Best At-Home Workouts to Get Six-Pack Abs
When it comes to getting fit, few muscle groups get bigger without directly being targeted. If you think of the best ways to get bigger arms you'll probably focus on a mix of movements targeting your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. If you're trying to build your legs, glute-focused exercises like squats and hamstring builders such as RDLs are undoubtedly at the top of your list.
But the irony of six-pack abs is that most guys who have them focus little on obtaining them. Did they follow a disciplined workout regimen? You bet. Did they stick to a nutrition program involving low carbs, lean proteins, and little-to-no sugar and alcohol? Of course. Did they do ab workouts at home comprising endless crunches, flutter kicks, and planks? Not exactly.
That’s why you see plenty of surfers, swimmers, and paddleboarders with six-packs who do little work in the gym. Ditto for runners, triathletes, and cyclists.
Best Ab Workouts At Home: 10 Bodyweight Exercises for a Stronger Core
Directions
Instead of looking at these strictly as at-home workouts to lose weight, think of them as core-strengthening routines that will support your efforts in the kitchen. These can be done at home, on the road, on the beach, or wherever. Assuming you’ve got the nutrition and cardio component dialed in, these will help define your abs. Remember: The goal is core strength, not a six-pack.
Perform 2 to 4 sets as a circuit, taking minimal rest between exercises.
1. Cat/Cow
KarinaUvarova/Getty Images
Why It Works
This familiar two-pronged yoga move improves flexibility in the lumbar and cervical spine, but also strengthens the abs and provides a reminder of how you should breathe during abdominal movement.
How to Do It
Start on all fours with hands beneath your shoulders and knees on the ground, to start.
Inhale, dropping your chest as you push your hips and shoulder blades back into cow position.
Lift your chin and chest, then gaze forward.
Exhale as you draw your belly button to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling like a cat.
That's 1 rep.
Complete 10 reps.
2. Inverted Hamstring Stretch
Justin Steele
Why It Works
The focus here is firing (activating) your glutes and stretching your hamstrings, but your abs, especially your transverse abdominus, are the key to the movement.
How to Do It
Balance on your right foot, keeping your core tight, and shoulders back and down, to start.
Bend at the waist with both hands out in front of you and extend your right leg back as you fire the right glute.
Your shoulder and heel should move together, forming a straight line.
Return to the starting position and switch legs.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps on each leg.
3. Turkish Getup
Getty Images/Kupicoo
Why It Works
Note: Image depicts with weight. When you do a single-leg squat to bench or any sort of getup from the ground, your core is working overtime to keep you balanced. There are a couple different ways to do this based on your core strength, mobility, and flexibility.
How to Do It
Lie on the floor holding a kettlebell with your right hand over your chest, arm perpendicular to the floor, to start.
Bend your right knee 90 degrees and plant your foot on the floor.
Brace your abs, and raise your torso off the floor, using your left hand for support.
Now use your right foot to raise your hips off the floor.
Sweep your left leg back, and rest on your left knee.
Come up to a standing position, then reverse the motion to return to the floor.
Note that the foot that rests on the floor changes with the hand that’s holding the weight (when you perform the getup with the left hand, your left foot will lie flat).
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps on one side, then switch.
4. Swiss Ball Knee Tuck
Beth Bischoff
Why It Works
This is an excellent ab exercise that also stretches the muscles of the lower back. Time under tension helps to exhaust your abs.
How to Do It
Get in a pushup position with shins on a Swiss ball, to start.
Slowly pull your knees to your chest until your toes are on the ball. Think about using your abs as the main driver of the tuck, keeping your belly button in and shoulders pushed away from the ball.
Extend your legs back out with control.
That's 1 rep.
Complete 10 reps.
5. Swiss Ball Rollout
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
Similar to the popular ab wheel devices, this challenges the abs further because of the instability of the ball.
How to Do It
Kneel on the ground with arms extended and the back of your hands or sides of your fists (palms in) on a Swiss ball, to start.
Roll the ball forward while keeping a straight line from knees to shoulders.
Pull the ball back to starting position.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps.
6. Side Plank
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
The side plank targets the obliques more than a traditional plank.
How to Do It
Lie on your left side, then plant your left forearm on the floor, elbow under your shoulder, and stack your feet, to start.
Push off your elbow, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder. Your hips should be off the ground, and only the side of your bottom foot and your elbow should be on the floor.
To up the intensity, wear a weighted vest or hold a light dumbbell in your right hand over your shoulder.
If planking with a free weight, hold for 3 seconds and repeat for 10 reps.
If planking with just your body weight, hold for 60 seconds.
7. Boast Pose
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
This yoga move is a variation of the V-sit crunch that targets the rectus abdominus.
How to Do It
Start with your spine, head, and shoulders anchored to the floor, legs lifted up to a 90-degree angle at your hips and 90 degrees again at the knees, arms raised slightly, about chest high, to start.
