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Forget sit-ups — this 3-move standing ab workout chisels your abs and obliques

Hit your core muscles hard, including your abs and obliques, using these three standing ab exercises with or without weights. Here’s how to make just three ab moves pack a punch for your core training. 

• You can hold the best adjustable dumbbells or a kettlebell, or stick to using your body weight. However you approach it, build a stronger core with an ab workout that lasts under 20 minutes and without the hassle of gym equipment. 

If you’re a beginner, consider using a light weight and focus on form and movement patterns before progressively adding weight.

• It's also worth a quick reminder that how much ab muscle definition you can develop will depend on a variety of factors. Genetics play a role, along with lifestyle decisions around sleep, stress and diet (some more controllable than others) and how regularly you exercise. A consistent resistance training regime and plenty of movement throughout the day (walking or taking the stairs, for example), in conjunction with the factors above, can help improve your chances.  

Just remember, building midsection muscle is a process. I'm a fitness trainer and I don't own a six-pack. But there are plenty of other reasons to train your core aside from aesthetics, so here's how to hit those muscles hard in three moves. 

Forget sit-ups — what is the 3-move dumbbell standing ab workout? 

If your core goals include sculpting ab definition and carving out those obliques, add exercises that hit the muscles responsible for definition. That includes flexion and extension of your torso (think sit-ups) to target the abs and twisting motions like Russian twists to smack the obliques. Thankfully, if you have limited mobility or don’t want to get down on the floor, these moves are best done standing.

• E2MOM x 5-6 rounds
• Prisoner squat crunches x 10-20 reps
• Standing alternating V-ups x 10-20 reps
• Twisted chair pose x 10-20 reps

Complete the set number of reps per exercise within 2 minutes. Start with 10-20 reps of prisoner squat crunches, then move straight to the standing V-ups, followed by the twisted chair pose.

• Rest for the remaining time, then at the 2-minute marker, start from the top and repeat. You’ll work every 2 minutes for 5-6 rounds. Increase the rounds for a longer ab workout. Reps are guidelines only. Increase or decrease as necessary, but try to finish with no more than 20-30 seconds left on the timer before the next round. Here’s a quick run-through of the ab exercises. 

1. Prisoner squat crunches

Place your hands behind your head to help activate the upper body and make bodyweight squats more challenging. Pull your shoulder blades together and open your chest without allowing the elbows to draw together. From this standing position, lower into a squat, then tap your left elbow toward your left knee and repeat on the right side. If you prefer, tap your left elbow toward your right knee to add a twist. Hold a dumbbell in each hand to progress the move. 

2. Standing alternating V-ups 

• Humble V-ups can be done standing up, which is great news if you can’t lie on your back. Start standing with arms extended overhead, then lift one leg into the air in front of you and reach both hands to touch your foot. Place your foot back down and move back to the starting position, then repeat with the other leg. If you need to scale back, bend your knee as you lift your leg. For an extra challenge, hold a dumbbell in each hand.

3. Twisted chair pose

((Image credit: Shutterstock))© Provided by Tom's Guide

Chair pose, known as Utkatasana in yoga, is often dreaded for its leg-torching capabilities. Sitting in any squat position with your arms overhead also tests shoulder mobility and flexibility in the back muscles. Ground through your feet and keep your heels down, then drive your bum toward the floor and press your hands together in front of your chest, elbows bent.

 

Hook your left elbow to the outside of your right knee, give it a quick tap, then twist to the opposite side and repeat. Keep your chest lifted and knees bent throughout. Hold two dumbbells together to progress further.

What we like about the 3 standing ab exercises 

• Looking at these exercises and thinking — easy? We promise this ab workout is far more challenging than meets the eye. 

While performing these compound exercises, focus on squeezing your stomach as if bracing for the impact of a punch. Move with control and slightly slow each exercise down to feel your muscles working through a full range of motion (a technique called time under tension). If that means cutting back on the reps or sets, no problem.  

• Various other muscle groups are at play during these ab exercises, including deeper core muscles like the erector spinae and transverse abdominis and your hip flexors, which act as stabilizers. These moves also activate your back, shoulders, chest, arms and legs to facilitate the exercises, so remember to give a healthy squeeze to as many muscles as you can — this is called compound contraction and helps keep the correct muscles active.  

There’s also plenty to love about a workout that keeps you accountable. A time cap is a great way to concentrate your efforts, but remember to reduce your reps if you struggle for time rather than rushing and compromising your form

• Story by Sam Hopes: Tom's Guide:

Five exercises better than side bends to sculpt strong obliques

• Training your obliques may not be at the forefront of your mind when you’re on a mission to get a rippling mid-section, often it’s the abdominal muscles we’re headset on. But, to build a set of washboard abs, or improve your overall core strength, you need to give them some love and attention. That being said, we’d avoid the side bend.  

• You may have seen others pumping out 12 to 15 reps on either side of their body with a kettlebell or dumbbell in hand, determined to get their ‘side abs’ to show. But have you ever done a side bend and felt your lower back aching afterwards? This is because it places your spine in an uncomfortable position. Throw some weights into the equation and it's even worse.

• You also end up using your hips far more than your obliques to perform the exercise so, in terms of bang for your buck, it’s minimal. 

There are far better, functional exercises out there that will strengthen your core and give you a much better ab workout. Here are five of our favourites… 

• 1. Single-arm farmers carry 

(Image credit: Getty))© Provided by T3 

• We’ve previously written about why we love farmer carries on T3, as they’re not just great for your obliques, but your core, arms, shoulders and legs. The traditional farmer's carry is performed with either two kettlebells or a pair of dumbbells. But, by carrying just one weight, instead of two, will challenge your obliques even further as they will be working extra harder to stop your torso from bending and twisting. It’ll also make everyday activities easier too, like carrying the shopping. 

