4 Best Lower Ab Exercises for Women

Pregnancy, hormonal changes, genetics, and lifestyle choices are all factors that can influence fat distribution in women – this includes the lower abdomen. Despite your efforts, sometimes that stubborn lower belly bulge just won’t go away, which can be incredibly frustrating. 

However, it’s important to know the facts. When we say  “lower abs”, we’re referring to the lower section of the rectus abdominis, which is the long sheet of muscle that stretches vertically from your ribs down to your pubic bone (1).

While you can emphasize the lower portion of this muscle through targeted movements, the rectus abdominis contracts as a whole during most exercises (2).

This means you can’t isolate them completely or “spot reduce” fat in this area.

What can you do then?

With a combination of proper nutrition, an active lifestyle and selected lower ab exercises, you can definitely improve this trouble area. This article will give you the 4 best lower ab exercises for women as well as a proper diet and awesome training tips.  Here’s what you need to know.

Can I Tighten My Flabby Lower Stomach?

It’s a question many women ask, particularly when that lower belly area feels like the last to change after all your hard work. 

The honest answer? Yes, you can improve the appearance and strength of your lower stomach. However, it’s important to approach this goal with a realistic mindset and an understanding of what’s truly possible.

What Causes a Flabby Lower Stomach?

The “lower belly pooch” is brought on by physical and hormonal changes that women go through.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles stretch significantly to make room for a growing baby. This can often result in a condition that is called diastasis recti (a separation of the abdominal muscles) (3).

Studies have suggested that 60-70% of women experience some level of diastasis recti during or after pregnancy. Factors such as multiple pregnancies, carrying a larger baby, or having twins can increase the likelihood (4). 

However, diastasis recti isn’t limited to pregnant women. Men or women who perform heavy lifting or core-straining activities incorrectly can also experience this separation (5).

The good news is that diastasis recti is often reversible with the right approach. 

For many women, the gap starts to close naturally within the first few months postpartum as hormones regulate, and the body starts to heal. Working with a physical therapist who specializes in postpartum recovery or a certified diastasis recti specialist is the best way to ensure proper healing (4). 

Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase the elasticity of connective tissues, which can contribute to a lingering belly (6).

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Hormonal Shifts

Menopause leads to a drop in estrogen, which can increase testosterone levels and cause fat redistribution to the abdominal area (7). 

In addition, lower estrogen levels can have a ripple effect on hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin). You may notice increased appetite, which leads to excess calorie consumption and fat retention as a result (8).

Lifestyle Factors

There are several lifestyle factors that can contribute to excess belly fat, including chronic stress, poor sleep habits, and sedentary behavior. 

Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that promotes visceral fat storage (9).

A lack of quality sleep can disrupt hormonal balance and increase cravings for unhealthy foods (10). 

Sedentary behavior leads to decreased calorie expenditure and muscle loss (11), both of which can hinder overall weight management efforts.

What can make things feel particularly frustrating is that the body decides where to store or lose fat, not you. This means that no matter how many lower ab exercises you add to your routine, you can’t spot-reduce fat from this specific area.

Fat loss happens gradually across the entire body when you create a calorie deficit through proper nutrition and exercise.

Read more: How To Start Pilates At Home, Without Any Equipment

Why Strengthening Your Lower Stomach Is Worth It

While you can’t pinpoint fat loss, strengthening the muscles in your lower stomach (and every part of your core) is absolutely worthwhile. 

Think beyond aesthetics for a moment. A strong core, including that lower ab region, supports your body in many important ways (12):

• Improved posture: Strong abdominal muscles help keep your spine aligned, which prevents you from slouching.
• Reduced back pain: Lower stomach strength provides stability to your lower back, which can reduce strain and discomfort.
• Better athletic performance: Whether you’re running, lifting weights, or simply moving through your day, a strong core enhances balance and power.
• Everyday movement: Activities such as bending, standing up, or carrying groceries become easier and safer with a strong core.

By shifting your focus from just appearance to how your body feels and functions, you’ll approach your goal in a healthier and more sustainable way. Discover the science behind ab workout for women in one of our earlier articles.

