5-Minute Ab Workout (No Equipment)
Strengthen and define the total core at home with the best 5-minute ab workout. Five advanced core exercises targeting the lower abs, upper abs and obliques. No equipment needed for this intense ab workout.
Strengthen the total core at home with the best 5-minute ab workout.
If you’ve mastered this 5-Minute Beginner Ab Workout, it’s time to move onto today’s intense core burnout.
Strengthening the ab muscles can help improve posture, stability and balance in daily activity. Plus, a strong core can prevent injury and reduce low back pain.
Today’s advanced ab workout targets the lower abs, upper abs and obliques using just your bodyweight.
Add this ab workout onto your next arm workout or leg workout, or knock it out in 5 minutes.
5-Minute Ab Workout
These are five of my favorite advanced, bodyweight exercises that target the abs. Strengthen your core, improve posture and reduce low back pain with this quick and effective ab workout at home.
Add this advanced abs workout to your weekly workout routine 1-2 times a week to build muscle and improve endurance. I recommend alternating this workout with my other ab workouts, like my pilates ab workout or resistance band ab workout to avoid workout boredom.
Workout Equipment:
No equipment needed, just your bodyweight.
Workout Instructions:
Follow along with the guided Ab Workout on YouTube, led by me — your certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
- 5 Advanced Ab Exercises
- Timed Intervals (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)
- Repeat All 5 Exercises x2 Sets
Workout Outline
1. V-Up Crunches
Targets: Total core, upper and lower abs.
How To Do V-Up Crunches
- Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs extended long. Press your low back into the mat.
- Inhale to engage your core. On your exhale, lift your hands and feet at the same time to meet above your midsection (pulling together to form a “V” with your body).
- With control, lower your arms and legs back to the floor, hovering your hands and feet off the mat to keep the core engaged throughout the exercise.
Modification: Option to shorten your range of motion by keeping your knees bent and performing a tuck-in (rather than fully extending the legs).
2. Bicycle Crunches
Targets: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominal muscles and obliques.
How To Do Bicycle Crunches
- Start lying flat on your back, lower back pressing firmly into the mat. Bring your legs to a raised 90-degree bend.
- Lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground. Place your hands behind your head and think about pressing your head into your fingertips.
- Kick the right leg long as you keep the left knee in towards your chest.
- Then alternate the movement, pulling the right knee in towards your chest as you send the left leg long.
- Continue to repeat this ‘bicycling’ movement, alternating crunches.
Modification: Option to keep your neck and shoulders on the mat with hands at your sides.
3. Advanced Clamshell
Targets: Gluteus medius (which lays on the outer edge of the buttocks and is responsible for stabilizing your pelvis), gluteus minimus (hip extension), obliques and core.
Clamshell exercises can help balance the muscular effort between your inner and outer thighs and your pelvic floor. A great exercise for pregnancy and postpartum.
How To Do Advanced Clamshell
- Lie on one side, with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle, soles of the feet to touch.
- Rest on the forearm of the lower arm, shoulder stacked over elbow.
- Exhale to engage the core and stabilize your spine and pelvic floor.
- Keeping your feet touching, use your outer glutes and hips to lift your resting hip off the floor. Simultaneously as you lift your hips off the ground, open your legs, raising your upper knee as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis (mimicking a clamshell opening).
- Pause and hold at the top of the movement for a moment. Then return to the starting position.
Modification: Lie on your side and perform the clamshell opening without lifting your hips off the ground.
4. Side Plank Toe Touch
Targets: Obliques, transverse abs, upper abs and lower abs.
How To Do Side Plank Toe Touches
- Start in a modified side plank or knee down side plank. Right forearm on the mat, right shoulder stacked over right elbow and right knee on the ground with left leg and arm extended long.
- Option to hold this knee down side plank position, engage your core and obliques, and lift your hips.
- Add a toe touch by pulling your left toe towards your left hand; they should meet near shoulder height.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Start on the ride side, then repeat on the other side of the body.
Modification: Option to omit the toe touch and hold a modified side plank.
5. Plank Walk Out
Targets: The entire core from head to toe including — deep transverse abs, upper abs, lower abs, side abs, shoulders, back, glutes and quads.
How To Do A Plank Walk Out
- Start in a high plank position, shoulders over wrists, core engaged, pulling up on your kneecaps and pressing your heels towards the wall behind you. Create a straight line with your body from head to heels.
- Slowly start “walking” your hands out in front of you. The further you walk your hands out away from your body, the more difficult this advanced ab exercise becomes.
- Once you’ve walked your hands as far away from your body as you can without dropping your hips, pause for a moment. Arms and legs extended long.
- Then reverse the movement by walking your hands back to your high plank or starting position.
Modification: Option to omit the walk out and hold a high plank.
FAQs
Is A 5-Minute Ab Workout Effective?
Yes! 5-minute ab workouts can be effective if they include a variety of exercises that target the entire core. I include a lot of functional core training in my home workouts, but occasionally like to add a quick core burnout onto the end of a workout (like I did in this program). A strong core is tied to improved balance and stability, improved posture, reduced risk of lower back pain and reduced risk of injuries (Mayo Clinic).
What Are The Best Ab Exercises?
Variations of planks and crunches are some of the most effective ab exercises. These exercises hit all parts of the core and train the abs to stabilize the trunk of the body. They can also be done without any equipment, and can be scaled up or down depending on your fitness level.
Free 7-Day Ab Challenge
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