2. Russian twist

((Image credit: Getty Images))© Provided by T3 

• This classic core exercise will obliterate your obliques and core. Plus, it can be done using either just your body weight, or you can add some weight into the equation for some extra resistance. A tip from Jeff Cavaliere, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Founder of Athlean-X, focus on driving your elbows back during this exercise. This will ensure you’re actually rotating your torso and not just tapping side to side (which won’t do much). 

3. Pallofpress

• Although it sounds like some sort of mechanical machine, the pallofpress is an excellent core exercise that hits the obliques and abdominal muscles. By slowly pressing a cable (or resistance band) out in front of you, and then back again, it challenges your torso to remain stable while under load. As well as sculpting your mid-section muscles, it also has great carryover for loaded movements, the back squat and deadlift.  

4. Kettlebell windmill

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  ((Image credit: Getty Images))© Provided by T3
• This exercise is slightly more technical, but if you can master it the payoff is worth it. As well as torching the obliques, it also strengthens your glutes, shoulders, lats and improves your hip mobility and flexibility in the hamstrings. As the name suggests, it's usually performed with a single kettlebell, but a dumbbell will work just as well. If you can’t perform the exercise standing, you can do it half-kneeling instead.  

5. Side plank 

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  ((Image credit: Getty Images))© Provided by T3
• Planks are one of the GOAT exercises when it comes to strengthening our core, but this bad boy will particularly fire up the internal and external obliques. Its greatness doesn’t stop there though, as it’s a compound exercise that also works your shoulders, hips and glutes. It doesn’t require any equipment either, but if you do fancy an extra burn, just grab a dumbbell.    

Forget Russian Twists — this 10-minute stability ball workout targets your abs and glutes

• When it comes to stability ball ab workouts, not all exercises are created equal, and you might be wondering where to start. Whether you’ve invested in a stability ball for yoga, and want to add it to your ab workout routine, or you’ve spotted someone using it in the gym and want to give it a go yourself, I’ve got you covered.  

Rather than focusing on exercises like Russian Twists, which only target your abdominal muscles, and can put your lower back under a lot of pressure, the exercises in this 10-minute workout hit your abs and glutes. You can do it from home, or in the gym, and all you’ll need is your bodyweight, a stability ball, and a wall. 

 

As a reminder, if you’re new to exercise, or you’re returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, this might not be the right workout for you and your body. It’s always a good idea to check with a medical professional before taking on a new workout routine, and if you’re unsure, always ask a personal trainer to check your form to avoid putting yourself at risk of injury. 

 

• What is the workout? 
• The 10-minute workout, created by MadFit on YouTube, has five different exercises. Each exercise is performed for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second break, and you’ll do two rounds of the circuit in total. Stability ball squats
• For this exercise, place the stability ball against the wall behind your lower back, and lean your body weight against the ball. Step your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and squat down, rolling the ball down the wall, then straighten your legs to stand back up. 

Stability ball crunches

• For this exercise, start on the ground with your lower back pressed into the exercise mat, and your legs outstretched. Hold the stability ball with both hands, with your arms outstretched towards the ceiling. Engage your core, and lift both legs up to the ceiling, then place the ball between your legs, and lower your arms and legs back down to hover a few inches off the ground. After a couple of seconds, lift the ball again, and take it with your hands, this time lowering the ball behind your head as you drop your legs down. 

Stability ball hamstring curls

• Place the stability ball on the ground and dig both heels into the ball as you raise your hips up to the ceiling with your legs straight. From here, roll the ball in towards your glutes, keeping them raised to the ceiling and your hips steady, and then roll the ball back out to your starting position. Move slowly and with control.  

Stability ball knee tucks and pike

• For this exercise, you’ll need to start by getting into a high plank position on the stability ball. To do this, place your feet on the stability ball, and engage your core to hold a high plank position. From here, tuck your knees into your chest, roll the ball underneath your body, and then reverse the movement so you are back in a high plank position. Then complete a pike, raising your hips up towards the ceiling and raising onto your toes on the stability ball, before lowering back down to a plank. 

Stability ball frog pumps

• To do this exercise, start by lying on your back, with your knees bent, and place your feet on the ball so that the soles of your feet are facing each other and your knees are pointing out to the side. From here, raise your hips towards the ceiling and squeeze your glutes. Hold this for a couple of seconds, before lowering your hips back down to the exercise mat. Don’t let your glutes touch the floor throughout the exercise. 

((Image credit: Shutterstock))© Provided by Tom's Guide

 

What are the benefits? 

• The clue to the main benefit of adding a stability ball to your workouts lies in the name — exercising on, or with the ball challenges your stability, and forces the muscles in your core to work harder to keep you steady. A strong core is much more than just an aesthetic goal — it can help you lift heavier weights, run with better form, sit and walk with better posture, and protect your spine from injury. 

• However, this workout doesn’t just use the muscles in your midsection — your glutes get a workout here too. The glutes are the largest muscle in the body, but if you spend a lot of time sitting down, you might find they are pretty lazy during your workouts. Strengthening your glutes has several benefits — it can help you avoid injury to your lower back, improve athletic performance, and improve your posture and balance. 

Finally, using a stability ball helps you work on your mind-body connection and balance in your workouts. As you wobble on the ball, you’ll have to really think about the muscles you’re trying to engage to complete the exercise, improving this connection in the body. You’ll also work on your front-to-back balance, which can come in handy when lifting weights. So grab that yoga ball and give this workout a try!  

• Story by Jane McGuire: Tom's Guide