Best Dumbbell Abs Workout To Build Six Pack Abs

There are many Abs exercises that you can do to achieve a six-pack. If you add weight to your ab training, you will give your body the stimulus it needs to adapt and grow.

A dumbbell Abs workout with some surprising core-challenging moves is the best way to add weight to your training.

One of the easiest ways to train your abs is by using free weights. That way, if you’re short on time or just want to train your ab at home, you must try this best dumbbell abs exercises.

This blog contains detailed descriptions of all major abs exercises that you can do by dumbbell at home or at the gym, which focus on the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis and the obliques. How to do them properly and pro-tips are also included.

The best Dumbbell Abs workouts are divided into Twist, Crunches, Side bend exercises.

Rectus Abdominis and Obliques

Your waist is made up of two muscle groups: the rectus abdominis (known as your “six-pack” muscles) in the front and the obliques on each side.

The Rectus abdominis muscle arises from the lower margin of the rib cage and sternum and passes vertically downward to attach to the pubic bone.

The two rectus abdominis muscles (one on each side) are encased in a sheath of fascia. Fascia divisions in the muscles are responsible for the “six-pack” appearance.

The external oblique is the outer visible layer that passes run diagonally on each side of the rectus abdominis. These muscles help with side-to-side bending, flexion of the spinal column, torso rotation, and compression of the abdomen.

The internal oblique muscles lie under the external obliques. The fibers of the two muscles pass at right angles to one another, and therefore they are often referred to as opposite-side rotators.

Why To Train ABS With Dumbbells

You can strengthen your core muscles with dumbbell exercises, which you can easily incorporate into your routine. This includes your low back, abdominal, and pelvic muscles.

Core exercises with dumbbells are challenging for your entire core, which is important for helping you lift more weight in your workout, as well as function better in everyday life.

Lifting a heavy box over your head or twisting to pick something up can put you at risk of back pain, but a strong core can help prevent and reduce back pain.

Benefits of Dumbbell Abs Workout

• Dumbbell Abs Workout require more balance that can lead to greater muscle fiber recruitment.
• It requires more muscular control than enhancing kinesthetic awareness.
• Dumbbell Abs Workout increase core stability, and improve muscular imbalances.
• It affords a greater level of variety, which prevents physical and mental burnout.
• Dumbbells abs Workout are also perfect for the at-home exerciser with the limited space.

Complete Dumbbell Abs Exercises For Six Pack

Do you want to lose that belly fat and finally achieve a rock-hard abs?

If you have a desire to achieve the astonishing six-pack abs, then these exercises which definitely help you.

Target, hitting the different areas of your abs from every angle. Some exercise concentrates on your upper abs, some focuses on the lower abs, and some works the often neglected side abs – or obliques – along with your deeper core muscles.

How Do You Target The Upper Abs With a Dumbbell?

The rectus abdominis’ main jobs are flexion of the torso, which means forward bending (bringing your chest toward your hips), and flexion of the hips, which essentially means to bring your pelvic bone/hips upward.

For your upper abs, they will be the most activated during movements that bring your upper body toward your hips/legs (spinal flexion). 

For example, the following dumbbell exercises will target your upper abs: Sit-ups and Crunches

How Do You Target The Lower Abs using a Dumbbell?

So, to target your lower abs, think of movements that bring your thighs toward your core.

Hanging leg raises, reverse crunches, planks with a knee drive, and are all wonderful for activating the lower abs area.

How Do You Target The Oblique Abs?

The obliques work together to help you to bend side-to-side, rotate your torso from left to right, and assist with spinal flexion.

The obliques also actively resist against rotation to help stabilize and protect your spine. They’re a key muscle group for stability, a muscle group that gets attacked when you twist and turn, and when you brace in those positions.

For example, the following dumbbell exercises will target your oblique: Russian Twist, Side Bend and Dumbbell Wood Chopper

How To Train ABS with Dumbbells

If you want your Abs to be more defined, you need to progress your training. This means gradually increasing the weight load and intensity to strengthen and develop your abs.

So, just doing a few sit-ups each week, isn’t going to cut it.  You need to add on the weight and increase intensity of your workout. 

We’ve opted to use dumbbells as they are easy to grasp, highly versatile, and can be stored easily.

There are many different types of dumbbell moves, so try picking three or four that you like and stringing them together into a circuit for a simple dumbbell ab workout.

Choose a weight that is appropriate for your fitness level and try to do 10–12 reps of each move. Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.

18 Best Dumbbell Abs Exercises

Here the best dumbbell abs Workout you can add to your core workout regimen to build core strength and toned Abs.

