Can you achieve strong, toned abdominals without crunches? The answer: oh WOW yes. If you’ve been bored with ab work or struggling to connect to your deep core muscles (especially those lower abs) it’s definitely worth learning and dedicating yourself to some fresh, new moves like these that will take you to the next level.
Performing crunches is one way to fire the rectus abdominis (the external, “six-pack” muscles), but it is important to target all segments of the abdominals muscles that flex, rotate and stabilize the spine.
A major perk of working crunch-less is finally learning to connect to your lower abs and knowing that you’re working them. With these exercises, you’ll access a deeper layer of the abdominals known as the transverse abdominus, which is essential for core rehabilitation in postpartum recovery and is important for achieving the appearance of a flat stomach in… anyone.
All 10 of these exercises are effective on their own, but I’ve designed them to flow together, one after another, so that you immediately have killer ab set at your fingertips; either for you to do right now for your own workout or for you to use in any classes you teach.
To watch the full video and do this along with me, click below.
- Before we start, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of these moves:
- Breathe. Exhale on the most challenging part.
- Keep your mind focused: Certain visualization cues help take the intensity to the next level. Picture things like drawing the hip bones together toward the midline, zipping up tight, low-rise pants, buttoning a tiny vest etc.
- When in doubt… kegel. Does anyone really do these regularly? Let’s be honest. Add these to your ab work though and you’ll get an incredible extra layer of benefit. Ever heard “engage your pelvic floor” but you’re lost on what that actually means? Well it CAN be an in depth process, but just think of holding your pee and that pelvic floor will lift right up. Not peeing = kegel = engaging the pelvic floor on a general level. If you can do that WHILE you’re drawing the hip bones together and exhaling during the crux of the move, your deep core will be trembling and it will love you forever for finding it and giving it the attention it deserves.
If you like this workout, then you’ll love these…
How To Get Flat Abs | LEARN TO ENGAGE THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS
Work Your Abs FAST | 10 Min Nonstop Ab Workout
Let’s jump in.
1. Drawstring To Tabletop
Start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Think of a drawstring placed around your bellybutton that, when pulled, tightens all the surrounding muscles in and toward the center point. The first part of this move involves a pull of that imaginary drawstring (on the exhale), stabilizing the spine towards the mat, bracing the deep core, and lifting the pelvic floor. Hold that engagement as you move to the second part of this exercise. Push the hands and back to the floor, allowing the legs to float to tabletop position and back down, keeping the hip flexors as relaxed as possible. Release briefly at the bottom and inhale to reset.
2. Hands To Knees Press
Begin in tabletop and place your palms on the tops of your thighs by your knees. On your exhale, press your hands against your thighs and your thighs against your hands as hard as you can, bracing your core and firing every deep abdominal muscle you can connect to. Release to inhale and repeat. Don’t expect to last too long in this exercise. The goal is intensity that can be adequately accompanied by breath; once you expire you expire. Do this for as many reps as you can while delivering and maintaining a high intensity into your abdominal brace.
3. Corkscrew
We usually cue the lifting of the feet in a movement like this, but I’d like you to start with a drawing in and down with the lower abs first. Pull in SO deeply that your pelvis begins to tilt posteriorly (to the back or towards your face). Press your hands into the floor, let your legs and hips lift off the floor on a slight diagonal, landing to one side. Pull the lower abs in again, press the hands into the floor and float the hips and legs into the air; twisting and landing towards the other side. Repeat, twisting side to side for as many reps as you can perform. I like to do a set of these at a slower tempo to get the movement down properly and then speed things up to maximize the burn into the lower abdominals and oblique.
4. Bottom Half Oblique Taps (right and left)
Begin in a spinal twist with your knees to the left side and your arms opened in a wide T on the floor. Pulling the abdominals to the spine, and bracing the entire core, press the left hand into the floor for support and begin to lift the knees toward a tabletop position. To maximize engagement in the right oblique, bring the right hand to tap or press gently on the outside of the right knee. Maintaining control, slowly lower back to the starting position. Repeat for 10-15 reps or until adequately fatigued before moving on the other side.
