Abs Workouts Names Using Bodyweight, Gym Equipment and Dumbbells

Working on your abdominal muscles is important if you want a strong, toned core.

When starting with ab training, terms like “V-ups” and “pall-of-press” can get slightly overwhelming.

As a beginner, you might not be familiar with the many ab exercises available. And trying new workouts or understanding different routines can be hard if you don’t know the names of the exercises.

But there’s no need to worry! This blog post will comprehensively overview the most common ab exercises.

This ab exercise list will provide clear images and simple explanations to help you understand abs anatomy and each exercise’s mechanics.

Be sure to bookmark this guide as your go-to resource for building strong, toned abs and a powerful core.

Name Of Bodyweight Abs Exercises At Home

This list will show 35+ ab exercises you can do at home without special equipment or machines. Just your body weight!

You can get strong and toned abs at home. You must know how to make the best moves to work your rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominals.

Bodyweight abs exercises are versatile and can be matched to your strength level.

It ranges from basic crunches and leg raises to more demanding planks and V-ups.

1. Crunch

Crunches are one of the all-time favorite ab exercises you can do at home, but they have been linked to risks if done with improper form.

The crunch motion occurs in the upper spine, and your shoulders rise a few inches off the floor. Your lower back remains in contact with the floor, and the hips have no motion.

This contrasts with the sit-up, where the movement occurs at the waist and hips.

2. Bicycle Crunch

Back in 2001 ACE sponsored a study to find out exactly what the best abs exercise was, comparing 13 of the most common moves. In that study, the bicycle crunch was found to be the most effective.

Compared with the standard crunch, the bicycle crunch produced 148% more mean activity in the abs and 190% more mean activity in the obliques. 

3. V-Up

The V-Up, also known as a jackknife, is a great abs exercise to add to your home workout routine. It is a full-body move that works your core, legs, back, and shoulders.

The exercise works the upper abs and lower abs muscles simultaneously. If you want to do this at home, sit on the floor or a mat and position your body in a V shape.

4. Mountain Climber

Mountain climbing is an explosive bodyweight exercise that engages multiple muscle groups at once, helping to improve your balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility.

It is a great way to improve cardiovascular endurance and burn calories to get six pack abs.

It’s particularly effective for strengthening your core muscles, including the abs, transverse abdominis, and obliques.

5. Russian Twist

The Russian twist is a great way to make your abs exercises at home more interesting. It engages your core and strengthens your abdominal muscles as well as your lower back.

This exercise helps to tone and tighten your abs and obliques and to trim your waist. It also helps to improve your balance, stability, and posture.

6. Frog Crunch

Frog Crunch is an abdominal exercise that strengthens the rectus abdominus and helps flatten your abs.

Like other crunch variations, this leg position hits the muscle from a different angle, shocking the ab muscle and giving it a better shape.

Keeping your legs relaxed in the frog position reduces how much your hip-flexing muscles are affected. This helps you to isolate your abs and obliques.

7. Lying Straight Leg Raise

If you are looking for an effective exercise for targeting the lower abs, lying straight leg raises are a great option. They are safe and easy to do and can be done at home or the gym.

Lying leg raises can also help alleviate low back pain since they improve the strength and stabilization of your core.

8. Reverse Crunch

The reverse crunch is a challenging core exercise that primarily hits your lower abs. 

The reverse crunch is an intermediate-level abs exercise. It is a variation of the crunch but done in the opposite direction.

• In a crunch, you curl your upper body up towards your knees.
• In a reverse crunch, you curl your lower body up towards your chest.

9. Oblique Crunches

The oblique crunch is a bodyweight exercise that targets your core muscles—specifically the obliques on the sides of your abdomen.

It is a beginner’s friendly core exercise that strengthens your abs, obliques as well as the other muscles of the core, including your transverse abdominus and medial glute.

10. High Knee

High Knee is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that is popularly practiced worldwide. This exercise might look easy to perform, but it is a challenging move that targets multiple muscle groups in the body.

