tend to pick up a lot of weight quickly, so if you need to drop your knees or take a break, please do.
- Put your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees to start.
- Tighten your core, then lift your knees so they are above the mat.
- Press through your hands and push your hips back toward your heels. Hold this position for a moment.
- Push your body weight forward over your wrists while keeping your back flat and your knees close to the mat without touching it.
- Keep your stomach tight and keep moving forward and backward.
2. Tuck jumps with a plank
Plank tucks are naturally explosive and make your heart beat faster. As you jump forward and back, your core, hips, glutes, and legs work together to keep you stable and hold the plank position.
Push your hands down to make room in your upper body for your feet to land. You can always slow things down by stepping through this movement. Put your wrists up on dumbbells, books, or blocks if they start to hurt.
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- Get into a high plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips in line with your shoulders.
- Engage your glutes, thighs, and stomach the whole time. Your hips shouldn’t sag toward the mat because that puts stress on your back.
- Jump forward with your feet and land on the balls of your feet just behind your hands.
- Jump back to the plank position with a lot of force.
- Keep switching between the two. Instead of jumping, you could step forward and backward one foot at a time for a lower-impact option.
3. Changing plank extensions
The goal of plank extensions is to improve stability and prevent rotation. Your arms and legs will test your balance, but your strength should come from the muscles in your torso that support your hips and spine. Keep your hips square to the mat beneath you and drive the effort through your core.
- Get into a forearm plank position with your shoulders over your elbows and your hips in line with your shoulders.
- Tighten your stomach, butt, and thighs.
- Slowly move one arm and the opposite leg away from you while keeping control.
- Go back to the starting position and do the same thing with your other arm and leg. Once more, try not to let your hips drop or your butt go too high.
What are the good things about it?
a picture of a woman with strong abs
People who have trouble moving around or have low blood pressure may find that standing, sitting, or kneeling exercises are easier on them because they don’t have to move up and down as much.
These core exercises do put weight on your wrists, so it’s a good idea to do some circles and stretches to warm them up first.
You might like a woman smiling at the camera with her hands on her hips and showing off her abs in activewear.
Forget about sit-ups and crunches: This “core crusher” abs workout is great for beginners and builds strong muscles without them. A picture of a man doing a side plank
I’m a personal trainer. Forget about heavy weights and do this three-move workout to get strong arms and abs.
Core muscle workout: A personal trainer says that this standing abs sequence is hard, works, and is easy to do at home. It challenges your core through rotation, balance, and controlled strength.
I suggest learning this quick five-minute bracing routine to help you understand what we mean when we say “brace your core” or “activate your core.” It can be hard to understand. In short, when someone punches you in the stomach, tense up and breathe out instead of keeping your breath in your chest.
Having a strong midsection will help you stay stable, balance, and move better in your daily life and during workouts. Think about movements that involve pushing or pulling, carrying heavy things, or even getting yourself up off the ground. Your core, hips, glutes, and hamstrings all work together to protect your lower back, which helps improve your posture and ease pain.
Even though you’re not working out for long, keep the rest short to keep your core muscles tense. Even though the workout only has three exercises, they work out a lot of different muscle groups, not just your abs. If you’re new to working out your abs, you should read our guide on abs vs. core muscles.
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- As a personal trainer, I can tell you that the candlestick roll is the best bodyweight exercise for barbell squats.
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Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes is a level 3 trainer, a level 2 Reiki practitioner, and the fitness editor for Tom’s Guide. She is also taking a Yoga For Athletes training course right now.
Sam has written for a number of fitness brands and websites over the years. He has worked with brands like Live Science, Fit&Well, Coach, and T3 at Future.
Sam used to coach at fitness studios like F45 and Virgin Active and do personal training. Now, he mostly teaches outdoor boot camps, bodyweight exercises, callisthenics, and kettlebells.
She also teaches classes on how to be more mobile and flexible several times a week. She thinks that the best way to get strong is to train your whole body.
Sam has competed in two mixed doubles Hyrox competitions, one in London and one in the Netherlands. She finished her first doubles attempt in 1:11.
