The best ab workouts at home: Ditch the gym with these exercises

Working your abs doesn’t just boost your confidence when it’s time to peel off that shirt or hit the beach; it can also help reduce lower back pain and improve your balance, stability, posture, and more. You can target your abdominal muscles with or without equipment from the comfort and privacy of your own home. If you pair exercise with a healthier, nutrient-rich diet and less sugar and late-night pizzas, you could be well on your way to stronger and more sculpted abs. If you can’t make it to the gym but still want to hit those abs and get a workout in, here are the best at-home ab-sculpting exercises to try. 

What are the benefits of working out at home?

Working out at home provides a range of benefits, including:

• No gym membership fees and no need to travel to the gym.
• Privacy and comfort in your home.
• Work out at your convenience, and don’t worry about having to wait for a space or machine.
• Create a workout space that suits you.
• Regular exercise promotes feel-good endorphins and improves your overall physical and mental wellness.

What are the benefits of a stronger core? 

A stronger core doesn’t just resemble a Greek statue, there are additional benefits, such as:

• Stabilizing your lower back
• Improving movement control and posture reaction
• Improving balance and flexibility
• Better exercise form and enhanced overall physical fitness
• Improving your ability to perform functional everyday activities
• Reducing lower back pain
• Reducing your risk of injury

Your abdominal muscles or abs are located on the front side of your lower torso or your core. These important muscles help stabilize your internal organs. Your rectus abdominis refers to the popular six-pack muscle, whereas the transverse abdominis refers to your deepest core muscle that wraps laterally around your abdominal area. Your oblique muscles run along the sides of your core and play a role in rotational movements. 

The best at-home ab exercises without equipment

No equipment, no problem. You can use your own bodyweight to fire up those abs. Here are the best at-home ab exercises without equipment.

Plank

When your body forms a straight line in the plank position, the key is to squeeze your whole body, including your abs, triceps, glutes, and quads. Balance on your forearms and toes, and focus on firing up all of those major muscles, especially your abs. You’ll even work the little muscles in your toes! Try to keep your spine neutral and your body stable while you hold this static pose.

How to do a plank:

1. Start on the ground with your elbows stacked directly under your shoulders.
2. Straighten your legs out behind you and rest your weight on your forearms and toes.
3. Engage your glutes and core and create tension in your entire body to maintain the position.
4. Your spine and back should form a straight line that’s almost parallel to the floor.
5. Hold the position for 10-60 seconds before bringing your knees to the floor to rest.
6. Repeat until you complete the set.

Side plank

The side plank is a popular plank variation that hits your obliques, glutes, and lower back and hip muscles while also engaging your shoulder girdle. It’s an effective warm-up exercise to try near the beginning of your workouts or abs circuit. You might prefer to find an exercise mat or soft surface to perform your side planks.

How to do a side plank:

1. In the starting position, lay on your right side with your legs straight. Your feet should be stacked on top of each other, and your right elbow should be under your right shoulder with your hand balled into a fist. The little finger side of your fist should be planted on the ground.
2. Try to keep your neck neutral and engage your core.
3. Carefully lift your hips up off the floor so you’re supporting your body weight with the right side of your foot and your forearm anchored on the ground.
4. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet.
5. Hold this position for between 15 to 60 seconds or longer, depending on your fitness level.
6. Lower your hips down to the floor to return to the starting position. 
7. Repeat until you complete the set before switching to your other side.

Dead bug

Dead bug is the perfect beginner-friendly ab-building exercise to try if you don’t have any equipment. Try to keep your back flat and your head on the floor throughout this exercise and focus on balance and control rather than speed. Go at a steady pace and try to hold each position for at least 1-3 seconds for best results. See if you can get through 12-14 alternating reps of the dead bug exercise to complete one set.

How to do a dead bug:

• Lie on your back and point your arms straight up in the air toward the ceiling.
• Lift your legs up to an L-shaped tabletop position so your knees are bent over your hips at a 90-degree angle.
• Lower your right arm back over your head while simultaneously straightening your left leg and bringing it down to the ground. 
• Then, bring both your right arm and left leg back up. This counts as one rep. Now, you can repeat the motion with your left arm and right leg. 

Mountain climber

The mountain climber is a low-impact cardio exercise that works your whole body, and especially your abs. You incorporate the plank position and bring one knee up to your chest before kicking it back behind you. You’ll hit some of the biggest muscle groups in your body, including your abs, lower back, shoulders, glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

How to do a mountain climber:

1. Start in the straight plank position with your hands stacked under your shoulders.
2. Brace your core and bring your right knee in toward your right elbow at the top of the movement.
3. Kick your right knee back behind you to return to the plank position.
4. Now, bring your left knee in toward your left elbow.
5. Kick your left knee back behind you to return to the plank position.
6. Repeat the movement, alternating your legs and accelerating your speed.

Squat to oblique knee crunch

The squat to oblique knee crunch provides you with the benefits of the traditional squat along with the benefits of the elbow-to-knee crunch. This interesting exercise gets your heart rate up, and you can pick up the pace to incorporate cardio into your workout routine. During the squat phase, you’ll work your abs, obliques, and your legs.

