Get Stronger Fast with This Bodyweight Ab Workout

A solid bodyweight ab workout can do more than help you see definition. When you train your core with smart, equipment free exercises, you build strength that supports your posture, protects your back, and makes everyday movement feel easier. You also remove a big barrier to consistency, since you can do these moves at home in just a few minutes.

Below, you will find a beginner friendly routine you can start today, plus tips to progress it as you get stronger.

Why bodyweight ab workouts work

You do not need fancy machines or heavy weights to challenge your core. In fact, your own body provides plenty of resistance when you use thoughtful positions and controlled movement.

Bodyweight ab exercises are especially useful because they:

Engage multiple muscles at once, not just your “six pack”
Improve stability for your spine, hips, and shoulders
Fit into busy days, since you can do them anywhere
Scale up or down by adjusting time, tempo, or range of motion

Research in the journal Physiology and Behavior found that a 10 week bodyweight program improved aerobic capacity, core muscle endurance, lower body power, and flexibility in young women, all without external weights. Other work with adults in their 60s showed that simple bodyweight moves performed regularly increased strength and power by about 15 percent, a meaningful change as you age.

Know your core muscles

When you think of abs, you might picture only the front of your midsection. In reality, your core is a 360 degree system.

It includes your:

Rectus abdominis, the “six pack” that flexes your spine
Obliques, along your sides, that help you twist and resist rotation
Transverse abdominis, a deep corset like muscle that stabilizes your spine
Lower back muscles that keep you upright
Hips, glutes, and psoas that link your upper and lower body
Pelvic floor muscles that support your organs and help control pressure

A good bodyweight ab workout trains these areas together. This helps your torso act as a single, strong unit, which is how you move in real life.

How often to train your abs

You do not need to train your abs every day to see progress. In fact, daily ab sessions can work against you by cutting into recovery.

Exercise physiologist Jeremey DuVall suggests training your abs at least two to three times per week for results, and possibly up to three to six sessions per week only if you are more advanced and recovering well. For most people, two to three focused sessions is a sweet spot.

A simple plan:

Beginners: 2 sessions per week, with at least 1 rest day between
Intermediate: 3 sessions per week, on nonconsecutive days

You will choose 1 to 3 ab exercises per session and 2 to 5 total exercises spread across the week. Mix different rep or time ranges so you are not always doing the same thing.

Warm up before you start

Even for a short bodyweight ab workout, a quick warm up helps you move better and protect your back.

Spend 3 to 5 minutes on:

Cat cow from hands and knees
Hip circles or gentle standing leg swings
Marching in place with arm swings
A few easy bodyweight squats

Move slowly and focus on breathing. You should feel looser and a little warmer, not tired, before you start your main routine.

The beginner friendly bodyweight ab workout

This routine is built from accessible, well studied core moves like dead bugs, glute bridges, and planks. It focuses on controlled positions so you can learn to brace your core without straining your neck or lower back.

You will do 5 exercises in a circuit:

Dead bug
Glute bridge
Bird dog
Bear plank with knee taps
Modified side plank

Perform each exercise for 30 to 45 seconds, then rest 15 seconds before moving to the next one. Start with 1 round, which will take about 7 minutes. As you get more comfortable, work up to 3 or 4 rounds, three to four times per week on nonconsecutive days, as suggested by NASM certified trainer Maricris Lapaix.

1. Dead bug

Dead bugs help you learn to brace your core while your arms and legs move, which translates well to everyday activities.

How to do it:

Lie on your back, arms straight up over your shoulders, knees bent to 90 degrees above your hips.
Gently press your lower back toward the floor to create a neutral, supported spine.
Inhale. As you exhale, slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor. Stop before your lower back arches.
Return to the start and repeat on the other side, alternating with control.

Keep your ribs from flaring and your neck relaxed. Focus on smooth, steady breaths.

2. Glute bridge

Glute bridges work your glutes and hamstrings along with your core. Strong glutes support your pelvis and lower back.

