Strengthen and tone your entire core with this 7-minute abs workout for women. Seven effective ab exercises targeting the lower abs, upper abs and obliques. An intense ab workout you can do at home with no equipment.
Build a strong core with this quick but intense 7-minute abs workout.
I’m often asked how to tone your core. The best way to build strong, defined abs is to functionally train the muscles that criss-cross around the trunk of your body. We often do this functional core training in my home workouts, but it’s great to train abs separately a couple times a week.
Today’s ab workout is made of seven spicy moves. I personally like to add this core workout to an upper body workout or a quick run.
5-10 minutes is the ideal amount of time for an ab workout, especially if it includes intense exercises. Short workouts are easier to fit into busy schedules, and allow you to focus on performing each move with good form. If you like this workout, you might also like this 7-Minute Standing Ab Circuit Workout, this 10-Minute Daily Ab Workout, or this Intense 10-Minute Home Ab Workout.
Your abs are a muscle group that require rest and recovery time, just like any of your other major muscle groups. Overtraining can lead to muscle imbalances, burnout and injury. For the best results, follow a well-rounded workout program that builds in core training 2-3 times a week.
This is an advanced ab workout routine. That said, modifications are included throughout to make this workout accessible to all fitness levels. If you’re postpartum or consider yourself a fitness beginner, I suggest starting with our 10-Minute Beginner Ab Workout or 10-Minute Lower Ab Workout for Women.
Seven bodyweight ab exercises to strengthen your core and add muscle definition to your midsection.
This intense ab workout consists of seven ab exercises (several of which I borrowed from the 18 Best Ab Exercises for Women).
Add this ab workout to your weekly workout routine 1-2 times a week to build muscle and improve endurance. I recommend alternating this workout with our other ab workouts to avoid workout boredom.
No equipment needed, just your bodyweight.
Follow along with the guided 7-Minute Ab Workout for Women on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
Targets: Full body, emphasizing the core, abs, shoulders, triceps and obliques.
In addition to toning muscles, plank kick throughs also challenge and increase balance and coordination.
Modification: Option to perform a low plank single leg knee to elbow pull. Or drop down to one knee in table top and perform a single leg knee to elbow crunch.
Targets: The upper abs and lower abs, as well as the inner thighs (adductors) and outer glutes (abductors).
Modification: Keep your heels on the ground and perform a butterfly crunch. Or perform a half crunch, sitting up halfway (or as far as you can).
Targets: The upper abs and lower abs.
Modification: Keep the leg that is closest to the ground on the ground (rather than floating it off the ground). Option to sit halfway up, reaching for the knee instead of the toe.
Targets: The chest, triceps, shoulders, core and lower back.
Push ups are a fast and effective way to build muscle definition in the arms and abs (simultaneously building upper body and core strength).
Modification: Hold high or low plank position, and slightly shift your weight forward and backward as you work into the full plank launcher. Option to omit the push up or perform the push up from the knees.
Targets: The lower abs and obliques. Also improves stability throughout the lower back, hips and spine.
Modification: Keep your heels on the ground and perform a half crunch by reclining one inch and then up an inch before performing the side-to-side twist with heels on the ground.
Targets: The external oblique, internal oblique and rectus abdominis.
Modification: Lying on your side, perform an 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 performing the side crunch.
Targets: The upper abs and lower abs, as well as the inner thighs (adductors) and outer glutes (abductors).
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.
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