20 Best Ab Workouts for Women, According to Fitness Experts

A strong core is about more than just six-pack bragging rights — it’s the foundation of your strength and overall well-being. But you don't need to torture yourself with endless crunches. Instead, fitness experts recommend incorporating a variety of exercises that target your ab muscles as well as bonus muscle groups like your back, legs and arms for overall strength.

"Your core is basically the body’s command center," says Lindsey Benoit O’Connell, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of The LAB Wellness. "A strong core improves mobility, promotes better posture, prevents or lessens pain and injury in daily activities, helps strengthen the pelvic floor and can even reduce your risk of falls."

Understanding your ab muscles

Your ab muscles encompass your entire midsection, but they're not one singular entity. As Emily Sferra, lead Barre instructor on Alo Moves, explains, it's essential to incorporate a variety of core-focused exercises to target each section of your abdominals:

• Rectus Abdominis: These are your front-and-center ab muscles (a.k.a. your "six-pack"). They help you flex forward and play a key role in maintaining core engagement and stability.

• Obliques (Internal and External): Located along the sides of your torso, these muscles help you twist, rotate and bend sideways.

• Transverse Abdominis: Your deepest core muscle, wrapping around you like a natural corset. This powerhouse provides spinal support and overall core stability, keeping you strong and lifted during movement.

• Pyramidalis: A small, lower-ab muscle that supports your lower core.

"Think of your core as a 360º powerhouse," says Sferra. "The muscles work together to support you with nearly every movement you make, and targeting all your different ab muscles is key."

How to do ab exercises the right way

Rushing through your core workout might get you through it faster, but slow and controlled movement is essential for ab exercises. Keep these tips in mind during your crunches, planks and other core work:

• Perform each move slowly and deliberately. This approach ensures proper form, maximizes the benefits of your workout and reduces the risk of injury. As O'Connell notes, "Slow, controlled movements equal deeper engagement and better results."

• Breathe through each movement. "Exhale on the effort," Sferra advises. "For example, during crunches, exhale as you curl up and inhale on the way down as you release the muscular contraction. Breath powers and aids movement, especially with core work."

The best 10-minute ab workout routine

Try this easy and effective ab workout at home (just remember to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program):

• Pick three moves from the exercises listed below.

• Perform the movement for 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off.

• Repeat four times through for each movement to complete one full set.

• Rest for one minute in between sets before switching to the next movement.

Tabletop Crunch and Reach

How to:

1. Lay flat on your back and bend both knees at a 90º angle above you.

2. Perform a crunch, reaching your arms past your knees and toward your ankles.

3. As you lower out of the crunch, simultaneously extend your arms over your head and straighten your legs out away from you at an angle.

4. Return to your starting position.

Pro tip: Keep your neck aligned and lifted throughout the exercise, imagining you're balancing an apple beneath your chin. For an added challenge, hold a dumbbell with both hands as you perform the movement.

Heel Touches

How to:

1. Lay flat on your back and bend your knees with feet flat on the floor.

2. Lift into a crunch and try to touch each heel one at a time while maintaining your leg position and holding the static crunch.

Pro tip: This movement targets your lower abdominal muscles, helping to strengthen your pelvic floor — a crucial benefit that can help reduce incontinence issues.

Standing Knee Drive

How to:

1. Stand up straight with hands behind your head, elbows wide.

2. Lift one knee up toward your chest while twisting your torso to bring the opposite elbow toward it.

3. Return to starting position, then switch sides and repeat.

Pro tip: This exercise activates your core while enhancing balance and coordination. To intensify the workout, try slowing down your movements for deeper muscle engagement, or pick up the pace to boost your cardio benefits.

Plank

How to:

1. Start in tabletop position on all fours.

2. Lift your body up until it forms a straight, diagonal line. Your palms should be firmly pressed against the ground, arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Keep your core braced as you hold the position.