It recruits the abs and core muscles greatly, eventually making it more effective to build six-pack abs.

You don’t require any special tool or equipment to perform it; therefore, it is the best 6-pack home workout.

11. Plank

The plank, or planking, is an isometric core strength exercise that involves maintaining a position similar to a push-up.

It is an exercise that works your core muscles and improves your strength, balance, and endurance. 

Crunches and sit-ups only work the muscles on the front side of the core, so it’s necessary to do back-strengthening exercises as well. However, planks work the entire core and many other muscles in the body.

12. Side Plank

The side plank is one of the best abs exercises for strengthening the oblique muscles, which don’t get worked as much during abs exercises such as crunches. Strong obliques are quite useful as core stabilization muscles.

• If you’re new to planking, you should master the basic forearm plank before moving on to the side plank variation.
• If you find it hard to hold a side plank, that’s OK. You can try knee-side plank instead of forearm-side plank.

13. Lying Bent-Knee Oblique Twist

Lying Bent Knee twist is a beginner-friendly bodyweight exercise that builds muscle and strength in the obliques. This is a great moderate move and when done correctly, it can effectively target your core and abs.

You can do the weighted version of the exercise with a ball in between your legs.

14. Cross-Body Mountain Climber

This variation emphasizes the oblique muscles more than the standard mountain climber, which enhances the waistline. It involves moving your knees towards the opposite elbow in a diagonal motion.

The exercise works all the muscles in the body, including the abs, shoulders, chest, and legs. It’s a complete workout for everyone.

Cross-body mountain climbers increase your heart rate, making them a great addition to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine.

15. Alternate Heel Touch

Alternate heel touches, also known as lying oblique reach, are at-home workout exercises that target the oblique and also involve abs.

It is one of the great side abs (oblique) exercises that a beginner can do easily to activate and grow their midsection.

The exercise mimics other oblique exercises, such as the dumbbell side bend and oblique crunch.

16. Standing Oblique Twists

Standing Oblique Twists (also known as standing twists, side twists, or oblique twists) is a dynamic standing oblique exercise.

This oblique exercise will help develop a functional core and a well-looking midsection.

Don’t underestimate the benefit of these standing oblique and abs exercises. Ensure that you’re twisting your whole torso, not just your arms, to get the full benefit.

17. Incline Hip Raise

Hip lift moves are very similar to sit-ups, but in this case, the abdominal muscles lift the lower body and pull it forward to the upper body, not the opposite. It is one of the most popular exercises for the lower body.

If you have an adjustable sit-up bench, you can make the move harder or easier by changing the board’s angle.

The greater the incline, the greater the difficulty of this exercise.

18. Inchworm

The inchworm is a total bodyweight workout requiring minimal equipment and space. This full-body movement is an effective exercise to include in a warm-up routine or as a part of a training circuit.

Inchworms are a great ab exercise for beginners and don’t require any equipment. It also improves flexibility in your hamstrings and builds strength in your shoulders, chest, and core.

19. Seated Knee Up

Seated Knee up is an essential part of any lower abs workout routine.

If you want to build six-pack abs or increase your core strength, seated knee tucks are for you! 

For the most effective execution, keep the trunk stable and bring the knees as close to the chest as possible.

20. Dead Bug

The dead bug exercise is popular for building core strength and stabilization.

This move also helps prevent and relieve low back pain by strengthening the lower back and abs.

21. Flutter Kick

Flutter kicks are an exercise that targets the lower abdominal wall plus the hip flexors.

Although the traditional flutter kick can be done without equipment, you may want to consider enhancing the exercise by wearing ankle weights

22. Scissor Kicks

It is great for targeting both the lower abs and the obliques. The criss-cross motion will also give you a good stretch in your hip flexors and hamstrings.