How to do it:

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip width apart.
Brace your core as if someone is about to poke your stomach.
Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Pause for a second at the top. Lower slowly until your hips hover just above the floor, then repeat.

Avoid arching your lower back at the top. The effort should come from your glutes, not your spine.

3. Bird dog

Bird dogs are a gentle anti rotation move. They teach your core to keep your torso steady while your arms and legs reach.

How to do it:

Start on hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
Pull your belly button slightly toward your spine to engage your core.
Reach your right arm forward and left leg back, keeping your hips level.
Hold briefly, then return to the start and switch sides.

Move slowly so you can notice any wobble. If your balance feels shaky, shorten the reach until you can control it.

4. Bear plank with knee taps

This variation of the plank brings more awareness to your core and shoulders without needing to be fully extended in a long lever position.

How to do it:

Begin on hands and knees, shoulders stacked over wrists and hips over knees.
Tuck your toes under. Brace your core and float your knees 1 or 2 inches off the floor.
Keep your head aligned with your spine and your back flat.
While holding this hover, gently tap both knees to the floor, then lift them again. Continue tapping and lifting with control.

Think about pulling your belly up and away from the floor. If your lower back sags, reset and shorten the set.

5. Modified side plank

Side planks target your obliques and hip stabilizers. The modified version is more approachable than the full version but still very effective.

How to do it:

Lie on your side with knees bent and stacked, and your bottom elbow under your shoulder.
Engage your core and press through your forearm and lower knee to lift your hips.
Aim for a straight line from head to knee.
Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, then switch sides.

Keep your chest open and avoid sinking into your shoulder. If this is too hard at first, lower your hips, rest, and come back up in shorter holds.

A faster, more advanced circuit

Once the basic bodyweight ab workout feels comfortable, you can challenge yourself with a short, higher intensity circuit. Fitness coach Gilles Souteyrand designed a 10 minute routine of nine exercises, each performed for 20 seconds with 10 seconds rest, repeated after a 30 second break.

Key moves in that style of workout include:

Hollow plank, which targets your entire front body and lower back
Plank side to side feet jumps and tucks, which hit upper and lower abs plus obliques
Legs together hip thrusts, which focus heavily on the lower abs

You would do the full circuit two to three times per week, and keep at least one day of rest between sessions so your muscles can recover and grow.

Tips for getting better results

You can get more out of any bodyweight ab workout by paying attention to a few details.

Focus on form over speed

Racing through reps usually shifts the work to your hip flexors or neck. Move slowly enough to feel your abs doing the job. If you notice your lower back pinching or your neck straining, shorten the range of motion or reduce the time.

Use progressive overload

Your core needs new challenges to keep getting stronger. You can increase difficulty by:

Adding a few seconds per set
Pausing at the hardest point of the move
Adding an extra round to your circuit
Trying more advanced variations like a full side plank or hollow body hold once the basics feel easier

Support your training with nutrition

Ab definition is influenced by your body fat level as well as muscle size. Consistent workouts plus a balanced diet will bring better results than either alone. Many coaches suggest focusing on whole foods and making sure you get enough protein to support muscle repair.

If seeing visible abs is a goal, a mild, sustainable calorie deficit and regular movement will help reduce body fat over time, while direct ab work maintains and builds the muscle underneath.

How to fit this into your week

You do not need to overhaul your whole routine. Start by adding this bodyweight ab workout to days you already move.

For example:

Day 1: Walk or light cardio plus 1 to 2 rounds of the beginner core circuit
Day 3: Strength training or yoga plus 2 rounds of the core circuit
Day 5: Another cardio or strength day plus 1 to 3 rounds, depending on energy

If a 7 minute round feels long at first, set a timer for 5 minutes and cycle through 2 or 3 exercises. Building the habit matters more than doing a perfect session from day one.

Try the dead bug and glute bridge combo today, even if it is just 30 seconds each. Once you feel how different a focused core session is from random crunches, it will be much easier to stick with it.