*It is very important that you can support the spine in this exercise! If you have low back pain, modify to a 45 degree angle of twist instead of dropping the knees fully to one side.
5. Assisted Roll-Up V-Up
From tabletop, hands behind knees: tuck the chin to the chest and begin a tight, articulate roll up in the upper body while simultaneously stretching the legs forward. You can absolutely use your hands to pull slightly on your legs here as you make your way up to balance on the tailbone. Roll back down with the same amount of balance, precision and control, as the eccentric (negative) portion of the contraction is just as important as the concentric (positive ) contraction in this movement.
For a more advanced variation, remove the hands from the legs.
6. Single Leg Drop (right and left)
Again from tabletop, take the left hand behind the left knee, the right hand behind the head, and extend the right leg to the ceiling. Lift the upper body off the floor and engage the abdominals to hold tight. With control, lower the extended leg toward the floor and back up toward the ceiling, using to abs to stabilize the torso and the movement from the leg. Make sure the back does not arch as the leg lowers to the floor. Repeat on the other leg.
For a more advanced variation, take the supporting hand from the leg so both hands are behind the head.
For a more advanced variation still, take the supporting hand from the knee and push it against the front of the thigh like we did in exercise #2.
7. Pilates Scissors or Single Leg Stretch
Lie flat with your legs pointed towards the ceiling and lift your head and shoulders off the mat. Lower your left leg to the floor, and gently pull the right leg as you exhale and contract your abdominals. Inhale as you switch legs, and repeat on the other side. Keep alternating until fatigue.
To modify, bend your top leg and hold gently on the top of the knee instead of behind the leg.
8. Twizzler Plank Lifts (right and left)
From a forearm plank, rotate the right hip to the floor so the toes turn to the left. Gently drop the right hip to the floor. Draw the core in deeply, press into the forearms and lift the hip up, staying twisted. Continue to drop and lift the bottom hip, maintaining scapular protraction (keep your shoulder blades spread apart) and deep core engagement. You should feel the burn on the right oblique. Perform 10-15 reps or until fully fatigued before moving on to the other side.
9. Hip Dips
From your twizzler plank, simply rotate the feet side to side, dipping each hipbone to the floor. Keep the bellybutton lifted to the spine to maintain alignment and protect the low back. I prefer to roll fully on the feet to achieve a larger range of rotation through the waistline, but if that bothers your feet in any way, you can keep the balls of the feet down and take a smaller dip of the hips side to side.
10. Forearm Fishhook Plank
This is subtle, but man does it burn. Find a forearm plank and lower your knees to the floor, still keeping your toes tucked. Contract your abs, push your forearms, knees and feet into the floor and pull your bellybutton up to your low back. The low back may fill out a little, but it shouldn’t round excessively. Keep your hip flexors turned off. Release and allow your abdominals and spine to return to neutral, avoiding an arch in the spine. Keep contracting and lifting the abdominals up and down until you are shaking or can no longer hold proper form.
For an advanced variation, walk the forearms out slightly in front of the shoulders. You will have to work extra hard to keep the hollow body position and it’s a good challenge!
Conclusion:
If you’re not increasing strength in your current ab routine, it’s time to mix in some different training. I KNOW you felt the burn if you did the video with me, so… keep at it to notice the results! I’d recommend doing this combo every day for a week or two before you decide if you’ve fully tapped into those deeper muscles or not. It takes time and sensitivity to learn and activate those muscles in your own body. You are essentially building an internal corset for your entire torso. As you increase that strength your back will hurt less, your waistline will tighten, and you will notice your daily activities feeling easier and more supported. Another side effect may be pretty abs, and we don’t hate that!
To get more workouts and fitness-related content, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
You’re amazing. All this hard work looks great!
Thank you so much!! <3
So informative! Thank you for such great content and instruction!
Lisa, you’re the best. Thanks for the comment, girl.
Congratulations! Great quality, beautiful layout.
Thank you Helen! I really appreciate that!