Sweep arms overhead then back downward toward sides, while simultaneously extending legs up and out straight, lifting your body up into a V-sit position.
Hold for five deep breaths. Finish by rolling back one vertebra at a time, to the starting position.
That's 1 rep.
Complete 10 reps.
8. Oblique Mountain Climber
Per Bernal
Why It Works
There’s a reason mountain climbers have elite core strength and rock-hard abs to match the surface they’re covering. This exercise not only hits the abs but also develops the hip flexors. Keep your hips down for the entire motion.
How to Do It
Get into a pushup position on the balls of your feet, to start.
Drive your right knee across your body to your left elbow, twisting your body to that side.
Return to the pushup position, then drive your left knee across your body to the right elbow.
That's 1 rep.
Continue alternating sides for 20 reps.
9. Hanging Leg Raise
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
These challenge you to raise your entire lower body with your abs and hip flexors, a key part of core strength.
How to Do It
Grab a pullup bar with an overhead grip, arms straight and feet off the ground, to start.
Keeping your legs straight, use your abs to raise your feet toward your shoulders, pausing when your thighs reach your chest.
Lower back down with control.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps.
10. Burpee
Beth Bischoff
Why It Works
Burpees are a full-body, pushup-like exercise that also challenge your cardiovascular system. They're an underrated ab exercise.
How to Do It
From a standing position, squat, place your hands on the ground, and “jump” your feet into a pushup position.
Perform a pushup, then jump your feet to your hands. Now, jump as high as you can, throwing your hands over your head.
Land softly.
That's 1 rep.
Best Weighted Ab Workout at Home: 10 Exercises to Exhaust Your Abs
Directions
Perform 2 to 4 sets as a circuit, taking minimal rest between exercises. Perform every other day. You’ll see results if you’re eating right and doing the activities mentioned earlier.
1. Renegade Row
Marius Bugge
Why It Works
Renegade rows are a simple yet challenging move that hit the biceps, back, shoulders, and triceps. It’s an underrated core exercise because of the balance required.
How to Do It
Come into the top position of a pushup with your hands on dumbbells shoulder-width apart, to start.
Row one dumbbell toward the side of your body while balancing on the opposite hand and feet.
Pause for one second at the top and return the weight slowly to the start position. Repeat on the other side.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps on each side.
2. Waiter's Carry
James Michelfelder & Therese Sommerseth
Why It Works
Like the farmer’s carry, you’ll soon increase distance and weight. With this move, your abs must work hard to stabilize a heavy weight held overhead while walking.
How to Do It
Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand, then press it overhead, to start.
Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down, and fire your glutes as you walk.
Keep your wrists straight, as if you were waiting tables and holding a tray. Walk 10 yards out and 10 yards back.
That's 1 rep.
Repeat all reps on one side, then switch.
3. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
Beth Bischoff
Why It Works
Unlike a traditional RDL, where your feet are planted on the ground, a single-leg RDL challenges your abs to keep you stable.
How to Do It
Put your weight in your left foot, holding dumbbells in both hands (or just hold one dumbbell in your right hand), to start.
Hinge forward from the waist, lowering the dumbbell as your right foot lifts behind you. Stop when the weight(s) reach your shins.
Contract your glutes to return to the standing position.
That's 1 rep.
Repeat for 10 reps on one side.
4. Single-Arm Farmer's Carry
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
A traditional farmer’s carry holding dumbbells in each hand challenges the shoulders and overall core strength. But carrying just one dumbbell forces the abs to work overtime to keep you stabilized. The farmer’s carry can be challenging at first, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you can walk farther or increase the weight.
How to Do It
Hold a heavy dumbbell in one hand with abs braced, to start.
Walk 10 yards out and 10 yards back, making sure not to hunch over, keeping shoulder blades pulled back and down.
That's 1 rep.
Repeat all reps on one side, then switch.
5. Overhead Squat
Beth Bischoff
Why It Works
Squats are best known as a leg move, but the overhead squat forces your core area, from hips to shoulders, to work hard.
How to Do It
Stand holding a band/rope (beginner), broomstick (intermediate), or barbell (advanced) over your head with arms straight, to start.
Hinge at your hips to squat back and down until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your chest proud and fight the urge to look down or fall forward.
Push through your hips to the standing position.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps.
6. T Pushup
Justin Steele
Why It Works
T pushups strengthen and stretch the abs and obliques while providing all standard pushup benefits.
How to Do It
Start in pushup position, hands under shoulders on light dumbbells, to start.
Lower yourself toward the floor. As you push back up, lift your right arm and rotate to the right until your right arm is straight up and your left side faces the floor. Your body should look like a “T” on its side.
Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
That's 1 rep.
Continue alternating until you hit 10 reps on each side.
7. Lateral Lunge
James Michelfelder
Why It Works
We move laterally throughout life, but most of us don’t train laterally nearly enough. Lateral mobility is one of the first casualties of a life of sitting. This move helps you open up the hips, regain lateral movement, and for our purposes here, target the obliques.
