If you’re gunning for a solid six-pack, then read on for some ab workouts to help you reach your goal!
In this article:
Get a Rock-Hard Solid Six-Pack with These Ab Workouts
More Than Just for Show
A six-pack will make you look great, but it’ll make you feel good, too. Working out your abdominal muscles is extremely important for improved performance in your workout or any day-to-day activity.
These core muscles support your spine in any movement, which allows you to fluidly execute any motion without risking injury. At the same time, the stronger these muscles are, the more power you can exert in your exercises.
Ab Workouts for Solid Abs
1. Beginner Ab Workout
If you’re just starting out, it’s best to start with a few variations of ab exercises to stimulate these muscles for the first time. This will lessen the fatigue and recovery time you need to work out these muscles again in two days time.
After trying this workout for the first two days, you can add more exercises and shorten your rest periods. This will help you build your endurance and performance for future workouts.
Exercises:
- Crunches (15 reps or until failure)
- Flat bench lying leg raise (15 reps or until failure)
- Jackknife sit-ups (15 reps or until failure)
2. Lower Ab Workout
Your lower abs are the biggest hurdle when it comes to achieving the perfect six-pack. This is where most of your belly fat is stored, and it’s often the last part of the abs that’ll be defined.
Effective lower ab workouts will have you feeling the burn after a few seconds of starting. The key is to keep powering through each rep count of all the exercises and only resting after a set. Do 3-4 sets of these lower ab exercises.
Exercises:
- 20 crunch kicks
- 20 flutter kicks
- 20 scissors
- 20 leg raises
- 20-count hold of a leg raise
3. Ab Workout for a Deep-V
No six-pack is perfect without the deep-V. The obliques give your whole abs the final definition it needs to show off your hard work.
Similar to the lower abs, you need to target your obliques with continuous engagement. Do 3 sets of these oblique exercises and rest between each set.
Exercises:
- 12 lying alternating leg lifts
- 20 overhead dumbbell supine reverse crunches
- 20 bicycle crunches (make sure to fully extend your legs)
- 10 inchworms (then hold briefly in plank position)
- 20 knee-to-shoulder knee-ins
- 20 knee-to-opposite-shoulder knee-ins
4. Complete Ab Workout
If you’re pressed for time and want to dedicate one session for your whole abs, you need a range of ab exercises. A complete ab workout needs to include exercises that engage both upper and lower abdominal muscles.
You can also use this workout as your standard ab workout every time you’re working your core muscles. Change up the workout and increase the reps after two sessions. Rest a minute after each set and do 3 sets of these exercises.
Exercises:
- Sit-ups (15 reps or until failure)
- Flat bench lying leg raise (15 reps or until failure)
- Jackknife sit-up (15 reps or until failure)
- Flat bench leg pull-in (15 reps or until failure)
- Toe touchers (15 reps or until failure)
- Crunches (15 reps or until failure)
- Reverse crunch (15 reps or until failure)
5. Ab Workout for a More Stable Core
Building a six-pack can also make your core more stable. Exercises that force your body to resist flexing forward improves your stability. Rest after each set and do 3 sets of these exercises.
Exercises:
- 20 supermans
- 20 dumbbell pullovers (use a medicine ball)
- Forearm planks with 20 toe taps (each side)
- Side planks with 20 leg pendulums (each side)
- 20 prone reverse crunches
- Side plank with 15 dumbbell flyes (each side)
- 1-minute forearm plank
- 20 supermans
6. Weight Workout for Abs
You can do exercises with loaded carries to build upper body strength, grip strength, hip stability, and core stability. Make sure you’re walking upright while holding the weights to properly engage your core muscles.
Exercises:
- Farmer’s walks (4 sets of 30-yard walks)
- Imperfect farmer’s walks (4 sets of 30 seconds)
- Stop and go farmer’s walks (4 sets of 30 seconds)
7. Plank Variations Ab Workout
Planks are regular exercises in ab workouts for a reason. They teach your core muscles to protect the lumbar spine from extending and train them for heavy lifts.
Changing to different plank variations will help target other core muscles and improve results. You can change a simple plank into an advanced version that’ll bring you closer to a six-pack.
Exercises:
- Plank (4 sets of 40-second planks, rest between sets)
- Plank with agitation (4 sets of 40-second planks, rest between sets)
- RKC plank (3 sets of 3 reps, a rep is a 10-second hold and 10-second rest)
- 20 knee-to-elbow planks
- 20 push-up plank into downward dog
- 20 push-up to plank tilts
8. Two-Minute Ab Workout
If it’s been a busy week and you’re not sure when’s the next time you can make it to the gym, all you need is two minutes. This quick ab workout forces you to fit in as many reps as you can for each exercise in 20 seconds.
Exercises:
- Knee-to-elbow crunches
- Flutter kicks
- Scissors
- Hundreds
- Reverse crunches
- Sitting twists
9. Standing Ab Workout
If you don’t have any equipment or mat to lie on, you can still effectively work out your abs while standing. Each of these exercises pulls on your upper and lower abs to contract them. Rest between each set and do 3 sets.
Exercises:
- 20 knee-to-elbows
- 20 side to side chops
- 10 cross chops
- 20 high knees
- 20 twist jacks
Tips to Improve Your Ab Workouts
Breathe and Brace
Your breathing is extremely important in making your ab workouts effective. Every time you breathe in with your stomach, your core muscles are engaged even further. To do diaphragmatic breathing, inhale through your nose until you fill your stomach, sides, and lower back with air.
Do this while bracing, and it’ll add another level to the contraction of your ab exercises. Bracing happens when you tense or squeeze your abs as if someone is about to punch your stomach. You can use bracing to improve simple exercises like a normal plank.
Do Ab Workouts Three Days a Week
You should be working out your abs at least three days a week. A six-pack is hard to achieve but quick to lose because it’s a prime area for fat storage.
Most bodybuilders workout their abs every other day, and often 4-5 days a week to maintain their six-pack. Working on your abs first can also help increase your metabolism, which is important for weight loss management.
On the other hand, you can still achieve a six-pack if all you can fit in is one ab day per week. You can squeeze in some of these ab workouts as your warm-up before weight training.
Add Mass to Speed Up Your Gains
The fastest way to achieve your six-pack is by increasing your weights. You can also add weights to bodyweight exercises for progressive overload and create resistance by holding dumbbells or using resistance bands.
Take EVERTRAIN POST after your workout for muscle repair, decreased inflammation, and reduced recovery time between training sessions – clean, quality, and effective!
Ab workouts for men and women will give you the same results, as long as you are committed to your workout regimen. If you’ve been trying to get a six pack and have not met your fitness goal, maybe it’s time to change your routine. Give these ab workouts a try and see which one works for you. Don’t forget to challenge yourself along the way, too!
What kind of ab workouts do you follow in your six-pack regimen? Share them with us in the comments section below!
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