Pro tip: If you experience wrist discomfort, modify the plank by lowering onto your forearms instead of keeping your arms extended. This position creates a stronger, more level alignment in your back. To increase difficulty, slowly lift one leg, hold briefly, then lower it and repeat with the other leg.

Mountain Climbers

How to:

1. Start in a plank position with arms straight and wrists directly under your shoulders. Your body should be in one long plane, with toes pressed into the ground and glutes engaged.

2. Alternate driving each knee forward into your chest.

Pro tip: The quicker your pace, the more you'll boost your heart rate. For an extra challenge, drive each knee diagonally toward the opposite elbow to intensify the workout.

Alternating Straight-Leg Jackknife

How to:

1. Lie flat on the floor with your arms and legs extended.

2. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, contract your abs and simultaneously raise your right leg up to the ceiling and as you bring your opposite left arm up to touch your right foot.

3. Lower back down slowly, and repeat on the other side.

Pro tip: This alternating movement works multiple core-stabilizing muscles, including your obliques. If you're just starting out, don't worry if you can't lift very high — focus on proper form. As you build strength, work toward lifting your shoulder blades completely off the floor during the reaching motion.

Bird Dog

How to:

1. Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Your back should be straight and your core braced.

2. Slowly reach one arm straight out in front of you as you extend the opposite leg straight out behind you. Reach out long in both directions to maintain a straight line.

3. Return to starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

Pro tip: For beginners, start by extending your arm first, followed by your leg — this provides better stability. To increase intensity, draw your elbow and knee toward each other as you return to the starting position between repetitions.

Russian Twist

How to:

1. Sit on the ground with knees bent and chest lifted. Hold a dumbbell in both hands.

2. Lower back as you bring knees (still bent!) up, engaging your core and keeping your spine straight.

3. Still grasping the dumbbell, twist from side to side with control.
   

Pro tip: To make this move easier, start with your heels planted on the floor. As your strength improves, gradually lift your heels higher.

Side Plank

How to:

1. Lie on your side with your right forearm flat on the floor, elbow under shoulder, and both legs extended with feet stacked on top of each other or staggered like in our photo (whichever feels more stable). Your body should form a straight line.

2. Engage core as you lift your hips up and hold.

Pro tip: To intensify your side plank, try these variations: Lift and lower your top leg while maintaining the hold (repeat on both sides), or gently pulse your hips up and down with controlled movements.

Woodchopper

How to:

1. Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with both hands.

2. Bring the dumbbell up so it's positioned beside one shoulder, then twist your torso to bring your arms diagonally down across your body (your arms should straighten as you chop).

3. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.

Pro tip: Maximize the benefits by squeezing your glutes during each rotation.

Bear Plank

How to:

1. Get into plank position.

2. Bend your knees so they form a 90º angle with the ground, almost like you're hovering in kneeling position a few inches above the mat.

3. Hold.

Pro tip: This variation intensifies the traditional plank. For an extra challenge, extend one leg straight behind you, then alternate legs while maintaining form.

Hollow Hold

How to:

1. Begin by lying flat on your back.

2. Lift both legs up at the same time, then lift your head and shoulders up off the mat with your arms extended. Try to keep your core braced and avoid arching your back.

Pro tip: Once you've mastered proper form, increase the intensity by extending your arms overhead during the movement.

Glute Bridge

How to:

1. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground hip-width apart, arms flat by your sides. Your heels should be about six to eight inches away from your glutes (a good way to gauge is if your fingertips are nearly touching your heels).

2. Squeeze your glutes and engage your abs as you lift your hips toward the ceiling as high as you can go without arching your back, aiming for a straight line.

3. Hold for a few moments before dropping your hips back to the ground.

Pro tip: This move targets both your core and glutes. Once you've lifted your hips to form a straight line with your body, try marching your legs alternately for an extra challenge instead of lowering back down.

