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At-Home Workout For Abs: 3 Basic Exercises To Do

The goal of ab workouts isn’t just about looking good in the mirror, although that’s a nice perk. A strong core helps stabilize your body, improve posture, and support functional movements in your daily life.

But here’s the catch–not all ab exercises are created equal. Many movements engage other muscle groups more than your actual core, wasting time if your goal is targeted core training. Worse, improper technique can sometimes place unnecessary strain on your back or neck.

To maximize results, focus on exercises that engage all areas of your core, including:

  • The rectus abdominis (what most people think of as the “six-pack”)
  • The deeper stabilizing muscles (transverse abdominis (1))
  • The obliques

The best part? You don’t need fancy equipment or complicated setups. 

With just a few well-chosen exercises, you can effectively train your abs at home.

Below, we’ll share 3 simple yet highly effective exercises that get straight to the point.

What Exercises Work Best For Abs?

When it comes to the best abdominal training, not just any movement will do. 

The most impactful exercises efficiently target your core without unnecessary strain on other muscles or poor form that can lead to discomfort.

Below, we break down 3 best ab exercises at home. 

These moves are versatile, challenging, and designed to strengthen different areas of your core.

1. Hollow Body Crunch

The hollow body crunch is a powerful exercise for targeting both the upper and lower abs. Its base is the hollow body position, which gymnasts often use to build core strength and control. Here’s how it works.

Movement Pattern

The hollow body crunch engages your rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscle) along with the deeper transverse abdominis, which acts like a corset, stabilizing the spine. 

The unique positioning creates constant tension across the front of your core, giving you a deep, controlled burn.

How to Modify

  • To make it easier: Keep your knees bent and feet flat on the floor to reduce the demand on your lower abs.
  • To make it harder: Fully extend your legs, hold your arms overhead, or add light ankle weights for extra resistance.

Key Considerations

Avoid arching your lower back; the lumbar spine should stay pressed against the floor.

If you feel strain in your neck, tuck your chin slightly or support your head with your hands.

Steps to Perform

  1. Lie flat on your back. Press your lower back into the floor.
  2. Raise your legs, keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle or fully extended.
  3. Lift your shoulders slightly off the ground while reaching your arms toward your feet.
  4. Hold briefly at the top, then slowly return to your starting position.
  5. Repeat for 12–15 controlled reps.

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2. Side Plank

The side plank is a fantastic isometric exercise that primarily targets the obliques, the muscles on the sides of your torso. It also builds stability for your entire core and strengthens your shoulders and hips.

Movement Pattern

During a side plank, your obliques work hard to hold your body in a straight line against gravity. This engagement improves side-to-side stability, which is crucial for rotational movements and helps prevent injuries.

How to Modify

  • To make it easier: Lower your bottom knee to the floor for additional support.
  • To make it harder: Elevate your top leg or add a hip dip movement, which involves briefly lowering and lifting your hips during the hold.

Key Considerations

Make sure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. 

Avoid letting your hips sag or rotating your torso out of alignment.

Steps to Perform

  1. Lie on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder.
  2. Stack your legs on top of each other or stagger your feet for more stability.
  3. Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground.
  4. Hold this position for 20–30 seconds, or as long as you can maintain good form.
  5. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Knee Raises

Knee raises are an effective way to hit the lower abs, an area that many people struggle to target. This exercise is straightforward and effective with proper form.

Movement Pattern

By lifting your knees toward your chest, you recruit your lower rectus abdominis and hip flexors. These muscles work together to create the lifting motion, with your abs controlling the movement to prevent momentum from taking over.

How to Modify

  • To make it easier: Perform the movement lying flat on the floor, keeping your head and shoulders down.
  • To make it harder: Perform hanging knee raises using a pull-up bar, or keep your legs straight for an even greater challenge.

Key Considerations

Focus on slow, controlled movements rather than swinging your legs. Avoid using momentum, as this reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.

Steps to Perform

  1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and your legs extended straight out.
  2. Bend your knees and slowly lift them toward your chest.
  3. Pause for a moment, feeling the contraction in your lower abs.
  4. Slowly lower your feet back to the ground without letting them touch the ground completely.
  5. Maintain tension in your abs.
  6. Repeat for 12–15 reps.

