We all know patience and consistency – along with a solid diet – are essential for building a defined midsection. So, if you’re struggling to fit ab exercises into your week, your progress is likely to stall. That’s where this quick ab workout from Sweat App Founder, Kayla Itsines, can help. It requires almost no equipment, takes just 10 minutes, and can be done right at home – making it easy to slot into a busy schedule. After all, doing a little bit consistently will always beat doing nothing at all.
Our abdominal muscles are more than simply about aesthetics though. They’re a key part of our core and enable spinal flexion and extension, while the obliques help with lateral flexion and extension. Strengthening them therefore, makes everyday movements – like bending down and picking things up – easier, and helps to keep our body more stable.
Whether you’re doing this workout in the gym or at home, make sure you grab something to put beneath you, as all the exercises are performed on the floor. You'll either need a single dumbbell or a filled water bottle will also work nicely. Work through the exercises below, resting for 30 seconds between each. Complete three rounds in total, then you’re done. Here’s the workout:
- Plank and drag – 20 reps (10 per side)
- Straight-leg jackknife – 15 reps
- Sit-up and press – 15 reps
- Side plank and oblique crunch – 60 secs (30 per side)
- Bent-leg sit-up – 15 reps
Remember, diet is also key when it comes to having visible abs, as you need a low body fat percentage, and you still need to implement progressive overload (your abdominal muscles need to be treated like any other muscle). So, once these exercises become easy, try adding extra reps, reducing your rest times, or increasing the amount of weight used to up the intensity.