Leg Lowers

How to:

1. Lie flat on the ground, arms straight at your sides.

2. Bring your legs up so they form a 90º angle with the ground. Slowly lower one leg until it hovers a few inches off the floor.

3. Hold for a moment, then bring that leg back up and repeat with the opposite leg.

Pro tip: This exercise effectively targets deep lower abdominal muscles. To protect your lower back and maintain proper form, place your hands palms-down beneath your butt while building core strength.

Bear Crawl

How to:

1. Get into bear plank position (see slide 11).

2. Keeping this form, step one leg forward as you move the opposite arm forward. Then reverse the movement.

3. That's one rep.

Pro tip: The bear crawl strengthens your body for everyday activities, making daily movements easier and more efficient.

Pilates 100

How to:

1. Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides.

2. Bend your knees and bring them into tabletop position as you crunch up.

3. Then, point your toes and extend your legs straight out so they form about a 65º angle with the floor.

4. Keeping your arms straight, begin pumping them up and down by your sides, inhaling through the nose for 5 counts and then exhaling for 5 counts for a total of 10 times (that's one set).

5. You'll perform this for a total of 10 sets or 100 pumps through.

Pro tip: To start, keep your knees bent while moving your arms. As you build strength, gradually work toward straightening your legs.

Around the Worlds

How to:

1. Stand up straight with legs spread hip-width apart. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of you with both hands.

2. Let go of the weight with one hand and bring it behind your body and around to the front.

3. After completing your repetitions, return to the starting position and repeat the exercise using your opposite hand, moving in the reverse direction.

Pro tip: Standing ab exercises challenge your core muscles more intensely as they work to stabilize your body. These moves improve balance while engaging additional muscle groups, including your glutes.

Scissor Kicks

How to:

1. Lie flat on the ground with legs straight and arms at your sides.

2. Tighten your core as you lift both your upper body and legs, raising your legs to about 45º from the floor. Keep your arms either flat on the floor or hovering slightly beside your hips.

3. Kick your legs up and down one at a time in a scissor motion.

Pro tip: To protect your neck and maintain focus on your abdominal muscles, keep your chin gently tucked, as if holding a small orange beneath it.

Reverse Crunch

How to:

1. Lie flat on the ground, both legs lifted straight up toward the ceiling and arms at your sides.

2. Bracing your core, lift hips up off the mat a few inches, then drop back down.

Pro tip: Instead of performing a traditional crunch, lift your hips upward to engage your deep core muscles. For extra support and proper form, place your hands palms-down beneath your butt.

Dead Bug

How to:

1. Lie flat on the ground, legs bent up in tabletop position and arms flat at your sides.

2. Slowly extend one arm straight out behind you as you simultaneously extend the opposite leg.

3. Hold, then return to starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

Pro tip: Along with strengthening your lower abdominal muscles, this conditioning move can help improve back and hip discomfort while enhancing mobility.

What are the most effective ab workouts for beginners?

All core exercises are effective when performed properly, and they're all beneficial because they target different muscles within your core. But if you're looking for the most efficient workout, focus on moves that engage multiple abdominal muscles simultaneously — similar to how a total-body workout functions, but specifically for your core. The most effective ab exercises for this purpose include:

• Planks (in all variations)

• Bicycle crunches

• Hollow hold position

How many days a week should a woman do ab exercises?

A brief ab workout during each one of your exercise sessions is beneficial, and it's smart to conclude your cardio or strength-training workouts with one or two core exercises.

However, most fitness experts recommend dedicating two to three specific days per week to a focused ab routine. Remember that your core muscles, like all muscles in your body, require adequate recovery time. Pay attention to your body's signals and allow rest days when experiencing soreness.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

As senior health editor of fitness and nutrition for the Hearst Health Newsroom, Alyssa Jung has produced evidence-based health content for Prevention, Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day since 2017. A dedicated (and formerly competitive) runner, she specializes in hill training and lower-body strength workouts.

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