The Role of Exercise and Nutrition

Here’s where the conversation gets practical. Strengthening your lower stomach involves more than just core exercises. It’s a blend of:

• Fat Loss Through Whole-Body Training

Fat loss requires burning more calories than you consume (13). Incorporating full-body strength training and aerobic exercises is the key to creating this deficit (14). Movements such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts may surprise you with how effective they are in engaging your core muscles while also promoting fat burn.

• Nutrition for Fat Loss and Energy

This is where what you eat matters. A diet that’s rich in whole foods such as vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats fuels your workouts and helps with fat loss (15). And don’t skip carbohydrates! They’re essential for energy, especially if you’re incorporating high-intensity or strength-training exercises into your routine (16).

• Core-Strengthening Exercises

Targeted movements like those we will share later in this article can help develop and strengthen your lower abdominal muscles. However, it’s important to remember that these exercises alone won’t reduce fat in the area. Think of them as part of a broader approach to improving your overall core strength.

Why Are Lower Abs So Hard to Get?

How hard it is to get visible lower abs really comes down to genetics and the approach you take. Some find that their lower abs are naturally more defined, while others struggle to see any definition no matter how much they work on them. This is because genetics determines where you store fat in your body, and for some people, the lower abdominal area is a stubborn spot.

The lower abs refers to the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, which is the long, flat muscle that runs vertically along the front of your abdomen (1). This muscle is often referred to as the six-pack due to its segmented appearance when well-defined.

1. Anatomy:
   • The rectus abdominis is a single muscle, but people often divide it into “upper” and “lower” abs based on how exercises target different areas.
   • The lower abs are the part of the rectus abdominis closer to the pelvis.
2. Function:
   • The lower abs help with pelvic stability, spinal flexion, and movements such as bringing your legs toward your torso (e.g. leg raises).
   • They play a crucial role in core strength, posture, and protecting internal organs (1).
3. Common Misconception:
   • While you can emphasize the lower abs with specific exercises, you can’t isolate them completely. The entire rectus abdominis muscle works together during most movements.
4. Exercises for Lower Abs:
   • Movements that involve lifting the legs or pelvis, such as leg raises, reverse crunches, and mountain climbers, are great for engaging the lower abs.

The lower abs are often a focus in fitness as fat tends to accumulate in the lower belly area, which makes it a challenging spot to tone. However, a combination of core exercises, overall strength training, and a healthy diet is the key to revealing this area.

How Do I Target My Lower Abs Only?

You can’t target your lower abs only. While certain exercises can emphasize the lower part of your abdominal muscles, it’s anatomically impossible to engage just one section of your abs in isolation.

When you perform an exercise that engages your abs, the entire rectus abdominis contracts. This means that your upper and lower abs are always working together, regardless of whether you’re doing crunches, planks, or hanging leg raises. 

This muscle has a single connective origin (where the muscle starts) and insertion point (where it attaches). The rectus abdominis contracts as one unit, not as isolated parts (2). 

However, this doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you want to focus on the lower portion. Certain movements can emphasize this area due to the way your body moves during the exercise.

The lower portion of the rectus abdominis is often called into action during movements that involve lifting the legs or tilting the pelvis. These actions rely more heavily on the bottom half of the muscle to stabilize and initiate movement (2). For example:

• Lifting your legs during a leg raise requires your lower abs to stabilize your pelvis and spine.
• Drawing your knees toward your chest during a reverse crunch shifts the emphasis downward compared to more traditional upper ab movements such as crunches.

While these exercises don’t isolate the lower abs, they create a greater demand on the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, which helps you feel the burn in that area more noticeably. To learn more about the calisthenics workout abs, check out our in-depth article on the topic.

Read more: 5-Minute Ab: The Micro-Workout That Packs A Mighty Core Punch

What Are the Best Lower Ab Exercises for Women?

Leg Raises

Leg raises primarily target the lower part of the rectus abdominis by requiring the lower abdominal muscles to stabilize the pelvis as the legs move (17) They also recruit the hip flexors, which help lift and lower your legs (18). 