23. Toe Touch

There are actually two main versions of toe touches:

• Lying leg raises with reach: This is the most common type, where you lie on your back with your legs extended and reach up towards your toes (or as far as you can comfortably).
• Sitting toe touches: In this variation, you sit on the floor with your legs extended and reach forward to touch your toes, bending at the hips.

Lying toe touch is a great exercise for those who want a more challenging workout.

24. Hollow Hold

A hollow body hold is an isometric exercise that involves flexing your core muscles while remaining in a static position. 

With proper form, both beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts can safely perform this exercise and reap the benefits of a stronger core and lower abs.

25. Sit-Ups

Sit Up is an excellent choice for creating muscular tension in your upper abs and helps to strengthen your abs, transverse abdominis, and obliques in addition to your hip flexors, chest, and neck.

They promote good posture by working your lower back and gluteal muscles.

26. Twisting Sit-Up

A decline sit-up bench positions your upper body at an angle so that it’s lower than your hips and thighs. I

This position causes your body to work harder since you must work against gravity and through a wider range of motion.

It’s a great exercise for intermediate to advanced lifters because it is moderately challenging but very effective for its intended purpose.

27. Elbow To Knee Side Plank Crunch

The Elbow To Knee Side Plank Crunch helps you to develop the strength and stability of your abs and obliques.

Combine your standard crunches with side plank exercise into one move that will challenge your balance, tone up your waist, and strengthen your core.

28. High Plank

The high plank exercise, also known as the full plank exercise, is the cornerstone of all plank variations.

The ability to hold a stable full plank is a benchmark for physical fitness and core strength.

It’s important to practice proper technique as you build the strength necessary to perform and modify a full plank.

29. High Side Plank

The ability to maintain high stability with the body in a high-side plank position.

This exercise challenges your balance and requires you to activate and work your stabilizer muscles as you hold your plank.

30. Plank To Push Up

There is a plank and push-up combo used in a plank-to-push-up exercise. The move takes a standard plank to the next level by adding an element of control, moving arm work.

Maintaining a plank position, you alternate between a forearm plank and a high plank. This exercise serves as an excellent core strength.

31. Forearm Side Plank Crunch

Combine your standard crunches with side plank exercise into one move that will challenge your balance, tone up your waist, and strengthen your core.

The side of the body that is closest to the ground has to stay engaged the whole time to keep the body stable, while the side you’re crunching contracts and relaxes over and over again.

32. Alternating Superman Plank And Reach

The Superman Plank is an isometric training exercise. Before training with this plank variation, you should know how to do the more basic planks.

The Superman plank increases the core-strengthening benefits of a regular plank by balancing on only two limbs.

Stability demands increase when the opposite arm and leg are extended.

33. Plank Jack

The plank jack combines two very common exercises: the plank and the jumping jack.

It is a combination of cardio and core-strengthening exercises. They can help you strengthen the upper and lower body muscles.

Adding plank jacks to your exercise routine a few times a week may also increase core strength and stability, burn calories, and help reduce fat.

34. Standing Side Crunch

Oblique crunches are done while standing to help build strength and stability in the obliques and abdominal muscles. Oblique standing crunches also do an excellent job of improving balance.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced exerciser, these crunches are a great addition to your routine.

35. High Reverse Plank

The reverse plank exercise is an often-overlooked exercise that is great for the core.

It is a great bodyweight exercise for strengthening your core and the key muscles of your posterior chain, namely, your erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings.

Beginners should start with learning the regular plank and progress to holding the reverse plank for just a few seconds at a time with good form.

36. Decline Crunch

The decline crunch is similar to the basic floor crunch, except with a greater range of motion. It is one of the most effective abs exercises that creates good tension in your upper abs during crunch.

It is a relatively simple exercise that will improve your core and help you get closer to having a six-pack ab.

37. Plank To Toe Touch

The plank-to-toe touch is a variation of the traditional plank exercise that adds extra difficulty and engagement for your core and upper ab muscles.

