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Previously seen on Nourish Move Love — we updated this post to include a full length, follow along at home workout video!
Jump To 7-Minute Ab Workout Instructions + Modifications
Full disclosure — this is an advanced abs workout.
I consider this 7 Minute Abs Workout For Women and this 10-Minute Butt and Abs Stability Ball Workout the two hardest ab workouts on the blog.
I may be smiling in these pictures, but I was fighting to hold on for each shot. These seven ab exercises require total core engagement and will hit every abdominal muscle in just 7 minutes!
I created this 7-minute abs workout after my first son, Brody was born. I wanted to challenge myself so I started doing the modified version of these 7 ab exercises around 6 months postpartum.
I was finally able to complete the full version of this ab workout, without modifications, around Brody’s first birthday (12 months postpartum).
So it was only fitting that I added the full-length workout video to this post at 6 months after having my second baby, Bella. I struggled through every rep of this guided workout video, and modified as needed.
There is no shame in the modify game — that’s my postpartum mantra!
7-minute abs! This core workout will challenge every ab muscle you have. It specifically targets the deep transverse abdominal muscles, obliques, lower abs, and upper abs (or rectus abdominis muscles) — all necessary for a strong core!
An intense ab workout consisting of 7 ab exercises (several of which I borrowed from these 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women post).
Do this as a stand alone ab workout, or add this 7-minute abs routine onto another workout.
Perform each abdominal exercise for 30 seconds.
Once you complete all seven ab exercises, take a 30 second rest and repeat the exercises x 2 sets (repeat on the other side of the body as needed).
See video above for exercise cues and proper form.
Plank kick throughs, a full body exercise that emphasizes the core, abs, and shoulders. This staggered version of plank kick throughs also works the triceps and obliques.
In addition to toning muscles, plank kick throughs also challenge and increase balance and coordination.
Plank Kick Through Modification: Perform low plank single leg knee to elbow pull. Option to drop down to one knee in table top and perform single leg knee to elbow crunch.
Frog crunches are a challenging ab exercise that target the upper abs and lower abs, as well as the inner thighs (adductors) and outer glutes (abductors).
During this exercise remember to press your head into your finger tips to make sure you’re not pulling on your neck during this exercise.
Frog Crunches Modification: Keep your heels on the ground and perform a butterfly crunch sitting all the way up to break hip crease. Or perform a 1/2 crunch, sitting up 1/2 way or as far as you can. Make it harder by keeping your shoulder blades off the floor, or modify by keeping your neck and shoulders planted on the ground and just pull your ‘frog legs’ towards your chest and kick out.
Again targeting the upper abs and lower abs, 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.
Leg Climb Crunches Modification: Keep your leg closest to the ground on the ground instead of floating it off the ground. Climb up your opposite leg as far as you can before climbing back down to return to starting position. Option to again sit 1/2 way up reaching for the knee instead of the toe.
The plank launcher is a challenging addition to the classic push up. A great bodyweight exercise for building upper body strength; targeting the chest, triceps, shoulders, core and lower back.
Push ups are a fast and effective way build muscle definition in the arms and abs. Simultaneously building upper body strength and core strength.
Plank Launcher and Push Up Modification: Hold high or low plank position, and slightly shift your weight forward and backward as you work into the full ‘launcher’. Option to omit push up or perform push up from the knees. You can also view these 7 Push Up Modifications.
Reverse crunches are a well-known core strengthening exercises that specifically target the lower abs.
Adding a core twist to this exercises not only targets the obliques but also improves stability throughout the lower back, hips, and spine.
Reverse Crunch Modification: Keep your heels on the ground and perform a 1/2 crunch by reclining 1 inch and then up an inch before performing the side-to-side twist with heels on the ground.
As the name of this exercise implies, it targets the obliques. More specifically the external oblique, internal oblique, and rectus abdominis.
V-Up Crunches Modification: Lying on your side perform a side, oblique crunch, keeping both legs touching the ground. Focus on contracting the abs to move your torso up. Alternatively, bend your knees at a 90 degree angle (rather than extending legs straight) and lift your legs while perform the side crunch, similar to the above v-up.
Your basic abdominal crunch on steroids because you increase the length of the levers by extending your arms and legs.
Ab sprawlers target the upper abs and lower abs, as well as the inner thighs (adductors) and outer glutes (abductors).
Ab Sprawlers Modification: Lying flat on the floor on your back, with knees bent, and arms at your sides, tap your heels wide then bring them together and tap them narrow. Repeat these heel taps on the ground and when you’re ready add a full or 1/2 crunch as you tap your heels narrow on the ground.
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