How to Do It
Stand holding dumbbells on your shoulders with elbows up or a heavy kettlebell at your chest, to start.
Step to one side, squat back and down with the stepping leg, and keep the other leg straight.
Return to the starting position by pushing up with the bent leg. Switch sides and repeat the movement.
That's 1 rep.
Complete 10 reps on each side.
8. Swiss Ball Crunch
Beth Bischoff
Why It Works
Using the ball gets you in a fully stretched starting position and forces you to use your abs rather than your momentum to perform the crunch.
How to Do It
Lie supine on a Swiss ball with your torso arched over the ball, to start.
Touch your shoulders, back, and glutes to the ball to stretch your abs. Do bodyweight or advance to holding a dumbbell at your chest.
Roll your hips and chest up, crunching from the top of your torso.
Lower your hips and chest to the starting position.
That's 1 rep.
Perform 10 reps.
9. Single-Arm Overhead Press
Justin Steele
Why It Works
This forces the abs to stabilize the weight at the top of the lift and keep you from twisting.
How to Do It
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in the right hand in front of your shoulder, to start.
Drive it straight up overhead and lock out your arm. Your bicep should be next to your ear.
Lower with control.
That's 1 rep.
Complete 10 reps.
10. Single-Arm-and-Leg Bentover Row
Justin Steele
Why It Works
Like a renegade row, this challenges you to stabilize your core as you work each side independently.
How to Do It
Stand on one leg, grasping a dumbbell rack or bench in front of you with one hand for support, to start. When you advance, remove the support.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand.
Drop your chest and lift your left leg as you use your free hand for counterbalance. Your body should resemble the letter “T.” This is a similar setup to a single-leg deadlift.
Row the weight to the side of your waist.
Lower it with control, keeping your core braced for balance.
That's 1 rep.
Complete all reps on one side, then switch.
Justin Steele
Can You Get Abs Without Going to the Gym?
These guys are proof. They don’t look at training for their sports as work or workouts, but as play. The abs that result are byproducts not of time in the gym but of hours spent on their sports, massive calories burned, and a commitment to healthy eating.
The quickest route to a six-pack? Develop a passion for one or more of those activities or similar rigorous hobbies; eat mostly at home, where you control what you eat and how much; and don’t bring a surplus of junk food into the house.
Think not of abs as a goal or a target but as the result of an integrated lifestyle that involves disciplined eating, pursuing a fun, challenging pastime, and core strengthening work that makes you more effective at that activity while reducing the potential for injury and long-term deterioration. You’ll counteract the effects of sitting at a desk or behind the wheel all day and strengthen the areas that'll keep you from making unnecessary trips to the urologist.
That's not to say you shouldn't do dedicated core work. There are plenty of lower ab workouts and exercises that can work your obliques and deep core muscles.
How to Get Your Abs to Show
“There’s no such thing as spot-reducing fat, and a six-pack is indicative of overall health and whole-body fitness, not just the state of the core muscles,” says Kendra Coppey Fitzgerald, founder of Barefoot Tiger, an in-home personal training service out of NYC and L.A. “If there’s too much fat on top of the ab muscles, you’ll never see them, no matter how much core work you do.” That means you need a combination of healthy eating, cardio, and heavy weight training to lean down and build muscle to lose weight overall.
You might not realize it, but a lot of classic strength training workouts—that 20-minute chest workout and lower-body routine—light up your abs as well because they comprise compound movements that work multiple body parts.
When it comes to sculpting the abs of your dreams, it’s not as simple as doing endless crunches. “Developing a six-pack requires more than just working the ‘show’ muscles you can see,” Fitzgerald says. “The deeper, transverse core muscles must be strengthened first to create a strong, solid base.”
Better news: By doing ab workouts at home shown here, you'll strengthen your core from all angles, focus on function (how your body moves in real life) rather than flexion (crunches), you’ll look good, have a stronger core, and less risk of lower back injury.
“Not only will you see better gains faster, it’s also the quickest way to take inches off your waistline,” says Fitzgerald.
Note: It's difficult to give a timeframe on how quickly abs grow (or better yet, show). It depends on how much body fat you're starting with. Be realistic with your weight-loss goals and expectations. You want sustainable weight loss you can maintain.
Workout Equipment Needed to Build Abs at Home
The bodyweight version of the ab workout below requires a Swiss ball and a pullup bar, but in a pinch, you can do seven of the 10 moves that require no equipment. For the weighted version, a set of dumbbells is all you need.
Because your core is involved in practically every other body part-specific exercise, there are myriad pieces of equipment to work your core: barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, Swiss balls, cable machines, ab wheels, sliders, and more.
Moreover, cardio equipment can help you torch calories and drop fat, helping to reveal your abs. Try the best cardio workouts for weight loss, which utilize equipment like battle ropes, rowers, Airdyne/air resistance bikes, stationary bikes, and the VersaClimber.