This is a great move to add to your warm-up on upper body days since it helps increase blood flow, warms the body, activates the core, mobilizes the shoulders, and stretches the hamstrings.

38. Bench Oblique Crunch

Oblique crunches with your feet on a bench are harder than regular floor crunches because you raise your feet, making the workout harder.

This variation focuses more on the oblique muscles.

40. Dragon Flag

Dragon Flag, also known as the Dragon Fly, is an advanced core exercise primarily targeting the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques.

It also engages other muscle groups, such as the erector spinae, gluteal complex, hip flexors, adductors, latissimus dorsi, and more.

Bruce Lee, a martial artist and actor, popularized the technique.

41. Side Plank Dips

The side plank dip is also known as the side plank hip lift, which you can do to target the obliques and outer thighs.

The move involves holding yourself up in a side plank position and then lowering your hips.

Planks work your obliques and trim your waistline. With the extra dip, you will improve your muscle control and posture.

42. Seated Alternating Knee Tuck

The seated alternating knee tuck is an effective ab exercise that isolates the abs by using core strength to draw the knees up to the chest.

Pull one knee towards your chest and lean back a little to do this exercise. Then switch to the other knee and pedal like you’re doing a bike ride.

43. 21 Crunch

The alternation between sides promotes balanced core strength, which can improve overall stability.

This exercise can be done anywhere, as it requires no special equipment.

44. Twister Pistons

This explosive move will not only cut your abs, but it will also increase your heart rate.

In addition to working out like an athlete and losing weight, you can also work on your shoulders and upper body by bracing against the ground.

Gym Machine Abs Exercises Names

Several great gym machines can help target and strengthen your abdominal muscles. This section will discuss some of the most popular and effective machine ab exercises.

You can blast your midsection and build a strong core with a combination of different machine ab workouts.

So read on for an overview of some of the top gym machines for abdominal exercises and how to use them properly!

1. Kneeling Cable Crunch

If you’re looking for straightforward cable ab exercises to add to your routine, cable crunches are a great staple exercise to get you started.

Cable crunch, or kneeling cable crunch, is a weighted Crunch variation that targets your abdominal muscles. 

Doing crunches with a cable increases resistance, enabling you to train to failure using weights and fewer reps.

2. Cable Side Bend

The cable side bend is one of the best cable oblique exercises for strengthening the core muscle and targeting the obliques.

This exercise also improves stability in the lower back and hips.

3. Cable Twist

The cable twist is an isolation exercise that works the oblique muscles of the core.

It’s unique in that it not only helps to strengthen the core muscles, but it’s a functional exercise because it is performed on the feet.

4. Pallof Press

While this core exercise is popular among men, it is also quite difficult to do.

It is a full-body exercise that can increase overall stability and activate many large muscle groups in the body.

The beauty of the Pallof press is that it challenges and strengthens the stabilization action of your abs and obliques.

When you do this exercise, your entire core is forced to engage to resist the rotation of your spine.

5. Cable Wood Chop

Cable wood chop is great for strengthening the oblique and improving the twisting movement pattern of your torso.

You can do wood chops with a dumbbell, but the cable will give a preferable constant tension. 

6. Cable Down-Up Twist

The Cable down-up twist is also known as low to high Cable Woodchop.

The standing low cable chop is a variation of the wood chop and an exercise used to target the muscles of the abdominal complex.

7. Standing Cable Crunch

As the name suggests, the standing cable crunch is the standing version of the kneeling cable crunch. Because you are standing and have less stability, the standing version is the harder of the two cable crunches.

8. Standing Oblique Crunches

When doing an abs workout with a cable machine, you can add plenty of single-arm exercises to correct potential imbalances.

Standing oblique crunches, also popular as side crunches, are effective abdominal exercises targeting your oblique muscles by assuming a standing position.

You can easily incorporate these exercises into your cable workout routine.