Read more: What Is An Apron Belly? Causes, Prevention, And Support Tips

What Is A Simple Workout For Abs At Home?

It’s common to wonder what is a good workout for abs at home.

With the exercises we’ve discussed, you can create a simple, efficient routine that targets your entire core. Below is a sample workout plan you can try at home. 

It’s beginner-friendly, but you or a trainer can adjust the plan to fit your fitness level.

The Workout Plan

  • Hollow Body Crunch
    • Reps: 12–15
    • Sets: 3
    • Rest: 30 seconds between sets
    • Tip: Keep your movements slow and controlled to maintain tension on the core. If you’re a beginner, start with bent knees and progress to straight legs as you build strength.
  • Side Plank (Each Side)
    • Duration: 20–30 seconds per side (increase as you get stronger)
    • Sets: 3
    • Rest: 30 seconds between sets
    • Tip: Focus on keeping your body in a straight line. If you feel stable, you can try more advanced variations, such as lifting your top leg.
  • Knee Raises
    • Reps: 12–15
    • Sets: 3
    • Rest: 30 seconds between sets
    • Tip: Avoid using momentum by keeping the raise slow and engaging your core throughout the movement. Challenge yourself with advanced variations when you’re ready.

How To Structure The Session

  • Complete the exercises as a circuit, moving from one to the next with minimal rest in between.
  • Once you’ve finished all three exercises, take a 60–90 second break.
  • After the break, repeat the circuit 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds.

Example Routine

  • Hollow Body Crunch x 12–15 reps
  • Side Plank (Right Side) x 20–30 seconds
  • Side Plank (Left Side) x 20–30 seconds
  • Knee Raises x 12–15 reps
  • Rest 60–90 seconds, then repeat the circuit.

This workout hits the upper, lower, and lateral muscles of your core in just 15–20 minutes. It’s efficient, easy to do at home, and scalable for different fitness levels. 

Remember to prioritize form and focus on controlled movements to maximize results while keeping your body safe and healthy.

Explore more exercises tailored to help you sculpt your abdominal muscles in our previous blog post: Top 5 Abs Exercises.

Can I Get Abs In 2 Weeks?

The idea of transforming your midsection in just 2 weeks is appealing but unrealistic for most people. 

Visible abs depend on 2 factors: 

  1. Strong core muscles
  2. Low body fat.

Even with intense training, 2 weeks is not enough time to significantly build muscle or reduce fat.

The average, healthy body fat percentages:

  • Men should be between 10-25% of their total body weight.
  • Females should be between 15-30% of their total body weight (2).

For abs to appear, body fat typically needs to drop below 15% for men and 20% for women. 

This topic has many searching for answers to: Abs workout gym female, abs workout gym male, and workouts to get abs for females.

However, losing fat is a gradual process that requires:

Additionally, you will build core strength progressively, not overnight.

While you can improve core engagement or technique in 2 weeks, true, noticeable results take longer.

If you’re just starting, then 2 weeks can still be an excellent timeframe to establish good habits. Prioritize consistent workouts, balanced nutrition, and sufficient recovery. 

These steps will lay the foundation for long-term progress, which is where the real results occur.

Read more: 6 Ab Exercises You Can Do On The Pull-Up Bar

What Is A Realistic Period Of Time To Get Abs?

How long it takes to get abs varies from person to person. 

Factors like starting body fat percentage, genetics, diet, and workout consistency all play a role. 

For individuals with a moderate body fat percentage (around 20–25%), it typically takes 12–16 weeks of consistent effort to achieve visible abs.

However, the process isn’t just about aesthetics. Building a strong core and improving overall fitness will enhance your posture, balance, and everyday functional movement (4). These benefits often appear long before abs are visible.

Focus on the quality of your training and consistency rather than obsessing over timelines. Everyone’s fitness journey is personal, and setting realistic goals keeps it sustainable and healthy.

What Common Mistakes Ruin A Workout For Abs?

Many fitness gurus plague the internet with faulty ab workouts that can hinder progress or lead to injury. 

