At-Home Ab Workout To Strengthen Your Core

When it comes to working out at home, there are many different exercises to choose from. This means knowing which exercises you can do to improve your strength in particular areas will make it a lot easier to get motivated. That’s why we’ve put together this at-home ab workout that takes the guesswork out of strengthening your abs. Ab exercises are primarily designed to increase strength in your abdominal muscles. Having a stable and strong core improves your overall balance, helps support and relieve strain on your other muscles in day-to-day life, and helps you to do other exercises in your workouts. They usually require little-to-no equipment, so they can easily be done at home. This at-home ab workout requires no equipment whatsoever. You only need enough space for an exercise mat and room above your head for jumping. This workout can go for either 14 or 28 minutes, depending on the number of rounds you want to complete.

Try this ab workout at home

You can do this ab workout easily from the comfort of your own living room. Each exercise is designed to target your abs and core, increasing strength and stability in these areas.

Ab Circuit 1

Straight-leg raises: 20 reps

1. Lie on your back on a yoga mat. Extend both legs and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Exhale. While keeping your legs extended, slowly raise your legs upwards until they form a 90-degree angle with your hips.

3. Inhale. Slowly lower your legs to return to the starting position, but without lowering your feet to the floor. Repeat for 20 reps

Scissor kicks: 40 reps (20 each side)

1. Start by lying on your back on a yoga mat. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine and raise both legs off the floor. This is your starting position.

2. At the same time, slightly raise your right leg and slightly lower your left leg, ensuring that neither of your legs touch the floor.

3. At the same time, slightly raise your left leg and slightly lower your right leg, ensuring that neither of your legs touch the floor. This should create a “scissor-like” motion. Continue alternating between right and left for 40 reps (20 each side), inhaling for four repetitions and exhaling for four repetitions.

Mountain climbers: 20 reps (10 each side)

1. Place both hands on the yoga mat shoulder-width apart and both feet together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. This is your starting position.

2. Keeping your left foot on the floor, bend your right knee and bring it in towards your chest.

3. Extend your right leg to return to the starting position.

4. Keeping your right foot on the floor, bend your left knee and bring it in towards your chest.

5. Extend your left leg to return to the starting position. Continue alternating between right and left for 20 reps (10 each leg), inhaling for four mountain climbers and exhaling for four mountain climbers.

Half burpees: 20 reps

1. Plant both hands on the mat slightly further than shoulder-width apart, feet together on the mat behind you while resting on the balls of your feet. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Exhale. Jump both of your feet forwards in between your hands, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder-width apart.

3. Inhale. Jump both of your feet backwards to return to the starting position. Repeat for 20 repetitions.

Ab Circuit 2

Plank and toe lifts: 45 seconds

1. Start by placing your forearms (wrist to elbow) firmly on the mat. Extend both legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Brace your abdominals and maintain a straight back, ensuring that your elbows are directly below your shoulders. This is your starting position.

2. While keeping your upper body as still as possible, elevate your right toe slightly off the mat.

3. Lower your right toe and place it back on the mat, next to your left foot.

4. While keeping your upper body as still as possible, elevate your left toe slightly off the mat.

5. Lower your left toe and place it back on the mat, next to your right foot. Continue alternating between sides for 45 seconds.

Burpees: 12 reps

1. Plant both feet on the mat shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Bend at both the hips and knees to place your hands on the mat on either side of your feet, ensuring that your spine remains in a neutral position.

3. Inhale. Jump both of your feet backwards so that your legs are completely extended behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Your body should be in one straight line from your head to your heels.

4. Jump both of your feet forwards in between your hands, once again, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder-width apart.

5. Exhale. Propel your body upwards into the air. Extend your legs below you and your arms above your head.

6. Inhale. Land in the starting position, ensuring that you maintain ‘soft’ knees to prevent injury. Repeat for 12 repetitions.

X Toe Taps: 20 reps (10 each side)

1. Start by lying straight on your back on a yoga mat with your legs extended out in front of you. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your earlobes. Gently raise your legs off the floor so that they form a 90-degree angle at your hips. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Exhale. Extend your right arm to bring your hand up to the outside of your left ankle — slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the mat.

3. Inhale. Lower your torso, shoulder blades and head to the mat and place your hand behind your earlobe to return to the starting position.

4. Exhale. Extend your left arm to bring your hand up to the outside of your right ankle — slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the mat.

5. Inhale. Lower your torso, shoulder blades and head to the mat and place your hand behind your earlobe to return to the starting position. Continue alternating between right and left for 20 repetitions.

Straight-leg hold: 30 seconds

1. Lie on your back on a yoga mat. Extend both legs and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position.

2. While keeping your legs extended, slowly raise your legs upwards until they form a 45-degree angle with the floor, feet flexed. Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout. Make this exercise easier by lifting your legs further away from the floor or more difficult by lowering your feet towards the floor.

Get started with working out your abs at home

Getting started with ab workouts at home doesn’t have to be a challenge! At SWEAT, we’ve got plenty of workouts to choose from that can be done anywhere, any time, no matter what equipment you have or how much space is available to you.

Once you’ve tried this at home ab workout, you can move on to our at home bodyweight workout that requires no equipment, or try our HIIT workout for beginners.