A six pack is at the top of many fitness wish lists, but the benefits of performing the best ab exercises go far beyond aesthetics. The abs are part of the main muscles (opens in a new tab) in your body, which are responsible for bending and twisting your spine, as well as protecting the internal organs of your upper abdomen. So it makes sense that training your abs has benefits for sports performance and daily life. These include reduced back pain and the ability to lift more on exercises like the squat and deadlift.
There is no need to waste funds on fancy equipment to train your abs, although the best abdominal rollers (opens in a new tab) can help add variety to your main sessions. Many abdominal exercises can be completed at home with minimal equipment.
To help you optimize your core workouts, Wahoo Sports Science expert strength coach Jeff Hoobler shared his pick of the best ab exercises, according to science, and what makes them effective. All that’s left for you to do is deploy one of the best yoga mats (opens in a new tab) and feel the burn.
Jeff Hoobler is a cycling and strength coach with over 25 years of experience working with athletes of all levels, from beginners to world champions. He has a bachelor’s degree in Sports Psychology and Exercise Science from the University of Kansas and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Additionally, he is a MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques) Therapist, Fundamentals Training Instructor, and USAC Level 3 Cycling Coach.
The best ways to train abs
Social media bragging may suggest that advanced exercises are the best way to blast your core, but you don’t have to master gymnastics to train your abs. According to Hoobler, the reality is much simpler.
“One of the most important things you can do to keep your abdominal muscles healthy is to move them,” he says. “By contracting and relaxing these muscles, you improve circulation and the activity of the nervous system. The easiest way to do this is to breathe deeply through the lower abdomen, often called belly breathing (or diaphragmatic breathing).”
However, if you want to put your abs through rigorous training, your experienced strength coach has more detailed advice.
“You want to strengthen your abdominal muscles to support your spine, reduce back pain, pedal faster, lift more, etc. You’re thinking about doing more sit-ups, right? While this exercise is popular and good for targeting the rectus abdominis, it is not the be all and end all for abdominal training. To really have a strong core, you need to do exercises that engage your entire abdominal wall,” says Hoobler.
Exercises that will do this include things like squats or deadlifts, which force you to ‘load’ all of your abdominal muscles together, Hoobler explains. There is still some value in training muscles in isolation, as this can help functional strength, but these movements should not form the entirety of your training regimen.
“Exercises that engage the entire abdominal wall, as well as the lower back and pelvic muscles, are best for everyone. The muscles of the abdominal wall must not only be strong, but they must also be able to regulate tension and switch on and off as needed to help with coordination and balance.
“When muscles are only trained in isolation, some of this ‘reactivity’ is lost in the abs. It is advisable to include specific exercises aimed at each area and add exercises that [engage] all your abdominal muscles. “
The best abdominal exercises
Taking all of the above into account, here are the moves Hoobler recommends doing.
belly breathing
This improves circulation, flexibility and coordination.
How to do it:
1) Sit in a comfortable position and place one hand on your stomach
2) Breathe deeply into your belly; you should feel it inflate as you suck in air.
oblique leg raises
This exercise targets the internal and external obliques, as well as the transversus abdominis, along with the adductor muscle that helps stabilize the pelvis.
How to do it:
1) Lie on your left side, with your left arm on the floor supporting you.
2) Squeeze your legs together and lift them off the ground as high as you can.
3) At the highest point of the leg lift, hold for five seconds before lowering back down.
4) Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Squat (or goblet squat)
Perhaps this is an unexpected input, but Hoobler says that a vertical load forces abdominal contraction and coordinates with breathing. He can add weights to these moves to make them more challenging or do them as a bodyweight-only exercise.
How to do a goblet squat:
1) Start by standing up straight, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
2) If you’re using kettlebells or dumbbells, grab them against your chest for stability.
3) Engage your core and lower into a squat position, bending your knees and keeping your chest high.
4) Push up and return to standing position.
diagonal wood chop
Do this from top to bottom across your body with light resistance. It can be done with a cable machine or one of the best resistance bands. Hoobler says, “This will engage the entire abdominal wall and engage the abdominal muscles in a rotational motion, mimicking various sports movements.”
How to do it:
1) Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your resistance equipment (band or cable machine) in your hands.
2) Bend your knees and twist them to the left, moving the resistance diagonally across your body and bringing it toward your left hip.
3) With control, uncoil and move in the opposite direction, so that your hands move diagonally across your body until they are extended above your head, behind your right shoulder.
4) Repeat the movement; then complete one set on the opposite side of your body, moving in the opposite direction.
side table
“This exercise forces a co-contraction of the entire abdominal wall,” says Hoobler. “However, in particular, it ‘targets’ the lower side along with the hip muscles.”
How to do it:
1) Lie on your side with one arm bent under you, forming a kind of foot support.
2) Keeping your legs together, push yourself up so you’re elevated with just your forearm and the side of your feet. Your body should form a long line; try not to drop your hips.
3) Hold for 30-45 seconds, or longer if you can!
Swiss ball sits
This movement teaches coordination and flexibility. But, make sure you have a clear space and a smooth floor.
How to do it:
1) Sit on a Swiss ball big enough that you can lift your feet up.
2) Moving with your feet on the ground, circle your hips in one direction, then the other.
“These six exercises will give you coordination, flexibility, strength, and stability,” says Hoobler. “You’re not necessarily going to get a six-pack or a 10-pack, that’s a whole other matter.” if you’re wondering how to get a six pack (opens in a new tab)our handy feature on the subject will tell you everything you need to know.
A 2020 systematic review of the existing literature on core muscle activity during different exercises showed which movements might be most effective in activating different abdominal muscles. This was determined by measuring the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the core muscles.
The review, published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (opens in a new tab), found that the greatest activation in the rectus abdominis and external obliques came from free-weight exercises, such as kettlebell swings, deadlifts, and shoulder presses. The Bulgarian split squat and back squat had the highest overall levels of EMG activity.
The internal obliques, meanwhile, were recruited during core stabilization exercises like V-seats. The front plank had the biggest impact here.
This article is not intended to provide medical advice, and readers should consult their physician or health care professional before adopting any diet or exercise regimen.
