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Jump to 5 Minute Abs Workout Outline
5 MINUTE ABS! A quick, high-intensity ab workout!
Add this killer ab workout to your weekly training routine 2-3 times a week.
Building a strong core is more than cranking out crunches. My core workouts focus on functional training — engaging ALL the muscles that criss-cross around the trunk of your body (aka your core muscles).
GOOD NEWS, if you do my at home workouts or follow any of my free workout plans, you use your abs in EVERY WORKOUT.
When you squat, press weights overhead, perform a push up or unilateral (single sided) exercise, you’re engaging your core.
So you don’t need to dedicate 20-30 minutes to ab workouts.
The best ab workouts incorporate exercises that engage ALL of the major muscles in the core.
You have 29 core muscles; the major core muscles include:
The best ab exercises that work ALL of these core muscles at the same time include:
Which is why these intense ab exercises are included in this 5 minute core workout.
If you want strong ab muscles, you have to train your abs from every angle.
The benefits of strengthening your abs go FAR beyond aesthetics. A strong core:
I’ll cue modifications for various fitness levels in this guided video.
TRAINER TIP: generally speaking, you can make ab exercises easier by bending your knees or reducing the range of motion. To make an ab exercise more intense, perform the movement from your toes (for moves like planks) or fully extend your legs; the farther your legs are away from your body, the harder the ab exercise will be.
If you consider yourself a beginner, or you’re postpartum, you can start with one of my beginner ab workouts:
Once you master these ab workouts you can scale up to this high intensity ab workout.
This core-blasting ab workout targets the:
BONUS: this 5 minute ab workout will also build strength in your low back and glutes — both of which are important for a strong core!
A short, yet intense ab workout that specifically targets the lower abs and oblique muscles.
No equipment, no warm up — we’re jumping right in to this 5 Minute Ab Workout; Tabata-style.
This is an intense at home abs workout, but I’ll provide modifications for all fitness levels.
No equipment needed for this bodyweight-only, killer ab workout.
Let me be your certified personal trainer for the day! Click here to jump to the full-length ab workout video.
This is a tabata-style workout, which means you’ll complete each ab exercise for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, and move on to the next core exercise.
Follow along with my pace, or work through the 5 at home ab exercises below. Repeat x2 sets for a 5-Minute Ab Workout.
*Perform exercises three and four on the right side for the first set, and left side for the second set.
Watch the video for form cues and modifications, or see GIFs of each ab exercise below.
Targets: total core, upper and lower abs.
How to do V-Up Crunches:
Modification: Make this move less intense by bending your knees, performing a tuck-in, instead of lifting your legs straight up for a v-up. Or try Bent Knee Leg Lowers (exercise #3 of these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women).
Targets: total core, with a focus on lower abs.
How to do Kick Out Bicycle Crunches:
Modification: Keep your neck and shoulders on the mat with hands at your sides. Or try a Bent Knee Bicycle March (exercise #7 of these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women).
Targets: obliques, glutes, and pelvic floor.
Clamshell exercises can help balance the muscular effort between your inner and outer thighs and your pelvic floor. A great exercises for pregnancy and postpartum. And great alternative exercise to Russian twists to target the obliques.
How to do Advanced Clamshell:
Modification: Lie on your side and perform the clamshell opening without lifting your hips off the ground. Or try a Knee Down Side Plank (exercise #2 of these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women).
Targets: obliques, glutes and upper abs and lower abs.
How to do Side Plank Toe Touches:
Modification: Take out the toe touch and perform a Knee Down Side Plank (exercise #2 of these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women).
Targets: Transverse abdominis, lower abs, upper abs, and entire core.
How to do High Plank Walk Outs:
Modification: Take out the walk out and perform a Standard High Plank (exercise #8) or an Incline Plank (exercise #1) of these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women.