How to do a squat to oblique knee crunch:

1. Start standing in a wide stance with your hands behind your head.
2. Press your hips back and bend your knees to squat down as if you’re going to sit on an invisible chair to get into the starting position.
3. On your way up, bring your right knee up and crunch your elbow down to bring your right knee and your right elbow together.
4. Bring your right knee back down while bending down into the squat position.
5. On your way back up now, bring your left knee up and crunch your left elbow down toward your left knee.
6. Bring your left knee back down while bending back into the starting squat position.
7. Repeat until you complete the set.

Reverse crunch

Because your neck and much of your back stay in contact with the ground, many people find the reverse crunch a little easier on your spine than the traditional crunch. The reverse crunch powers up your rectus abdominis muscles that are responsible for the washboard ‘six-pack’ look. 

How to do a reverse crunch:

1. Lie on your back on a mat or soft surface and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Your feet should be flat on the ground, and your arms should be near your sides with your palms down.
2. Engage your core and lift your feet up off the floor. Raise your thighs up until they’re vertical in the starting position. Your knees should remain bent at a 90-degree angle throughout this movement.
3. Try to keep your mid-back on the mat while tucking your knees in toward your face as far as you can go. Your lower back and hips will lift up off the floor.
4. Hold the position for a moment before slowly lowering your thighs back to the starting position.
5. Repeat until you complete the set.

The best at-home ab exercises with equipment

You can increase the challenge if you have some equipment at home, such as a kettlebell, a pair of dumbbells, resistance bands, or a medicine ball. If you’re a beginner, always start with lighter weights and work your way up over time.

Hanging leg raises

If you’re ready to feel those muscles burn, the hanging leg raise is the challenging ab-building exercise for you. This exercise starts with a dead hang, which is essentially the bottom part of the pull-up movement. You’ll need a pull-up bar at home, but it’s definitely worth including in your abs circuit as it improves core stability and balance and targets your abs, hip flexors, and lower back muscles. You can make it even more interesting by adding variations like the hanging twisting knee raise. Try to shoot for 12-15 reps and rest for two minutes at the end of each set.

Equipment required: pull-up bar

How to do a hanging leg raise:

1. Grip the bar and hang down from the bar, relaxing your shoulders and lats.
2. Squeeze your lats and pull your shoulders down.
3. Engage your core and try to tuck your pelvis under and extend your legs.
4. Raise your legs up until your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to your torso.
5. Hold the pose before carefully lowering yourself back down to the dead hang starting position.
6. Repeat until the set is complete.

Russian twist

The Russian twist involves twisting or rotating your torso while sitting on the floor and holding a weight at your center. The rotation works your abs, obliques, rectus abdominis, hip flexors, latissimus dorsi, and other muscles. You’ll develop rotational strength and target multiple muscle groups at the same time. Try to aim for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Equipment required: dumbbell, weight plate, or medicine ball

How to do a Russian twist: 

1. Sit on the floor and lift your feet up from the floor with your knees bent. You might want to use a yoga mat or workout mat.
2. Try to keep your spine at a 45-degree angle from the floor and hold the weight at your center. Your torso and thighs should form a V shape. 
3. Lengthen your spine and keep your shoulders rolled back.
4. Keep your core muscles engaged throughout this exercise.
5. Slowly twist your torso toward the right until you feel a good stretch.
6. Turn your head to look over your right shoulder and hold the position. 
7. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Weighted crunch

Crunches probably come to mind when you think about ab workouts, but people often get bored of the traditional crunches. Try the weighted crunch instead and hold a medicine ball, weight plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell to make the exercise more challenging and effective. You’ll improve spinal stability and feel those abs burn. Try to keep your shoulders up off the ground while your lower back stays in contact with the ground.

Equipment required: medicine ball, weight plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell

How to do a weighted crunch:

1. Lie on your back and bend your knees.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor and straighten your arms to hold a weight up overhead.
3. Slowly lift your shoulders up off the floor until you reach a 30-degree angle, being sure to keep your arms straight and the weight steady overhead.
4. Hold the pose for a moment before carefully lowering yourself back to the starting position.
5. Repeat until the set is complete.

Renegade row

The renegade row involves an isometric single-arm plank while performing single-arm rows with dumbbells. You’ll fire up your deep transverse and rectus abdominal muscles and improve midline stability and coordination. One of the biggest challenges here is trying not to fall to the side as you shift your weight.

Equipment required: two dumbbells

How to do a renegade row:

1. Start by gripping a pair of dumbbells in the plank position. Hexagonal dumbbells that don’t roll are the best for this exercise.
2. Your feet should be a little wider than shoulders-distance apart to give you more stability.
3. Engage your glutes and core, and drive your heels into the ground.
4. Row one of the dumbbells up to your side, leading with your elbow. Your elbow should pass your torso at the top of the movement.
5. Try to maintain a neutral spine and bring the weight back down to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement on the other side.
7. Repeat the renegade row until you complete the set.

In conclusion

Your body fat will need to be low enough for your abs to be visible. Your at-home workout and nutrition plan doesn’t have to be complicated, and you should start seeing results within about 22 to 30 days. You can choose your top six of these ab exercises and turn them into an abs workout circuit. Go for two sets of each exercise and rest for at least 30 seconds between sets.