Ab Workouts: 10 At-Home Exercises for Well-Defined Abs

Carlos Bruce
Clinical review: Carlos Bruce Personal Trainer CREF-RJ 038849-G
Created by: Tua Saude editing team

Ab workouts include exercises to help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles and reduce belly fat. To increase definition, it is also important to practice aerobic exercises like running, dancing, walking, or cycling, in addition to following a well-balanced diet high in protein and low in fat and carbohydrates.

The abdominal muscles are a small muscle group that is not always visible. Core-strengthening exercises to develop the muscles as well as eliminating excess fat around the middle can help increase definition.

To maintain results, it is important to continue to engage in regular physical exercise and to follow a meal plan developed by a registered dietitian.

Main exercises

The following exercises can be added to any at-home ab workout to help increase definition:

1. V-sits

women in a workout studio doing an ab exercise

For this exercise, start by lying flat on your back on a mat. Next, lift your legs and torso off the mat simultaneously and hold your arms straight out in front you. Lower back to the floor with control. If this is too challenging, you can start by keeping your knees bent.

Make sure to keep your abs engaged throughout the exercise and avoid straining your neck.

The recommendation is to perform 3 sets of 8 reps each, or as recommended by your instructor.

2. Boat pose

woman wearing headphones and holding boat pose

Start by lying flat on your back on a mat. Lift your legs and torso off the mat. keeping your legs straight or knees slightly bent. Extend your arms out in front of you, keeping them parallel to the ground.

Boat pose is an isometric exercise, which means holding the same position for 15 to 30 seconds or for as long as recommended by your instructor or personal trainer, making sure to keep your abs contracted the whole time.

3. Bicycle crunches

woman at the gym doing bicycle crunches

For this exercise, start by lying on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift your shoulders off the mat and hover your legs above the floor. Next, curl up and to the right, bringing your left elbow to meet your right knee. Repeat this move on the other side, continuing to alternate sides throughout the exercise and keeping your abs contracted throughout.

4. Stability ball glute bridge

woman lying on an exercise mat with her feet up on a stability ball

The stability ball glute bridge is another great exercise to add to an at-home ab workout. Start by lying on the floor with your feet on a stability ball. Next, lift your hips, making a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, then lower slowly back down. Keep your movements slow and controlled.

5. Crunches

woman in colorful workout clothes doing a sit up on a mat

Crunches help strengthen the abdominal muscles to increase definition.

Start by lying flat on your back on a mat. Bend your knees and place the feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head. Contract your abs as you lift your shoulders and upper back off the mat, keeping your lower back firmly on the ground. Lower back down to the starting position.

To avoid injury, be sure to keep your neck in a neutral position and make the abs do all the work. Make sure to keep breathing throughout the exercise, exhaling as you curl up, and inhaling as you lower down.

6. Stability ball planks

woman in exercise clothes with her arms in plank position and her legs extended and supported on a s

For this variation of a stability ball plank, first get into position with your shins supported on the ball, legs extended, and hands directly under your shoulders with arms straight. Next, bend your knees and pull the ball toward your hands without moving your arms. 

This variation helps increase muscle definition because it requires the abs to stay contracted throughout the entire exercise to both stabilize the body and perform the movement to bring the ball toward the front.

7. 2-point plank

man at the gym in 2-point plank with right arm and left leg extended

The 2-point plank requires the abs to be actively engaged throughout the exercise in order to maintain your balance. First, start in a plank position. Next, lift your opposite arm and opposite leg off the mat (for example, your left arm and right leg), supporting yourself on only two points. Hold this position for as long as you can, or as directed by your instructor or personal trainer.

8. Russian twists

woman outside on the grass holding a medicine ball and doing a Russian twist to the right

The Russian twist helps trim the waist and achieve well-defined abs. It is done using a medicine ball, but can also be done at home using a pillow or a different type of ball.

Start by sitting on the floor with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the ball between your hands at the level of your chest. Next, lean back at a 45º angle, keeping your back straight and your abs tight. Lift your feet off the floor with your knees bent, so that your thighs and upper body form a "V" shape.

Twist your torso to the right, bringing the ball across your body to the right. Hold this position for about 2 seconds. Return to center and repeat the move on the left side.

The recommendation is to do 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps each, with 1 rep consisting of the complete move from the right to the left.

9. Mountain climbers

Woman in exercise clothes on a mat in the driveway doing mountain climbers

Start in a plank position with your legs extended out behind you and your hands directly under your shoulders with arms straight. Make sure to keep your back straight and avoid putting too much pressure on your wrists by pressing through the palms.

Next, breathe in and bring one knee in toward your chest. Return to the starting position and then bring your other knee to meet your chest, alternating left and right.

Try doing 3 series of 15 to 20 reps each.

10. Alternating single-leg glute bridge

woman outside in exercise clothes with exercise band around her upper legs performing a glute bridge

The alternating single-leg glute bridge helps strengthen the abs, glutes, and lower back, in addition to improving hip stability. A resistance band can be added to increase the intensity of this exercise.

Start by lying flat on your back with your arms in line with your sides. Bend the knees and place the feet flat on the floor, with your heels directly under your knees. Contract the abs and glute muscles as you lift your hips off the floor to form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

Without letting your hips drop, lift one leg up toward the sky. Place the foot back on the mat and repeat on the other side.

Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps each.

What to eat

Nutrition is important in maintaining good health and building well-defined abs. A well-balanced diet can help burn fat, increase metabolism, and strengthen the muscles. The following tips can help enhance the effects of your ab workout: 

  • Eating at least 5 small meals per day, and avoiding skipping meals;
  • Drinking at least eight 8-oz glasses of water per day, about 2 L of water;
  • Including fruits and vegetables with every meal;
  • Consuming thermogenic foods and drinks that accelerate the metabolism, such as ginger, cinnamon, green tea, and hibiscus tea;
  • Increasing protein in your diet, like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, tofu, milk, and dairy products;
  • Decreasing the amount of carbs in your diet, like rice, flour, and bread;
  • Avoiding fatty, sugary, and processed foods, such as cookies, frozen meals, and canned foods; 
  • Avoiding alcohol, like beer, wine, and hard liquor.

These tips can help prevent fluid retention and promote healthy digestion, helping to reduce constipation and bloating to give the appearance of a toned, flat belly. See foods to reduce bloating. 

In addition, protein supplements can help build muscle mass and get your abs in shape faster. Protein supplements should only be used if recommended by a registered dietitian, who can help determine a person's protein needs based on their individual characteristics and goals.

Also recommended: 10 Best Supplements for Muscle Growth (& How to Use) tuasaude.com/en/best-supplements-for-muscle-growth

Additional tips

Some of the best tips for how to get abs include following a low-calorie diet designed by a registered dietitian and engaging in aerobic exercises like running in order to increase calorie burning and reduce belly fat. In order to get 6-pack or washboard abs, however, it is also necessary to build in ab workouts several times a week and eat foods high in protein to help build muscle.

Martial arts are also a great option for people who want to build their core, tone their body, and increase physical fitness.

Practicing good posture is also very important for maintaining a flat stomach, as it allows the ab muscles to keep everything in position without your belly coming forward. This can be done by focusing on keeping the spine, hips, and shoulders well aligned.

Check out exercises to improve posture.

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References
  • OLIVA-LOZANO, J. M.; MUYOR, J. M. Core Muscle Activity During Physical Fitness Exercises: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(12):4306.
  • PARK, D. J.; PARK, S. Y. Which trunk exercise most effectively activates abdominal muscles? A comparative study of plank and isometric bilateral leg raise exercises. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2019;32(5):797-802.