1. Dumbbell Russian Twist

The Dumbbell Russian twist engages your core and strengthens your abs and oblique muscles, as well as your 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 of performing the Russian twist is to raise your feet a little off the floor.

The elevated position of the feet puts a lot of strain on both the upper and lower abs, which are usually hard to work.

How To Do Dumbbell Russian Twist

1. Lie down with your knee bent at the knees and feet flat on the ground, hold a dumbbell.
2. Elevate your upper body so that it creates a V shape with your thighs.
3. Begin to twist side to side while maintaining balance on your buttocks, keeping constant tension on the abs.
4. Repeat this movement until the set is complete.

Tips

• Keep your back straight at all times and twist your torso only from the ribs up.
• Don’t move your head side to side.
• Use a slow, controlled motion to target the muscles. 

2. Dumbbell Side Bend

Dumbbell side bends are isolation exercises that target the oblique muscles on the side of your body.

It is effective at targeting the internal and external obliques, strengthening the lateral flexion of your spine, improving spinal mobility, and helping to develop a strong and stable core.

The dumbbell side bend is an easy core exercise to practice at home. If you’re new to the exercise, practice the movement with your bodyweight alone.

How To Do Dumbbell Side Bend

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a dumbbell with a neutral grip in your right hand with your arm hanging at your side. You can place your free hand behind your head.
2. Bend sideways at the waist to the left as low as possible, using your oblique muscles to pull your torso down.
3. Hold for a second and return to the starting position.
4. Complete the desired number of reps and repeat on the other side.

Tip

• Keep the dumbbell close to your side, your elbow very slightly bent, and your hips still.
• Perform this exercise slow and steadily to work the obliques.
• Avoid using a heavy dumbbell for this exercise. Large overdeveloped oblique muscles will make your waist appear bulky.
• Always keep your back straight, eyes facing forwards, and bend at the torso only.

3. Dumbbell Farmers Walk

The dumbbell farmer’s walk is a great exercise for improving your grip strength and building your core muscles. It also improves your overall strength and functional fitness by strengthening your abs, oblique, back, glutes, legs, and gait.

The farmer’s walk exercise also called the farmer’s carry, is a strength and conditioning exercise in which you hold a heavy load in each hand while walking for a designated distance.

How To Do Dumbbell Farmers Walk

1. Deadlift a pair of dumbbells from the floor. Reach down, bending at the hips and knees, and grasp the dumbbells in each hand.
2. Hold the dumbbells at your side with a firm grip. Stand tall, keeping your shoulders, back, and core tight.
3. Take small steps and walk forward at an even pace with your eyes focused straight ahead of you.
4. Complete the desired number of steps, come to a stop, and place the dumbbells down while keeping a tight core and neutral spine.

Tips

• Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades and tightening your abs.
• Keep a neutral or straight spine throughout the movement to avoid injury.

4. Dumbbell Plank Row

The plank row is also known as a renegade row, which is almost a variation of the dumbbell row.

It is designed to target the back, chest, abs, and oblique. Like a plank, it is designed to target the core.

It is a multitasking exercise that tones your back and works your core, while also testing your balance and stability.

How To Do Dumbbell Plank Row

1. Place two dumbbells on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Start in the top position of a push-up position with your hands on the weights.
2. Pull right elbow back, raising dumbbell toward chest, keeping right elbow close to the torso, abs tight, and hips in one line.
3. Hold for one second at the top and return the weight slowly to the starting position to repeat on the other side.
4. Complete the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
• Do not jerk the weight up. Row weight in a smooth, controlled motion.
• Make sure you do the same number of repetitions for each arm.

5. Hanging Knee Raise with Dumbbell

The hanging knee raise is one of the great dumbbell abs Workouts 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.

How To Do Hanging Knee Raise with Dumbbell

1. Grab a bar with an overhead grip, with the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and your knees slightly bent, hold a dumbbell between your feet.
2. Keep your core and glutes tight to keep your back and hips in the correct position.
3. Lift your legs, bending your knees on the way up to pull your knees up toward your chest, while rounding your lower back to bring your glutes forward and up.
4. Pause in this position for a second, slowly lower your legs back down to the start position without swinging, inhaling as you go down. Continue for the desired reps.

Tips

• Try not to use momentum to raise your legs. keep the movement slow and under control.
• Remember to engage your core before you raise your knees
• Keep your back straight to avoid putting too much pressure on your spine.

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, including the lower and upper abs muscles simultaneously.