9. Cable Reverse Crunch

The cable reverse crunch is a challenging core exercise that primarily hits your rectus abdominis, the muscle in your abdomen that makes up your “six-pack.

The cable reverse crunch is an intermediate-level variation of the popular abdominal abs crunch exercises.

10. Cable Seated Twist On The Floor

This seated twist is in case a bench is unavailable. It accomplishes the same as the cable seated twist but may require more balance with your feet out in front of you rather than under you. Arguably, it may be harder as well.

11. Cable Tuck Reverse Crunch

If you’re looking for a way to get more creative with your cable ab exercises, why not try Cable Tuck Reverse Crunch?

This exercise is an advanced movement that targets both your upper and lower abdominals at the same time.

Get ready to feel the burn! You will require both sides of the cable machine/a twin tower for the cable tuck crunch.

12. Cable Russian Twist

The cable Russian twist on a stability ball is a great cable ab exercise for strengthening your obliques. The rotational movement pattern of your spine makes it important for functional fitness.

This exercise helps to tone and tighten your abs and obliques and to trim your waist.

It is the best core exercise that also helps to improve your balance, stability, and posture.

13. Cable Twisting Standing Row

It involves numerous muscles, requiring you to rotate slightly at the waist.

Because this is a unilateral exercise, you must engage your core throughout the movement. Besides being a great back exercise, this movement also works your hips, glutes, and other lower body muscles.

14. Cable Twisting Overhead Press

The twisting cable overhead press is brilliant for developing unilateral upper-body strength and improving your balance and the strength and stability of your core.

15. Cable Side Crunch On Bosu Ball 

The addition of the Bosu ball adds balance to the equation. It’s a great tool for strengthening your core compression. Often used in physical therapy, it’s a reliable way to train your body control.

If you want to get more creative with your cable ab exercises, why not try this exercise?

16. Machine Crunch

Abs crunch exercises with an ab crunch machine are a great way to strengthen your abdominal muscles and obliques.

Adding this movement to your workout regime will certainly help you on your path to getting great abs.

This is a convenient way to add resistance to your ab work for better abs development.

17. Standing Machine Twist

It is feasible to easily perform this standing oblique twist exercise on a twisting machine.

It strengthens your core, so it may help you avoid back injury. A strong core is also important for physical strength and balance.

18. Captain’s Chair

The Captain’s Chair, also referred to as a vertical knee raise station, is commonly found in gyms.

Although the chair uses the same muscles as a hanging leg raise, it supports your back, which makes it more comfortable for most people.

After performing a small study, the American Council on Exercise named the Captain’s Chair crunch one of the most effective ab exercises for stimulating the abs and obliques.

Some of the exercises that can be performed on the Captain’s Chair include:

• Straight leg raises – Raise legs up together to 90 degrees
• Bicycle crunches – Bring alternate knees to the chest.
• Hanging knee raises – Bring bent knees to the chest.
• Oblique knee raises – Bring right knee to left elbow, twist obliques.
• L-sit holds – Hold the leg raised at 90 degrees.

19. Oblique Machine Twist

The Oblique Twist Machine, also known as the Rotary Torso Machine, is specifically designed to work on the oblique muscles on the sides of the abdomen.

It is a versatile piece of equipment to help you achieve a stronger and more toned core.

These machines typically consist of a seat that the user sits on and a cushioned handle in front that the user holds on to.

Gym Equipment Abs Exercises Names

The variety of equipment at your gym allows limitless options for sculpting strong, defined abs.

Training your core with gym equipment engages secondary stabilizer muscles and rectus abdominis. This leads to more well-rounded development and strength.

With 20+ abs exercises using common gym equipment, you’ll learn how to get the most out of your gym membership.

1. Abs Wheel Rollout

The wheel rollout exercise is one of the little advanced core exercises. To prepare yourself for it, you can start with the plank and then progress to the wheel rollout when ready.

It is considered to be a great move to assist the development of aesthetic abs and strong core muscles.

