Having washboard abs may be more of a vanity project, yet they’re still perceived as the ultimate symbol of strength and a regimented training regime. The good news is you don’t need the gym or any fancy equipment to carve out a chiseled midsection. This four-move workout from Jeremey Either, founder of Built With Science, can be done literally anywhere— at home, the garden, or even the park— all you need is something soft beneath you and a ‘let’s get it’ attitude.
In order to help your abs grow, selecting the right exercises is key. “How many times have you done an ab exercise yet felt it more in your hip flexors or lower back instead?,” Either asks in his video. “Many ab exercises are just poor choices, and should be avoided for this reason.” Luckily, the four exercises he’s chosen work the key areas you must target to build a chiseled midsection. This includes the upper and lower abs (the rectus abdominis), the side abs (the obliques) and your deep abdominal muscles (the transverse abdominis).
This workout is performed as a circuit, that’ll leave you clenching at your stomach and possibly feeling a little sick. In other words, you’ll feel the burn. Complete one exercise after the other, followed by a 15-second rest. Then, once you’ve done the entire circuit rest for two minutes before repeating two more times. Get ready, here’s the workout:
- Ab walkouts: 5-10 reps
- Reverse crunches: 10-25 reps
- Crunches: 10-25 reps (place a rolled up towel under your lower back to increase range of motion)
- Russian twists: as many reps for 1 minute
If these exercises were a little too intense, then take a look at our guide to the best ab exercises for beginners. For those who want to avoid floor-based exercises altogether though, this standing ab workout is a good alternative. Although, it focuses more on functional core strength than just your abs, but that isn't a bad thing!
