Muscle group
Your abs do two jobs: they curl the spine forward, as in a crunch, and they stop it from arching or twisting, as in a plank. The best ab routines train both, with exercises you can make harder over time.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
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The rectus abdominis is the long 'six-pack' muscle that runs down the front of the torso and flexes the spine. Beneath it, the transverse abdominis wraps around the waist like a belt and braces the trunk. The obliques on the sides handle rotation and side-bending (see the obliques page).
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Crunches, sit-ups and cable crunches train spinal flexion. Planks, dead bugs and ab rollouts train anti-extension: keeping the lower back from sagging. Leg raises and reverse crunches bring the pelvis toward the ribs. Progress by adding reps, time, load (cable or weighted crunches) or a harder lever (straight legs instead of bent). Visible abs depend largely on body fat level, which is driven by diet more than ab exercises.
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Pick one flexion exercise, one anti-extension exercise and one leg-raise variation. Beginners can start with crunches, planks and dead bugs; hanging leg raises and rollouts are more advanced.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the chest, forearms and shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the hamstrings.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps, adductors and abductors.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the calves, chest and hamstrings.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the calves, chest and hamstrings.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the chest, forearms and glutes.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the chest, lats and lower back.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings and lower back, also working the shoulders.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the shoulders, glutes and quadriceps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the calves, chest and forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the glutes, obliques and shoulders.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques and shoulders.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the abs.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques, quadriceps and lats.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the chest, glutes and obliques.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, hamstrings and quadriceps, also working the calves, glutes and obliques.
Intermediate compound barbell exercise for the abs, also working the shoulders and triceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, obliques, shoulders and abductors, also working the adductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the glutes, hamstrings and lats.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors and abductors, also working the lower back.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, quadriceps and adductors, also working the abductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the calves, chest and forearms.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Advanced isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the lats.
Advanced compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the calves, chest and forearms.
Advanced compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
Free GymStreak calculators that go with abs training.
Guides from the GymStreak blog on this topic.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