They’re also an excellent conditioning exercise for both male and female athletes.

2. Barbell Rollout

It is one of the advanced core exercises for men that utilizes a barbell instead of an ab roller.

It is best performed with a barbell with rotating collars and is considered more difficult than other ab roller variations.

While it may be difficult for some male lifters initially, they will be rewarded with a strong core once they can perform a single rep.

3. Weighted Front Plank

If you feel prepared to increase the intensity of your plank exercises, you can add a weighted plank to your workout routine.

Weighted planks work better than bodyweight ones and will help you build a strong core, strengthen your abdominal muscles, and show six-pack abs.

4. Stability Ball Forearm Plank

The stability ball forearm plank intensifies core activation due to unstable surface demands.

The instability challenges the smaller stabilizing muscles, which are often overlooked in normal planks.

The Stability ball forearm plank is a challenging and effective core body exercise that forces you to pull your abs in, tighten your glutes, and squeeze your legs to hold your body in a straight line.

5. Stability Ball Tuck

Stability Ball Tuck is a core stabilizing exercise that improves balance, strength, and flexibility throughout the hip and abdominal region.

It also targets the stabilizing muscles of the Oblique, hamstring, chest and shoulders.

The exercise requires you to maintain a high plank position while using your legs to roll a stability ball back and forth to your torso.

6. Medicine Ball High Plank

Medicine balls provide another unstable surface for you to work on. Performing planks on the medicine ball is a fast track to a strong, stable shoulder and a tight core.

Having a strong, full plank is important to get to the medicine ball.

7. Landmine Twists

The landmine twist is a rotational abdominal movement performed using an angled barbell anchored at floor level in a landmine device.

It targets the deep muscles of the core, including both the obliques and the transversus abdominis.

8. Standing Barbell Twist

The standing barbell twist focuses on your obliques. Use the barbell twist to strengthen your body’s twisting movement pattern.

It is a great idea to stop halfway through some reps and attempt to resist the twisting force.

9. Standing Plate Twists

Standing Plate Twist (aka Torso Rotation) is best for the mobilization of the torso.

It’s important to know that this exercise won’t make your waist smaller, as this myth is pretty popular. When you become lean, however, the exercise can help to make that area look a bit more toned.

10. Hanging Knee Raise

Hanging knee raises are a lower abs exercise that consists of lifting and lowering your knees to your chest while hanging on a pull-up bar.

This move mainly targets your abdominal muscles, including your obliques, but also works your hip flexors.

Raise your knees as high as possible to maximize muscular effort.

11. Hanging Windshield Wiper

The hanging windshield wiper gets its name from the posture adopted, which resembles the window wipers of a car as an individual performs each rep.

The goal is to rotate the torso from one side to the other whilst maintaining a horizontal position.

Doing the windshield wiper movement helps to build lower abs and oblique.

12. Resistance Band Standing Crunch

A resistance band crunch is a variation of the classic crunch exercise, which uses a band to add resistance.

This exercise is a great way to challenge your ab workout and tone your core.

13. Band Reverse Crunch

The band reverse crunch is a challenging core exercise that primarily hits your rectus abdominis, the muscle in your abdomen that makes up your “six-pack.

The band reverse crunch is an intermediate-level variation of the popular abdominal abs crunch exercises.

14. Resistance Band Pallof Press

The resistance band Pallof press is an anti-rotation core exercise that targets the obliques and transverse abdominis.

There are many variations of the resistance band Pallof press that you can try, such as:

• Kneeling Pallof press: You can kneel on one knee to make the exercise easier.
• Pallof press with rotation: To add more challenge to the exercise, you can rotate your torso slightly as you press the resistance band away from you.

15. Resistance Band Flutter kick

Flutter kicks are an exercise that targets the lower abs, plus the hip flexors.

You can do the traditional flutter kick without any equipment, but you can enhance it by using resistance bands.

