Best Ab Workouts at Home

All the best ab workouts you can do from home. You don’t need a gym membership or any expensive equipment.

Let’s face it, every man dreams of looking in the mirror and seeing a perfect six-pack. Unfortunately, they struggle to reach the levels of definition they want to achieve. If you’re going to get abs, you’ll need to focus on three different aspects.

Firstly, you need to eat properly and maintain a calorie deficit. Otherwise, your abs will never be visible. Sure, they’ll exist, but they’ll be underneath a layer of fat. That’s why it’s also essential to do cardio to achieve a low body fat percentage. 

You may find it surprising that strengthening your core and building abs are not the same thing. Achieve the former by contracting your abs as tight as you can. 

To enhance your ab muscles and strengthen your core simultaneously, you’ll need to do specific workouts. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best ab workouts at home that will enable you to gain the body you want! 

Quick Ab Workouts

The best ab workouts at home are the ones you’ll do regularly. The most crucial point to remember is to target different areas and do the exercises correctly. 

The areas that you must focus on include the transverse abdominis, the obliques, and the pelvic floor muscles. 

Remember, you can practice these exercises multiple times in isolation. Or, you can combine them into a workout routine comprised of 3 to 5 exercises. Try going for about 30 seconds each with 15 seconds in between. Repeat 3 to 5 times. 

Russian Twist 

This exercise is effective for both beginners and elite athletes alike. 

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, and your feet crossed in front of you. 
2. Elevate your feet off the floor and engage your core. You should feel the tension in your stomach muscles. 
3. Twist your upper body from one side to the other. Use controlled arm movement to help with the rotation. 
4. Add a weight (e.g., kettlebell) for a more challenging exercise. Remember to maintain the correct form. 

Side Planks

Plank variations are an excellent way to improve your core strength. Lie on your side with your body in a straight line. Side planks directly target each side of the abs targets the obliques. 

1. Raise your body on your forearm. Your elbow should be roughly in line with your shoulder. 
2. Hold the position for 30 seconds or until your maximum. 
3. Repeat on the opposite side. 
4. You can turn this exercise into side plank dips by lowering your hip almost to the ground. Then, activate your core to raise the hip back up. Repeat about 10 times on each side. 

Mountain Climbers

These are the most challenging abs exercises because they get your heart racing. Mountain climbers will leave you breathless! Mountain Climbers is a great cardio workout and ab exercise for men.

Check out our post about “Best Cardio Exercises for Men” for more cardio workouts to pair with your ab exercises.

Try this exercise 3 to 5 times for about 30 seconds each. You can also include it as part of an ab finisher. 

1. Take a high plank position. Your hands should be about one shoulder-width apart.
2. Drive your knee toward your chest in a dynamic movement. 
3. Repeat the same movement with the other knee. 
4. Alternate knees continuously as fast as you can. 
5. Remember to keep your back flat and engage your core. 

High Plank to Low Planks

Another variation of the standard plank is the High Plank to Low Plank. The advantage of planks is that they put less strain on your back, so they’re suitable for almost everybody. High plank to low plank works the transverse abdominals. 

An added benefit is that it will enhance your posture and stability. 

1. Take a low plank position on your forearms. Your elbows should be directly underneath your shoulders. 
2. Straighten one arm into the high plank position. Then extend the other arm so that you’re in a full plank. 
3. Go back down to a low plank and repeat multiple times. 
4. Try not to sway your hips during this exercise. Also, maintain a tight core. 
5. Repeat this exercise for 30 seconds. 

Burpees

Does anybody enjoy burpees? Like mountain climbers, this infamous exercise burns fat. As a result, it’s an excellent way to simultaneously tone and build your abs! Burpees and mountain climbers are two of the best cardio exercises for men listed in our cardio workouts post.

1. Take a squat stance with your feet about a shoulder-width apart. Your back should be straight, and your knees slightly bent. 
2. Lower your hands to the floor and kick back into a push-up position with your feet. 
3. Do a single push-up. 
4. Jump your feet back into the standing position. 
5. Jump upward from the squat stance. 
6. Return to the squat and repeat the same exercise. 
7. If you want to make it more challenging, jump higher and pull your knees up toward your chest. 

Crunch Workouts

Crunches are one of the most popular ab workout bodyweight exercises. Many variations on the standard crunch are guaranteed to make you feel the burn. Let’s briefly look at some different types now. 

You can practice these exercises individually. Do as many as you can until you reach your maximum. Or you can do multiple sets of different crunches as part of a home workout. 

Standard Crunch 

The standard crunch hits your abdominal muscles. It’s one of the most common exercises, but it’s essential to do it correctly. 