Here are a few mistakes to avoid:

1. Relying On Endless Crunches

Crunches alone won’t deliver a well-rounded core or visible abs. 

Many people mistake them as the “be-all and end-all” of ab training, but they primarily target just the rectus abdominis. Your core also includes the deeper transverse abdominis, obliques, and muscles that support the lower back. A varied routine is essential.

2. Neglecting Technique

Poor form can reduce effectiveness or strain your neck and back. 

For example, arching your lower back during exercises like leg raises disengages the target muscles and shifts the load to your spine. Always prioritize proper positioning over speed.

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3. Using Momentum Instead Of Muscle Engagement

Swinging through reps rather than controlling movements robs your core muscles of the chance to work effectively. Slower, deliberate execution is far more beneficial than performing a high number of rushed reps.

4. Skipping Recovery

Your muscles grow and strengthen during rest, not during workouts. Overtraining the core without adequate rest can lead to burnout or even injuries (5).

Addressing these mistakes requires awareness and education. 

Always aim for balanced, controlled movements paired with full-body training and a focus on recovery.

How Often Should You Do A Workout For Abs To See Results?

Your core is involved in nearly every movement you make, from walking to lifting. 

Because of this, it recovers more quickly than some other muscle groups, allowing frequent training. However, quality matters more than quantity.

For most people, training abs 2–3 times per week is sufficient to build strength and definition. Each session should include 10–15 minutes of focused, intentional work with exercises that target different parts of the core. Overtraining can backfire, compromising recovery and increasing the risk of injury (5).

It’s also essential to pair ab workouts with full-body strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and a balanced diet. Remember, we don’t just get defined abs from the best ab workouts at the gym; they result from a combination of training and nutrition.

Stay consistent, be patient, and you’ll see results over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is 3 exercises for abs enough?

Yes, 3 well-chosen exercises can be enough to target your core effectively. 

The key is selecting movements that engage different parts of your core, such as the upper and lower abs, obliques, and transverse abdominis. Quality and form matter more than quantity, and combining these with a full-body routine will better support your core development.

Check out our guide – Beach Abs Workout to learn more about how to achieve your dream summer body.

  • Will 100 crunches a day give you abs?

No, doing 100 crunches a day is unlikely to give you visible abs on its own. 

Visible abs result from a combination of low body fat, strength training, and a balanced diet. Crunches target the rectus abdominis but won’t significantly reduce belly fat, which is necessary to reveal muscle definition.

  • What gym equipment is best for abs?

You can do the best abs workout at home without equipment. 

However, you can also enhance your practice with abs workout gym equipment such as stability balls, ab wheels, and pull-up bars. 

These options challenge your core through dynamic and multifunctional movements. 

Machines like cable pulleys can add resistance for advanced progressions, but bodyweight exercises can be just as practical for abs workout gym for beginners routines.

  • Do planks give you abs?

Planks help strengthen your core, but won’t directly give you visible abs. 

They engage multiple core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques (6). However, reducing body fat through a combination of exercise and a healthy diet is essential for visible abs. 

Planks are a great addition to a balanced workout plan.

The Bottom Line

A workout for abs is more than just chasing visible results; it’s about building a strong, functional core that supports your entire body. By focusing on practical exercises like the Hollow Body Crunch, Side Plank, and Knee Raises, while avoiding common mistakes, you can make every session count. 

Remember, consistency, proper form, and a combination of strength training and a balanced diet are the actual keys to success. Stay patient and committed, and over time, you’ll see improvements in both your core strength and overall fitness.

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.

BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.

You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.

SOURCES:

  1. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Anterolateral Abdominal Wall (2023, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  2. Assessment of Body Mass Index, Body Composition, Physical Activity, and Dietary Preferences in University Students: A Pilot Study (2024, mdpi.com)
  3. Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies (2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  4. Core strengthening (2004, archives-pmr.org)
  5. Overtraining Syndrome as a Complex Systems Phenomenon (2022, frontiersin.org)
  6. Comparison of three different surface plank exercises on core muscle activity (2016, researchgate.net)
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