10 Ab Exercises For Defined Abs

When I ask someone what their fitness goals are, I often hear the response ... "I just want abs!"

Well, if some six-pack abs and a strong core are what you're after ... I've got good news for you: You're in the right place!

Building a strong core and abs has so many benefits beyond just looking good! It's critical to have a strong core ... after all, it's literally the center of your body.

It provides stability for your entire body, especially your spine ... and having this stabilization strength will serve you in more ways than you may know!

This includes everything from your strength to your mobility and quality of life. Plus, if you're an athlete, core strength will give you a huge competitive advantage.

On top of that, it's crucial to have a strong core when it comes to preventing injury.

That's why having a consistent workout for abs is so important. If you’re looking to improve your training overall, explore more workout programs and routines in our workouts hub.

Now, if the six-pack is your main goal ... it's a twofold process.

Ab workouts can tone your abs so you can define the underlying muscle, which is great. However, if you really want a six-pack, you also have to burn any excess fat in your midsection.

The six-pack appearance is a sign of low body fat. But, you still have to build your abs to change their appearance, and really help them pop too!

So let's talk about it...

In this article, I'll cover some of my favorite ab exercises, a couple of awesome ab workouts, and what you need to do to lean out and get that six-pack!

In This Article:

• Top 10 Ab Exercises
• Building Your Own Ab Workout
• The Most Important Part
• Frequently Asked Questions

Before We Jump In...

Before we jump into the best ab workout routine, let's talk about technique. It's crucial!

Since you already use your core and abs every day, you already have some practice using them. Reaching, balancing, walking, and even just standing are all examples of this.

Your core is so central to your mobility that almost every exercise uses your abs in some way ... which is great news!

You have the opportunity to use your abs in almost every one of your workouts.

So when you're at the gym, it's important to intentionally engage your abs and core to make the most of your workout.

When you do these exercises, engage your core by bracing your ab muscles.

This will keep you more stable as you complete each rep and ensure that you're activating your core. Plus, it's a great habit to get into to help avoid injury.

Your abs are made up of multiple muscle groups, and the best results come from training all of them. Different movements target the entire core, including the upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and deep stabilizing muscles.

So keep this in mind as you perform these exercises ... or any exercise for that matter.

Here are 10 of my favorite ab exercises that will definitely help you feel the burn...

My Top 10 Ab Exercises

Let's get into some exercises! After I give you my favorites and how to do them, I'll give you a couple of options for ab exercises you can do in just 15 minutes.

As a bonus, most of these can be done at the gym or in the comfort of your own home.

You can also add weights to some of these exercises if you want to increase the burn, but you still shouldn't need a bench or ball to get one heck of a workout.

Exercises That Emphasize Upper Abs

1) Crunches

Crunches are a classic core exercise because they are simple and effective. When it comes to solid exercises like this, there's really no need to re-invent the wheel!

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Set yourself up by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Cross your arms in front of your chest to make sure your neck stays untucked.

2. Engage your abs and roll your head, neck, and shoulders forward off the ground, toward your knees. 

3. Once your upper body meets your knees, pause, then slowly lower back down.

2) Butterfly Sit-Ups

Butterfly sit-ups are basically a slightly more challenging version of a basic sit-up. The difference is that you can't rely on your hip flexors as much as in a normal sit-up. That just means more work for your abs and entire core!

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Lie flat on your back with the soles of your feet together, and your knees bent like a butterfly stretch. From here, lift your arms above your head to get fully into the starting position.

2. Using the strength of your core, pull your body up until you're sitting upright and can touch your toes.

3. Next, slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.

I find that 10-20 is a good rep range to use here.

Exercises That Emphasize Lower Abs

3) Leg Raises

This is a great workout for lower abs, especially when performed with control. It can also help you build some solid strength and stability.

If you sit at a desk most of the day like me, your hip flexors will love this exercise.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Lie face up with your back flat on the ground and your arms at either side of your body. Start by lifting your legs off the floor until they are perpendicular to the floor.

2. If you need to, you can keep a slight bend in your knees. Slowly lower your legs to the floor, keeping your abs and core braced.

3. Try not to let your feet or legs completely return to the ground ... this will keep the tension in your abs! 

Do this for 10-20 slow and controlled reps.

4) Flutter Kicks

If you haven't done this ab exercise before ... it burns! Flutter kicks demand a ton of endurance from your abs and can even be taxing on your glutes, hip flexors, and quads.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides or under your glutes, palms facing down.

2. With a slight bend in your knees, extend your legs and lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor.

3. At a quick pace, move your feet up and down in short segments. 

That's it! Don't underestimate these, though ... they can be brutal.

It's easiest to set a time limit for these as well, so do as many flutter kicks as you can for 30-60 seconds for a few sets.

5) Jackknives

This is a great exercise that will work your entire core, especially your abs. It will also help with greater control and balance in all your daily movements!

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Start by lying on your back with your arms above your head and legs extended in front of you.

2. Point your toes, squeeze your thighs together, and squeeze your glutes. Next, lift your legs and upper back off the ground so your hands and feet meet to form a V with your body.

3. Make sure your core is braced the entire time! When you reach the top, slowly lower your arms and legs back to the floor. 

Do this for a few sets of 10-12 reps, and your abs will feel the burn.

Exercises That Train Obliques & Rotation

6) Plank Twists

Plank twists are going to use your whole body, but you'll definitely notice the ab and core strength these take.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Get into a plank position by lying on your stomach. Prop yourself up on your forearms and toes, while bracing your core to keep your back straight and neutral.

2. Keep your upper body in place as you rotate your mid-body/hips to either side. Each hip should "dip" to each side of your body ... that's why you'll often hear these called plank hip dips too!