A V-Up involves sitting on the floor or a mat and positioning the body in the shape of the letter “V. It requires you to lift the weight of both your arms and legs by using your abdominal muscles.

How To Do Dumbbell V-Up

1. Lie down on the floor on your back, hold a dumbbell and extend the arms straight back behind your head. Your legs should also be extended.
2. Exhale and bend at your waist while raising your legs and arms to meet in a jackknife movement. Try to hold the contracted position.
3. Lower your arms and legs back to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled.
• Try to keep your back as straight as you can during the V sit up.

Video Illustration Of Best Dumbbell Home Abs Workout

7. Dumbbell Swing

A dumbbell swing is a basic ballistic exercise used to train the posterior chain.

The movement involves moving the dumbbell from between the knees to anywhere between eye level and fully overhead, and can be performed either two-handed or using one hand.

You’ll use your lower back muscles to stabilize your upper body throughout the swing, and you’ll achieve a small concentric contraction at the top of the move. You should include this dumbbell exercise in your ab workout.

How To Do Dumbbell Swing

1. Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, with the Dumbbell on the floor just behind you.
2. Bend your knees to grab the Dumbbell behind you. Make sure to tilt at the hips, pushing your butt backward. Keep your chest up and back straight. Slowly swing the Dumbbell backward and up between your legs.
3. As the Dumbbell starts to swing forward, forcefully extend your hips and knees to swing the Dumbbell up in front of you. At the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes.
4. Repeat in a continuous loop for a full set. 

Tips

• Do not squat down as you swing the Dumbbell. The motion should be in your hips.
• Do not use your arms to swing the Dumbbell up. The movement should be created by the hip thrust.

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.

How To Do Dumbbell Wood Chopper

1. Hold the dumbbell with both hands, with either your fingers interlaced or with one hand over the other. Stand shoulder-width apart.
2. Keeping your arms straight, rotate the dumbbell in a diagonally downward motion until your torso rotate to opposite side and your hands are at knee height.
3. Hold for a count of two. Then slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise on your opposite side.

Tips

• Don’t lock the knees and hips. Allow the hips and knees to rotate slightly.
• Control the weight all the time while doing this ab exercise.

9. Dumbbell Down-Up twist

The Dumbbell down up twist is also known as low to high dumbbell Wood chop.

It is a variation of the wood chop that help to strengthen the abdominal muscles, it primarily works the obliques.

How To Do Dumbbell Down-Up twist

1. Hold the dumbbell with both hands, with either your fingers interlaced or with one hand over the other. Stand shoulder-width apart.
2. Keeping your arms straight, rotate the dumbbell in a diagonally upward motion.
3. Hold for a count of two. Then slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise on your opposite side.

Tips

• Don’t lock the knees and hips. Allow the hips and knees to rotate slightly.
• Keep your arms straight, shoulders locked in place.

10. Dumbbell Twist

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

Use the Dumbbell twist to strengthen the twisting movement pattern of your body.

It is a great idea to stop halfway through some reps, hold the stirrup, and try to resist the twisting force. This will strengthen your torso’s ability to resist twisting forces.

How To Do Dumbbell Twist

1. Hold the dumbbell with both hands, with either your fingers interlaced or with one hand over the other. Stand shoulder-width apart.
2. Keeping your arms straight, rotate the dumbbell in a twisting motion, across your body to your opposite side.
3. Hold for a count of two. Then slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise on your opposite side.

Tips

• Keep your arms straight, shoulders locked in place.
• Don’t lock the knees and hips. Allow the hips and knees to rotate slightly.
• Control the weight the whole time

11. Standing Crunches with Dumbbell

Standing crunches with a dumbbell is one of the variations of crunches, are effective abdominal exercises that target your obliques and both upper and lower abs muscles, simultaneously.

How To Do Standing Crunches with Dumbbell

1. Grab a dumbbell with both hands and lift it in front of your head.
2. Lift your left knee to waist level and, at the same time, crunch your torso. The best is if you touch the DB with your knee and squeeze your abs for a moment.
3. Get back to the starting position and do the same with your right knee.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Use a slow, controlled motion to target the muscles.
• Focus on squeezing and tightening your abs.

12. Dumbbell Lunges With Twist

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

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

Be careful that the knee of the forward leg does not extend past the toes as you bend the leg.