Maintaining control throughout the movement is essential to avoid overworking the lower back.

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended straight and your arms resting along your sides, with your palms facing down.
2. Engage your core by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Ensure your lower back is in contact with the floor.
3. Keeping your legs straight, slowly lift them upward until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso.
4. Pause briefly, then slowly lower your legs back down. Stop just before they touch the floor to maintain tension in your muscles.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions, ensuring slow and controlled movements.

Reverse Crunches

Reverse crunches shift the focus to the lower abs by requiring slight pelvic tilting as you bring your knees to your chest. This movement minimizes strain on the upper abs, allowing your lower abs to take the lead. The deep core muscles, particularly the transverse abdominis, also engage to stabilize your spine (19).

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees, your feet lifted off the floor, and your arms resting by your sides.
2. Engage your core, ensuring your lower back remains pressed against the floor.
3. Slowly curl your hips toward your ribcage, lifting your lower back just slightly off the ground.
4. Pause briefly at the top, focusing on the contraction in your lower abs.
5. Gently lower your hips back to the starting position without using momentum.
6. Perform 12-15 slow and controlled repetitions.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a full-body exercise that uses dynamic movement to emphasize the lower abs. The act of driving your knees toward your chest engages the abdominal muscles, while the high plank position activates the transverse abdominis and stabilizing muscles in your shoulders (19).

Steps to Perform:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from your head to your heels.
2. Engage your core to prevent your hips from sagging or rising.
3. Drive your right knee toward your chest, keeping your toes off the ground as you move it forward.
4. Quickly switch legs, extending your right leg back to the starting position as you bring your left knee forward.
5. Continue alternating legs in a controlled, rhythmic motion as if you’re running in place with your upper body stationary.
6. Perform for 30-45 seconds or 12-15 slow, deliberate reps per leg.

Scissor Kicks

Scissor kicks isolate the lower part of the rectus abdominis as you keep your legs extended and alternate their motion. This challenges your lower abs to stabilize while minimizing stress on the upper portion of the abs (19). The hip flexors also assist, particularly during the scissoring motion.

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms resting along your sides, with your palms facing down for support.
2. Lift both legs off the floor about 6 inches, ensuring your core is engaged and your lower back is pressed into the mat.
3. Keep your legs straight as you alternate crossing one leg over the other in a scissor-like motion.
4. Continue the movement, hovering just above the ground to maintain tension on your lower abs.
5. Perform for 20-30 seconds or count 12-15 scissor motions for each leg.

What Workout Plan Burns the Most Belly Fat for Females?

Combining consistent strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and core-focused movements can create a powerful recipe for full-body fat loss, while also improving the look and function of your midsection. Our previous post goes into great detail about flat stomach pilates.

The most effective workout for reducing belly fat combines three key components:

• Strength training for building lean muscle and boosting metabolism.
• Cardiovascular exercise for burning calories and improving heart health.
• Core work to strengthen and tone the muscles in your midsection.

1. Incorporate Strength Training

Muscle is metabolically active, which means it burns more calories than fat, even when at rest (20). By increasing lean muscle through strength training, you enhance your body’s fat-burning ability and improve your overall shape and tone.

What to Do:

• Focus on compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and rows. These exercises activate multiple muscle groups, which leads to higher calorie burns.
• Include weights or resistance bands for added intensity.
• Aim for 2-3 days per week, performing 8-12 repetitions per set for 2-4 sets.

Example Routine:

• Squats with weights (3×10 reps)
• Deadlifts (3×10 reps)
• Push-ups (modified or standard, 3×12 reps)
• Bent-over rows with dumbbells (3×12 reps)

Progress weekly by increasing weight, improving your form, or adding more repetitions.

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2. Prioritize Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardio helps burn calories quickly, which helps create the calorie deficit that is needed for fat loss. It also improves cardiovascular health, helping your endurance during both workouts and daily activities (21).

Best Practices:

• Combine steady-state cardio (e.g. jogging or cycling at a moderate pace) with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT alternates short bursts of intense exercise with rest and has been shown to maximize fat loss in less time.
• Frequency: Aim for 3-5 days per week.
• Duration: Spend 30-45 minutes on cardio days or 20 minutes on HIIT sessions.