Do this for a set number of reps ... I like to shoot for 10-15 on each side.

7) Banded High-to-Low Chops

You are going to need an exercise band for this one ... it will engage your obliques like no other! Another way you can do this exercise is with a single-handle attachment and a cable machine.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Attach a band around a secure pole or attachment high up.

2. Grip the band with both hands, step backward, and face sideways compared to the band’s anchor point.

3. With your arms straight, chop across your body in a diagonal motion. You'll pull the band from eye level to roughly hip level on the opposite side of your body.

4. Once you've rotated as far as you can, slowly return the band to its original position.

Exercises That Build Core Stability

8) Bridges

Bridges are a great way to focus on your core while giving your glutes and hamstrings a decent workout, too.

It's also a bit easier on your lower back than some movements, if that's a problem area for you.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Get in the starting position by lying on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Your palms should also be flat on the ground on either side of your body.

2. Push your back and butt off the ground by pushing through your feet. When your hips reach the top, squeeze your glutes before lowering your body back to the floor.

9) Arm Slides

This is one of the best ab exercises you can do for your entire core! Before you start, you'll need a couple of core sliders or two small hand towels and a smooth floor.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Start by getting on all fours so your hands are aligned with your shoulders and your knees with your hips. Place the towels or sliders under your palms when you're ready to begin.

2. Brace your core and keep your arms extended as you slide your palms forward. 

3. When you can't reach any further without losing balance, use your core to pull yourself back to the starting position. 

Start with 10-rep sets here, as this one can be very challenging.

10) Mountain Climbers

This exercise is going to really work your abs and get your heart rate up!

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1. Start by getting into a plank position. Make sure to squeeze your abs and glutes to keep your back nice and straight.

2. From here, pull your right knee in toward your chest. Quickly shoot your right leg straight behind you, returning to the starting position, while also drawing your left knee in toward your chest.

3. You will rapidly switch between each leg, almost as if you're running in place. Do your best to make sure your core remains braced, and your head stays up.

These are great to do for a set amount of time. Personally, I like doing them in 30-second intervals.

Piecing It All Together

Now that you have the exercises, it’s time to build a structured workout for abs.

If you can start incorporating ab work into your workouts two to three times a week ... you'll notice a huge difference. These routines combine multiple movements to create one of the best workouts for abs.

Here are two 15-20-minute ab workouts that will torch your core!

15 Minute Ab EMOM

If you don't know ... EMOM stands for "every minute on the minute." Complete the set number of reps for each of these exercises, then when the minute is up, move on to the next exercise!

You'll repeat this for 3 rounds...

Exercise	Reps/Time
Crunches	15
Flutter Kicks	As many as you can in 45 seconds
Jackknives	10
Mountain Climbers	50 Total (25 each leg)
Plank	Hold for 30 seconds

15-20 Minute Ab Workout

This may just be your new favorite ab workout! Give it a try, and let me know what you think. If you'd like to make it more difficult ... feel free to add reps, sets, or even decrease your rest time.

Exercise	Sets	Reps/Time
Butterfly Crunches	2	15 Reps
Bridges	2	20 Reps
Arm Slides	2	10 Reps
Plank Twists	2	30 Total (15 Each side)
Plank	1	Hold as long as you can!

Don't Forget the Most Important Part!

As I said earlier, if you really want your abs to show, your diet has to be on point.

That's why they say abs are formed in the kitchen ... there's nothing more important than your diet.

On top of that, your discipline and consistency with your other training sessions is also super important.

If you're not seeing the results you truly want ... that's what we're here for.

A great place for you to get the education, information, accountability, and help you need is inside the 1st Phorm App.

The 1st Phorm App simplifies the process of earning results so you can focus on what matters most: putting in the work to reach your goals! Inside the app, you'll get access to every tool and resource you need to be successful...

• Nutrition tracking - Log your food & water to stay on track. The 1st Phorm App is connected to a massive food database to make it easy.
• A full library of workout programs catered to help you reach your goals. Choose between at-home programs, weightlifting, cross-training, and so much more!
• Daily activity and step tracking to set goals and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
• Educational live streams 5x a week that cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition to training and supplementation. Equip yourself with the knowledge to earn and maintain your results long-term!
• Progress & body metric tools to help you measure your progress over time.

...and so much more!

With the premium version of the 1st Phorm App, you'll even get your own advisor! This is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach you can message 24/7. They'll help you make adjustments, answer your questions, and even hold you accountable when you need it most!

Hundreds of thousands of people have already transformed their lives with the 1st Phorm App. You can too! No matter where you're starting from or how crazy your schedule and lifestyle are ... the 1st Phorm App can help you achieve the results you've always wanted.

If you have any additional questions or need any help in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!

Frequently Asked Questions

This abs routine works well for beginners, advanced lifters, and anyone looking for an effective abs workout for women or men.

What is the best workout for abs?

The best workout for abs trains the entire core, not just one area. A combination of flexion, rotation, and stabilization exercises performed consistently delivers the best results.

How often should I do a workout for abs?

Most people see great results from training abs two to three times per week. Your abs are involved in many compound movements, so quality matters more than daily volume.

What is the best workout for lower abs?

Exercises like leg raises, flutter kicks, and jackknives are some of the best workouts for lower abs. These movements emphasize core control and hip positioning.

Are ab workouts different for women?

An abs workout for women follows the same principles as any effective core program. Women and men benefit from full core training, proper nutrition, and consistency.

Why aren’t my abs visible even though I train them?

Ab definition depends on both muscle development and body fat levels. Training builds the muscle, but nutrition plays a major role in making the abs visible.

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