How To Do Dumbbell Lunges With Twist

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell at your chest with both hands, gripping it on each end.
2. Our chest should be upright and your torso should be leaning slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded forward.
3. Take a step forward, bending your knees, to create two 90-degree angles with your legs. Slowly rotate your torso to the left. You should feel a nice stretch in your midback.
4. Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat with the other foot.
5. Keep alternating the leg with which you lunge twist

Tips

• Bend as far and low as possible without losing form.
• Keep your torso upright and your head facing forward.
• If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a steady object.

13. Dumbbell Crunches

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 there is no motion at the hips. It mainly targets the upper abs.

This is in contrast to the sit-up, where the movement occurs at the waist and hips. Dumbbell crunches are a more difficult version of the traditional crunch.

How To Do Dumbbell Crunches

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet and low back are flat on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell to your chest, with a hand on each side of the dumbbell, contract through your abs to lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor.
3. Hold this position for a second before slowly lowering back to the starting position, making the negative portion of the rep as slow and deliberate as the positive portion.
4. Repeat the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled. Don’t use momentum.
• Don’t pull on your neck with your hands, this will strain the neck.
• Breathe out as you crunch, maintain your core muscles tight and engaged.

14. Dumbbell T Push-Ups

T push-Ups is an upper body exercise and the advanced progression of the standard push-up that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

It also develops core strength, with an emphasis on the obliques.

Check how to do them correctly and blast your muscles at home or at Gym.

How To Do Dumbbell T Push-Ups

1. Lay face down on the ground with your legs straight, and arms supporting the upper body. Keep your knees off the ground.
2. Raise yourself off the ground, straightening your elbows and your arms. But keep your elbows close to your body.
3. Raise until your elbows are locked, and at the top of the exercise lift one arm from the floor and raise towards the ceiling whilst twisting your torso to the side. Roll onto the sides of your feet and keep your body straight at all times.
4. Now, Return to the starting position and slowly lower your body under controlled motion.

Tips

• Keep the core tight and back flat throughout the movement.
• Do not over-rotate during the reach towards the ceiling.
• Do not let the elbows flare out. Keep the elbows close to your sides throughout.

15. Weighted Flutter Kicks

Flutter kicks are an exercise that works the muscles of your core, specifically the lower abdominal muscles and the hip flexors. Flutter kicks reshape and tone your lower body.

The exercises help you shed some extra fat from the belly, hips, and thigh area and tighten your abs for better strength.

While doing this dumbbell abs workout, make sure to keep your core super tight and lower back flat on the ground.

How To Do Weighted Flutter Kicks

1. Lie on your back and hold a dumbbell in both hands. Hold the weight straight above your shoulders.
2. Lift your shoulders and upper torso off the ground.
3. Raise your legs a few inches off the ground and flutter kick your feet.
4. If your back comes off the ground, or you feel any strain, bring your legs up a couple more inches.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled.
• Tighten your abs for better strength.

16. Turkish Get Up

The Turkish Get Up works the upper and lower abs. This is a great shoulder stability exercise, that works your core, too.

The benefits of the Turkish Get Up include improved strength, flexibility, and stability.

How To Do Turkish Get Up

1. Lie on your back on the floor and hold a dumbbell in one hand with your arm fully extended above your chest. Bend the knee of the same side to a 90-degree angle. Keep your opposite leg straight, and place it 5-10 degrees away from the midline of your body.
2. Start by lifting the dumbbell to the sky, and crunching onto your opposite elbow. Keep the elbow of the arm holding the dumbbell locked out.
3. Hike your hips in the air and sweep the straight leg underneath the body, stepping back and settling onto your knee.
4. Shift the weight away from your hand and onto your knee and front foot as you bring your torso upright. Push to a standing position, keeping the dumbbell lifted the entire time. Lower slowly back to the ground.

Tips

• Keep your eyes focused on the dumbbell throughout the entire movement.
• Take your time and concentrate on each segment of the exercise.

17. Single-Arm Overhead Press

This shoulder exercise forces the abs to stabilize the weight at the top of the lift and keep your core from twisting under the uneven load.

This exercise helps build muscle in the front and side of the deltoids and engages abs and oblique muscles.

How To Do Single-Arm Overhead Press

1. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell in your right hand in front of your shoulder.
2. Raise the dumbbell to the side of your shoulder, keeping your elbow pointing directly downward and your palm facing forward.
3. At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulder to raise the dumbbell even higher. drive the dumbbell straight up.
4. Reverse the motions and lower the dumbbell to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.

18. Dumbbell Pullover

Dumbbell Pullover is the best exercise to build a strong rib cage and build serratus anterior muscle.

Pullover work directly on the serratus anterior muscle to develop the back and core.

