Abs + Core Workouts

10-Minute Cardio and Abs Workout

Burn calories and tone your midsection with this quick and efficient CARDIO AND ABS WORKOUT! Do this no equipment, 10 minute ab workout when you can’t make it to the gym!

10 Minutes.

No Equipment.

Cardio Ab Workout.

After being one of the MOST POPULAR home workouts I shared on my Instagram page; it’s about time this 10-minute cardio and abs workout makes an appearance on the blog. In the form of a full-length workout video.

Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to this 10-minute home workout.

Why I personally love this cardio and abs workout:

1. Five awesome ab exercises that are actually full body exercises.
2. No equipment cardio workout I can do anywhere.
3. Combines high intensity interval training (HIIT cardio) with ab exercises.
4. Quick and effective 10-minute workout when you’re short on time (hello nap-time workout and lunch break workout). 
5. A great add-on workout to finish off any upper body, lower body or total body workout.

You get it all with this workout — the core-strengthening benefits of an ab workout AND the fat-burning benefits of a HIIT workout.

How to Use This Cardio and Abs Workout

You can use this as a:

• Standalone 10-Minute Workout. Great for days when you literally only have a 10 minutes to get a workout in.
• Add It Onto Another 10-Minute Home Workout for a 20-Minute Workout. Try pairing this cardio ab workout with this 10-Minute Abs and Butt Workout. Or make it a 20-minute ALL abs burnout workout by pairing it with this 10-Minute Lower Abs Workout.
• Add It Onto a Strength Training Workout. Cardio and core is a great way to finish off a strength-training workout. For example, do this 10-Minute Upper Body Burnout Workout, and finish off with this cardio ab workout.

10-Minute Cardio and Abs Workout

Get the core-strengthening benefits of an ab workout AND the fat-burning benefits of a HIIT cardio workout; ALL in this 10-minute cardio and abs workout!

An effective home workout that builds ab muscles and burns calories and belly fat.

Workout Equipment:

No equipment, bodyweight workout.

Workout Instructions:

Let me be your certified personal trainer for the day. Follow along with the guided, full-length video at the top of this post.

This 10-minute abs workout is done in a timed interval format:

• 45 seconds per exercise
• followed by 15 seconds of rest between each ab exercise

Repeat all five ab exercises x2 sets for a 10-minute cardio and core workout.

Alternatively, you can perform the five ab exercises below at your own pace.

5 Cardio and Core Exercises

1. 2 Pulse Squat + Hip Extension
2. 2 Baby Squat Jumps + 1 Big Squat Jump
3. Plank + Row
4. Sprinter Step In’s
5. Scissor Leg Climb

2 Pulse Squat + Hip Extension

What Muscles Are Used in 2 Pulse Squats + Hip Extension: every muscle in your legs and posterior chain:

• Quadriceps — the front of the thighs.
• Hamstrings — the back of the thighs.
• Gluteal Muscles — also known as the glutes. A group of three muscles which make up the butt — the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. One of the foundational core muscles.
• Posterior Chain — or more commonly known as the core and lower back (specifically engaged during the the hip extension).

This is a great warm up core exercise as it increases ‘time under tension’ or the amount of time your muscle is working during each repetition.

Also a great squat variation for building muscle and core strength.

2 Baby Squat Jumps + 1 Big Squat Jump

What Muscles Are Used in Squat Jumps: ALL of the power generating muscles in the lower body — legs, butt, hamstrings, quads and calves. As well as constant core engagement.

Squat jumps are a powerful HIIT cardio exercise to build lower body strength, specifically for the glutes, while also raising your heart rate to burn fat. The glutes (or butt muscles) are one of the largest muscles in the lower body; thus, they play a key supporting role in overall core strength.

This bodyweight plyometric is sure to raise your heart rate and test your cardiovascular endurance. 

Squat Jump Modification: make this high impact exercise a low impact exercise by removing the jump. Alternatively perform rapid air squats or an air squat with a calf raise. 

Plank + Row

What Muscles Are Used in Plank + Row: almost every muscle from head to toe, with a specific emphasis on the upper back muscles and ab muscles.

This is the no-equipment, bodyweight version of a plank and row (also known as a renegade row with dumbbells).

This multi-functional exercise is an effective way to build muscle definition in the arms, abs and core.

Plank and Row Modification: Drop to your knees, performing rows from a modified plank position. 

Sprinter Step In’s

What Muscles Are Used in Sprinter Step In’s: another full body exercise that targets the core, obliques, shoulders and quads.

Similar to a mountain climber, sprinter step in’s are great way to improve posture and balance as well as strengthen your core and increase muscle definition.

Performing this core exercise on repeat for 45 seconds is also a cardio challenge.

Sprinter Step-In Modification: Slow this cardio exercise down by performing slow knee pulls from the high plank position. Alternatively you can drop to your knees and perform a single leg pull from the table top position. 

Scissor Leg Climb (or leg climb crunches)

What Muscles Are Used in Scissor Leg Climbs: ALL of the ab muscles:

• Upper Abs (or rectus abdominis muscles)
• Lower Abs
• Obliques 
• Transverse Abdominal Muscles (deep abdominal muscles below your ‘six pack ab muscles’)

Scissor Leg Climb Modification: leg climb crunches are easily scaleable to all fitness levels. The goal is to use the least assistance possible as you climb up your leg, reaching towards your toes if possible.

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More Cardio Ab Workouts

10-Minute Abs and Butt Workout

30-Minute Cardio and Abs Workout