1. Lie flat on your back. 
2. Bend your knees so that your feet are closer to your body. Your knees should point up toward the ceiling. 
3. Cross your arms across your chest or place your hands on your thighs. 
4. Engage your abs and inhale. 
5. Exhale and raise your upper body towards your legs. 
6. Inhale and drop back down.

Bicycle Crunches

Bicycles are more challenging than the standard crunch, targeting more muscles. They hit the obliques and deep abs through a rotational movement. 

1. Lie flat on your back. 
2. Lift your knees about 90 degrees and raise your head off the floor. Ensure that the small of your back is pressed against the floor and that you are engaging your core. 
3. Extend one leg out and bring it back in. Move your legs in opposite directions. 
4. As you extend your legs, twist your body so that the opposite elbow moves toward the closest knee to your trunk. Slower is better because it puts more tension on your core. 
5. Keep alternating. You can go for 10 on each side or as many as you can during a circuit. 

V-Ups

V-ups are one of the most strenuous exercises for abs. They target the upper and lower abs as well as enhance core stability. Also known as pike crunches or jack knives, you may need to build some core strength before attempting them. 

1. Lie flat with your arms extended so that your body is in one straight line. Inhale. 
2. Exhale and raise your legs off the floor while reaching toward them with your upper body. Try to keep your legs as straight as possible. 
3. Lower your body to the starting position. 

Click here to see our more detailed crunch workouts!

Here is a video to show the best way to achieve those V-up crunch exercises with great form.

What are the Best Ab Workouts at Home for Men? 

The best ab workouts at home combine multiple exercises that target different core parts. Remember that quality is always better than quantity. 

Below I have included two sample ab workouts for men that you can do at home. Hopefully, you will find these ab workouts effective.

Rome was not built in a day. Therefore your abdominal muscles will not be either. Be consistent and give it some time.

Try these ab workouts at home 2 or 3 times per week. If you feel sore, take a break and allow your abs to recover!

Ab Workouts at Home – Men #1

Do 3 to 5 sets. You can choose 3 to 5 exercises and aim for ten reps each. See the sample workout below:

• Mountain climbers x 20 (10 on each side)
• High plank to low plank x 20 (10 each side)
• Burpees x 10
• Russian twist x 20 (10 on each side)
• Side plank raises x 20 (10 each side)

Rest for 15 seconds between exercises and one minute between sets. Repeat 3 to 5 times. 

Ab Workouts at Home – Men #2

Another great way to do home ab workouts is to incorporate them into a full-body circuit. Most core movements don’t burn a lot of fat and help you achieve that elusive definition! You can alternate between dedicated core and cardio exercises. 

Try the following workout: 

• Jump rope x 30 seconds
• Crunches x 30 seconds
• Mountain climbers x 30 seconds 
• Bicycles crunch x 30 seconds
• Burpees x 30 seconds

Rest for 15 to 20 seconds between each exercise. You can extend the length of each activity or the resting time as you prefer! Do 3 to 5 sets with a minute of rest between each one. 

How to Stretch Your Core

It’s essential for your core muscles for recovery. The best ab workouts at home will include stretching your core as well. 

Otherwise, you’ll experience tight abs and be at a greater risk of pulling a muscle. Check out these easy and effective core stretching methods. 

Cow-cat Stretch

1. Drop to your hands and knees. 
2. Raise your neck upward while dropping your stomach toward the floor. You should feel a slight stretch. 
3. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds before returning to the original position. 
4. Repeat 3 to 5 times. 

Cobra-Pose Abdominal Stretch

1. Lie face-down on the ground. 
2. Keep your hips flat on the floor while pressing your upper body upward. 
3. Maintain the stretch for about 30 seconds. 
4. Repeat up to 5 times. 

How to Workout Your Core

The best thing about core workouts is that you don’t need any equipment. 

You can do these exercises anywhere and achieve great results. The most crucial point is that you’re consistent and understand what you’re trying to achieve. 

Suppose you’re concerned with performance and strength over aesthetics. You can do core exercises in isolation. Core exercises can be added as a finisher at the end of a regular workout at home.

For example, you are holding the plank position for as long as you can give tremendous benefits if you do it every day. It’s also a great way to see tangible results because you’ll gradually build it up over time!

Or you can try mixing exercises as part of circuits, as we mentioned above. If you’re constantly on the move and can’t make it to the gym, it’s good to familiarize yourself with these movements. 

However, if you want to have sculpted abs on the beach, remember that the correct diet and a balanced amount of cardio are essential too. Your abs will exist, but they won’t be visible without this combination.