How To Do Dumbbell Pullover

1. Lie across on a bench on your shoulders so that your head is hanging.
2. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands and get it straight over your chest.
3. Lower the dumbbell in an arc slowly, getting a good stretch in your rib cage.
4. Lower the dumbbell as far as possible and then raise it back to the starting position.

Tips

• Maximum stretching ensures the greatest expansion of the rib cage.

Training program for the ABS workout using dumbbells.

The abs need to be trained with adequate volume and frequency, and with considered exercise selection and progressive overload, just like any other muscle group. 

In order to better understand the functions and which dumbbell exercises target each area best, the midsection has been separated.

But the obliques and upper and lower abs have a lot of crossover, and it’s hard to train one part without training the other.

For example, a leg raise works the lower abs, but it also involves the obliques, and the upper abs and cannot be isolated from one another.

You could train abs twice per week, one session using an abs exercise and the other using an oblique exercise, and achieve adequate volume throughout the whole area.

Dumbbell Workout Plan Samples

Now you can take them into consideration when planning your workouts. You could use them as a finisher, picking two or three moves and cycling between them with minimal rest in between, or you could separately train your core.

The result will be a stronger, more stable core ready for action in and out of the gym.

Below are some sample workout plans to train your core, abs, and oblique separately with dumbbell.

Abs Dumbbell Workout Plan

1. Dumbbell Crunch: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
2. Dumbbell Russian Twist: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
3. Dumbbell V-Up: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
4. Weighted Flutter Kicks: 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps

Dumbbell Oblique Workout Plan

1. Dumbbell Side Bend: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
2. Dumbbell Russian Twist: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
3. Dumbbell Wood Chop: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
4. Standing Dumbbell Crunches: 2 sets x 10-15 reps

Dumbbell Core Workout Plan

1. Dumbbell Lunges With Twist: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
2. Dumbbell T Push-Ups: 3 sets x max reps
3. Turkish Get Up: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
4. Dumbbell Farmers Walk: 2 sets x 10-15 reps

Of course, you don’t have to only do dumbbell exercises for your ab workouts.

In fact, you probably should mix it up with:

•  Bodyweight Abs Exercises You Can Do At Home Without Equipment
• Abs & Oblique Cable Exercises & Workout

If you want a well-rounded abs and oblique and core workout, then you must add variation to your workout.

We strongly suggest adding Planks and leg raises to your routine once you have achieved sufficient core strength to perform them safely and correctly.

Takeaways

If your primary goal is to achieve midsection muscle definition, the best way to achieve this is through weighted (dumbbell) abs workouts.

Well-developed abs can make the midsection look defined by giving it deeper cuts. However, this is dependent on your body fat levels. Even if your abs are well-developed, if your body fat levels are too high, your abs will not show.

It is important to train your abs hard, either with or without weighted ab exercises. However, in order for them to be shown off, you will need to work on your diet.

“Abs are developed in the gym and revealed in the kitchen”

Frequently Asked Question

Can you get abs with dumbbells?

Yes, you can achieve toned abs with dumbbells. Strengthening these muscles helps to tone this area of your body and improve its overall appearance. You can strengthen your core muscles by incorporating dumbbell exercises into your routine.

Are crunches with dumbbells good?

The Dumbbell crunches are one of the most effective abdominal exercises you can perform. Building this muscle is part of developing your core muscles for stability and performance. Crunch exercises can be part of a core strength workout or a total body workout.

How frequently you train Your Abs

It depends on what type of training you’re doing. 

When doing weighted ab exercises like the below, we’d recommend you approach your training like you would any other area of your body. For example, if you do leg twice a week with rest days in-between, do abs twice a week with rest days in-between. 

5 Best dumbbell exercises for upper abs

Here are the five best upper abs dumbbell exercises:

1. Dumbbell Crunches
2. Standing Crunches With Dumbbell
3. Dumbbell V-Up
4. Turkish Get Up
5. Dumbbell Russian Twist

5 Best dumbbell exercises for lower abs

Here are the five best lower abs dumbbell exercises:

1. Hanging Knee Raise With Dumbbell
2. Dumbbell V-Up
3.  Standing Crunches With Dumbbell
4. Weighted Flutter Kicks
5. Turkish Get Up

Know More About Abs & Core Training

• 21 Best Oblique Exercises For A Strong Core
• Complete Six Pack Abs Workout (Upper, Lower Abs, & Obliques)
• Best Upper Abs Exercises To Get Perfect Abs
• Most Effective Abs & Oblique Cable Exercises & Workout