Beginners can start with basic flutter kicks without the band and gradually add the band for increased resistance.

16. 45 Degree Side Bend

The 45-degree side bend exercise is great for core strength and stability. It is also known as bench side bend or Hyperextension bench side bend.

This type of bench was originally designed for lumbar extension. The Roman chair allows you to support your hips and legs against pads and braces, with your trunk free to move.

It may also be done on a regular flat exercise bench, in which case you will need a partner to hold your feet.

17. Kettlebell Side Bend

The kettlebell side bend is another fantastic exercise for targeting your obliques and core.

Kettlebell side bends involve standing with a kettlebell in one hand and bending your torso towards the same side as the weight.

18. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are a highly effective exercise that can elevate your heart rate and strengthen your posterior chain.

This move requires full core muscle engagement, including hamstrings and glutes, to initiate the hip thrust to swing. 

19. Kettlebell Double Windmill

 This full-body exercise will simultaneously work your glutes, legs, shoulders, back, and abdominals.

Plus, it makes your hips and hamstrings more flexible and your shoulders more stable. 

20. Medicine Ball Russian Twists

The Medicine Ball Russian Twist is an exercise that targets the obliques, hip flexors, and quads.

Using a medicine ball increases the demand for stabilization across the entire core, not just the abs.

21. Stability Ball Crunches

This variation of the traditional crunch involves lying on a stability ball and performing small contractions of your upper body.

The ball’s unstable nature makes it a more challenging and dynamic exercise than crunches on the floor.

22. Medicine Ball Slams

 The medicine ball slam is a good exercise to strengthen the core and make you more stable, even though it seems like most of the movement is in your upper body.  It is a great exercise that works many muscles in the body.

It strengthens the core, back, and abdominal muscles while simultaneously training cardiovascular endurance.

23. TRX Pikes

The TRX pike is a great exercise that uses suspension training to target your core muscles, especially your rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis.

It’s a challenging exercise that demands proper form and engagement to reap its full benefits.

24. Kettlebell Figure 8

The kettlebell figure eight is a dynamic unilateral exercise performed with one kettlebell. It gets its name from the figure eight pattern the kettlebell follows.

To perform the exercise, you hold the kettlebell in one hand and swing it between your legs and around your body in a continuous figure-eight motion.

This requires explosive strength to generate momentum and muscular endurance to maintain the motion. The figure eight builds explosive power, endurance, and coordination with practice.

25. Medicine Ball V-Ups

The medicine ball-up is a challenging exercise that works the rectus abdominis and the deeper transversus abdominis. It is more intense than regular sit-ups or crunches.

The exercise also targets the hip flexors, which can benefit athletes who need to strengthen these muscles for activities like running or jumping.

26. Bosu Ball Mountain Climbers

Bosu ball mountain climbers are a dynamic and challenging exercise that takes the classic mountain climber to a whole new level.

The exercise is dynamic and requires you to reach your legs towards the Bosu balls dome. This can help you improve your hamstring and hip flexor flexibility.

27. Stability Ball V- Pass

The Stability Ball V-Pass is a challenging core workout that involves passing a stability ball from the hands to the feet and back again while performing a V-shaped movement with the body.

Ball instability makes the exercise harder, making the muscles work harder to keep form.

28. Kettlebell Plank Drag

It is a dynamic exercise that combines the traditional plank position with the added challenge of moving a kettlebell across the body while maintaining the plank position.

In addition to the core and shoulders, the chest, arms, and even the legs all help keep you stable and in control.

Dumbbell Abs Exercises With Images

This list will show you 20+ effective ab exercises using dumbbells with images to increase resistance and intensity.

Adding dumbbells to standard bodyweight moves recruits more muscle fibers, challenging your abs to new levels. Dumbbells can be used for weighted crunches, sit-ups, oblique twists, and chop exercises.

Using dumbbells for ab training builds serious core strength and muscular endurance. It also enhances definition by working the muscles more vigorously and deeply.