Example HIIT Workout:

1. Warm up for 5 minutes with light jogging or dynamic stretches.
2. Sprint for 30 seconds, then walk or jog for 90 seconds.
3. Repeat for 6-8 rounds.
4. Cool down with 5 minutes of walking and stretching.

3. Strengthen Your Core

While core exercises don’t directly reduce belly fat, they strengthen the muscles beneath the fat, improve posture, and enhance stability. Once fat loss occurs, a strong core creates a toned, defined appearance (12).

What to Include:

• Planks and their variations (e.g. side planks or plank shoulder taps) for static endurance.
• Dynamic movements such as reverse crunches, mountain climbers, and leg raises to target the rectus abdominis (front abdominal muscle) and transverse abdominis (deep core).
• Include core exercises 2-3 days per week as part of your routine.

Quick Core Circuit:

• Plank Hold (30-45 seconds, 3 rounds)
• Reverse Crunches (3×12 reps)
• Mountain Climbers (3×30 seconds)
• Bicycle Crunches (3×20 reps per side)

4. Create a Weekly Workout Plan

A balanced combination of strength, cardio, and core work ensures consistent progress. Here’s an example of a weekly routine that maximizes fat-burning potential:

• Monday: Full-body strength training
• Tuesday: HIIT cardio + core circuit
• Wednesday: Rest or gentle yoga/stretching
• Thursday: Full-body strength training
• Friday: Steady-state cardio + core
• Saturday: Optional HIIT session or active recovery (such as a hike)
• Sunday: Rest

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is my lower stomach sagging?

A sagging lower stomach is often caused by a combination of factors, including loss of skin elasticity, weakened abdominal muscles, and excess fat accumulation in the area. Pregnancy, significant weight loss, hormonal changes such as declining estrogen, or aging can contribute to this. These changes result in the skin and tissues losing their firmness and resilience.

• Can a saggy stomach be toned?

Yes, a saggy stomach can be toned to a certain extent, but results depend on the cause. Strengthening the core muscles with targeted exercises (e.g. leg raises, planks) improves abdominal strength and appearance. 

However, tightening loose skin is more challenging and may require treatments such as advanced skincare or, in some cases, medical procedures. Combining strength training, proper nutrition, and cardio will help reduce excess fat and improve tone.

• What does a hormonal belly look like?

A hormonal belly typically appears as a persistent layer of fat around the lower stomach, often coupled with bloating. 

Hormonal imbalances, such as high cortisol (stress hormone) or low estrogen, can lead to fat being stored in this area. For example, menopausal women often retain belly fat due to shifting hormones, while chronic stress affects fat distribution via elevated cortisol levels (7, 9).

• How do I fix my hanging lower belly?

To address a hanging lower belly:

1. Strengthen your core with exercises such as reverse crunches and planks to tighten abdominal muscles.
2. Prioritize full-body fat loss through a combination of cardio, strength training, and a healthy calorie deficit.
3. Stay hydrated and eat nutrient-rich foods to improve skin elasticity. Foods that are rich in collagen, vitamins, and healthy fats can contribute to skin and tissue health.
4. For excess skin after major weight loss or pregnancy, medical options such as surgical skin tightening or non-invasive treatments may be required for more drastic results.

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The Bottom Line

The beauty of working toward a toned lower stomach is that the benefits go far beyond appearance. You’re investing in your body’s overall strength, functionality, and health. This doesn’t just elevate how you carry yourself physically, it also impacts confidence and well-being in your daily life.

It’s important to acknowledge that changing your body, particularly in areas such as the lower stomach, takes time and consistent effort. Eliminating the idea of quick fixes or overnight results can save you from frustration. Focus instead on steady progress, such as feeling stronger, noticing improved posture, or performing exercises with more ease.

And if you’re dealing with issues such as diastasis recti or persistent abdominal weakness postpartum, consulting a physical therapist or a specialist can be incredibly valuable. They can guide you toward safe and effective exercises that are tailored to your needs.