The six best ab workouts for women (and men)
Having strong abdominals is not just for beach buffs – they play a key role in how we move and exercise on a day-to-day basis.
“Abs support spinal movement and help you to be stable,” says Jane Wake, sports scientist, fitness coach and Pilates expert. “The core connects the upper and lower body and allows them to work together well – and to exercise, move and function in daily life, a strong core is a must.”
Strong abs are, sadly, made with more than a quick-fix crunch, however. For a taut torso, you have to keep your lifestyle in check: hormones, stress, sleep, and a balanced diet are all important players.
And you cannot spot-reduce fat in a certain troublesome area, or target one muscle group alone.
The good news is that you can work your core in a way that will make you feel strong and confident, so you stand tall, perform better when you exercise and burn more calories when you’re doing nothing.
“It all adds up as the more you move, the more calories you’ll burn,” adds Barnett, “and the more fat you’ll burn from the middle,” says Aaron Barnett, a personal trainer.
Here, the UK’s leading fitness experts show you how to get into shape.
The forearm plank
Start in a prone position with your elbows bent, as shown.
Aim to keep your hips level, and spine neutral by drawing your navel into your spine. Try not to let your back arch or round.
If a plank were placed on your back your body should be aligned to it (allowing for a natural curve in your back).
When you add movement, e.g. arm or leg drivers, maintain a neutral spine.
Forearm plank with arm drivers
Extend one arm out in front then return it to forearm plank position.
Then extend and return the other arm.
Repeat 10 times.
Forearm plank with leg drivers
Step one leg out to the side, step in and repeat on the other side.
Repeat 10 times.
Forearm side plank with arm drivers
Assume the same position as the forward plank, but tilt your body to the side.
Supporting your weight on your elbow, sweep the other arm under the body with a controlled twisting movement and return.
If this is hard to hold, drop your knee to the floor for a modified plank (see below).
Repeat 10 times.
Modified forearm side plank with arm drivers
The same as the side plank but drop the knee nearest the floor down for support.
Functional sit-up with or without weight (half Turkish get-up)
Extend one arm in the air (you can progress to holding a dumbell).
Lift yourself into the sit-up position, focusing on working from the abdominal muscles to lift you and focus your gaze on the fingertips or weight.
Lower back down with control.
Maintain good posture in the upper body as you move.
Repeat eight to 10 times, but stop if you start to lose form.
What are the best ab exercises for men?
Functional sit up with weight (half Turkish get up)
Sit up without weight
All abdominal exercises above
“It’s much easier for men to achieve the six-pack look as they generally have an all-over lower body-fat percentage than women,” explains Wake.
But you shouldn’t rely on exercise alone. According to Rob Hobson, a nutritionist and author, men are likely to overestimate their ability to lose weight through exercise alone. “Even with regular exercise, tweaks to diet and meal planning can be necessary for effective weight loss [see more below], which leads to all-round better musculature,” says Hobson.
Hormones also play a part in how much fat is shed and how much muscle is built, and the focus for men is testosterone. “From age 30-plus testosterone levels decline and this impacts muscle mass,” explains Barnett. “The body-fat dial shifts, so weighing in at 90kg at age 30 and weighing in at the same weight at age 50 is very different in terms of body-fat percentage.”
What are the best ab workouts for women?
Go heavy on abdominal workouts above, if you want abs that function, protect your back and enable you to do every sport, says Wake. “This forces you to focus on posture and technique,” she explains. “Choose functional movements (the movements of everyday life) – push, pull, lunge, squat. This will work your core better,” she adds.
Hormones, of course, play a part in how women burn fat and build muscle. In perimenopause and beyond your oestrogen levels drop. “This causes increased fat mass and redistribution of fat to the abdomen – disrupting metabolism,” says nutritionist Pamela Nisevich Bede.
“Strength training is a great way to build and maintain muscle – it’s a key component to healthy ageing that can help to preserve metabolic health by increasing insulin sensitivity, meaning you’re better equipped to handle the changes to the metabolism that occur,” adds Wake.
Will ab workouts help you get a six-pack?
The ab workout that works best uses more than one set of muscles. “Working the muscles in the torso is nuanced. No muscle works in isolation: the abdominals (your washboard muscles), the obliques (your waist) and the deep core muscles (muscles beneath your belly button, like an internal belt) work together,” says Wake.
But ab workouts alone won’t cut it. “There’s no switchboard connecting muscle and fat in the abdominal area,” explains Barnett. “These muscles don’t ‘talk’ to each other,” he adds.
To see your six-pack – which specifically refers to rectus abdominals (the muscles that run lengthwise at the front of the body – you need a very low body-fat percentage).
This could be around six to 13 per cent body fat for men and for women around 14 to 20 per cent. “As a general rule, for women, it’s healthier to avoid very low body fat percentages,” says Wake.
Which mixture of exercises are best to tone up?
Bodyweight exercises such as squats, jumping jacks or push-ups
Get this weekly mix of exercise right. “Do one or two 20-40 minute high-intensity cardiovascular sessions such as the type of workout that gets your heart beating harder and makes you sweaty, so you feel you’re working at seven or eight out of 10 in effort or more for shorter periods,” says Barnett.
“Combine this with one or two lower-intensity aerobic workouts, such as walking, cycling or dancing, where it feels like you’re working, but you are able to talk while doing it, and the effort level is five to seven out of 10.
“Then add two weekly strength training sessions using resistance, such as weights at the gym. Aim to balance the workouts so either do two whole-body workouts, or split and work the lower and upper body on different days.”
How often should you train your abs?
Wake recommends working your muscles twice a week as a minimum, ideally four to five times a week – but emphasises the need to work all our muscles when we exercise.
She also recommends having rest days. “Split it so you’re working on your abs every other day, for example: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
How long does it take to get your abs in shape
For most of us, changes take between six and 12 weeks of consistent exercise.
This will depend on how much weight you must lose, how often you can exercise, and what exercise you do.
“Mix up the intensity and style of your ab workouts,” says Barnett, “and the overall mix of your weekly exercise”.
The six-pack diet
According to Hobson, eating a healthy, balanced diet with vegetables, whole grains and protein will help to manage blood sugar levels – key to managing your middle.
“If you are consistently overwhelming your body with sugary, high-carb foods, your glucose levels can spike, leaving your body scrambling to store excess glucose, which in turn leads to the body storing it as fat,” says Bede.
Hobson recommends the best way to regulate blood sugar is to keep it simple and put protein at the heart of all your meals. “Build your meal from protein,” says Hobson. “So instead of having pasta with chicken for dinner, reverse it, think chicken first and then add a small portion of whole grain pasta.”
As we get older, this is even more important. “Eating protein, strength training – and for peri and menopausal women, taking HRT – all have an impact on muscle protein synthesis, says Wake, which impacts on muscle mass.” Another reason to start the sit-ups.