1. Dumbbell Russian Twist

The Dumbbell Russian twist engages your core and strengthens your abs, oblique muscles, and lower back.

This exercise helps to tone and trim your waist. It also helps to improve your balance, stability, and posture.

A more advanced way to perform the Russian twist is to raise your feet slightly off the floor.

2. Dumbbell Side Bend

In addition to strengthening the obliques, the dumbbell side bend is effective at improving spinal mobility and helping to develop a strong core.

It is a simple core exercise that you can practice at home. If you are a beginner, you can practice the movement with your bodyweight alone.

3. Dumbbell Farmers Walk

It is a great exercise for building your core muscles and improving your grip strength.

Farmer walk also improves your overall strength and functional fitness by strengthening your abs, back, glutes, legs, and gait.

It is a strength and conditioning exercise in which you hold a heavy load in each hand while walking.

4. Plank Row

The plank row is also known as a renegade row, which is almost a variation of the dumbbell row exercise. It targets the upper back, chest, abs, and obliques. Like a plank, it is designed to target the core.

The renegade row is a multitasking exercise that tones your back and works your core while also testing your balance and stability.

5. Hanging Knee Raise With Dumbbell

The hanging knee raise is one of the great dumbbell abs exercises for isolating the abdominal muscles, building strength in the hip flexors, and developing the six-pack.

Hanging knee raises are a lower abs exercise consisting of lifting and lowering your knees to your chest while hanging on a pull-up bar.

A 2014 study demonstrated that leg raises produce an impressive level of muscle activation, with over 130% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscles) and 88% MVC in the external obliques.

6. Dumbbell V-Up

The Dumbbell V-Up, also known as a jackknife, is a full-body move that works your core, legs, back, and shoulders.

The exercise is designed to work the obliques and abs simultaneously, including the lower and upper abs muscles.

7. Dumbbell Swing

The Dumbbell Swing is a dynamic and powerful exercise that primarily targets the posterior chain muscles, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, but also engages the core and shoulders.

It’s a variation of the traditional kettlebell swing, adapted for use with a dumbbell.

8. Dumbbell Wood Chopper

The dumbbell wood chopper is one of the best oblique exercises that you can do with a dumbbell at home or in the gym.

This is great for strengthening the twisting movement pattern of your torso, as well as improving your torso’s ability to resist twisting forces.

9. Dumbbell Crunch

The crunch motion occurs in the upper spine, and your shoulders rise a few inches off the floor. 

Your lower back remains in contact with the floor, and the hips have no motion. It mainly targets the upper abs.

10. Reverse Dumbbell Wood Chop

The low-to-high dumbbell woodchop is also known as the dumbbell down-up twist. It can help you lose weight and burn calories.

It is a variation of the wood chop that is used to strengthen the core muscles, especially the obliques.

11. Dumbbell Twist

The Dumbbell twist is an isolation exercise that works the oblique muscles of the core.

Use it to strengthen your body’s twisting movement pattern.

It is a great idea to stop halfway through some reps, hold the stirrup, and try to resist the twisting force.

12. Dumbbell Lunges With Twist

Dumbbell Lunges with Twist is an excellent exercise to build thigh muscles, glutes, abs, and obliques.

However, this exercise requires good balance, so if you have issues keeping your balance, start off by doing the lunges twist exercise without weights. This will help you learn the proper form.

Conclusion

With over 100 ab exercises covered, it is clear that there are countless ways to build, strengthen, and challenge your core muscles.

The range of ab exercises is vast, from classic crunches to unique variations like the bicycle crunch and hanging leg raise.

With this diverse collection of core exercises extending far beyond basic sit-ups, your abs will experience unmatched strength, definition, and endurance development.

Select your favorite ab exercises from the list and prepare to see noticeable improvements in your midsection’s muscularity and overall core stability.

Challenge your abs from all angles and transform your midsection with over 100 targeted core exercises to choose from.

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.