We countdown 10 of our favourite beginner home ab exercises for a ripped six-pack this summer!

Abs…

The elusive ‘six-pack’ manages to elude even the most disciplined of men in the gym.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of the 10 best beginner exercises you can do to get six-pack abs from the comfort of your own home (without any fancy equipment).

*ATTENTION – JUST A DISCLAIMER*

None of these exercises will successfully reveal your abs if you have too much body fat covering them.

While these exercises will significantly improve abdominal size, strength and aesthetics, they will NOT just give you a six-pack.

In fact, your abs only reveal themselves once your body fat is low enough for them to show through the skin.

This means you have to be very conscious about what foods go in your mouth (calorie deficit) as well as how much activity you’re actually performing outside of lifting weights (daily step count + cardio).

You’ll also want to make sure you’re including compound movements that work to stabilise the abdominals in tandem with other muscle groups (e.g. squats, overhead press).

This will provide a strong muscle foundation for your abs to develop and show through the skin better.

Now that we’ve gotten that out the way, let’s jump into 10 of our favourite exercises for a chiseled set of six-pack abs…

#1 - Leg Raises 

Leg raises are the holy grail of ab training.

Leg raises primarily work the lower part of the rectus abdominis, the area most men tend to get ‘stubborn belly fat’.

This exercise can be completed hanging (on a pull-up bar), in a dip-like position (on parallel bars) or even lying on the floor.

The main objective is to raise your legs without the use of external momentum, so ensure you avoid any swinging by lowering your legs down slowly.

For those just starting out, we recommend trying lying knee raises on the floor until you are able to work up to extending your legs out completely.

#2 - Bicycles

Bicycle crunches are a powerhouse when it comes to building the entire midsection.

This exercise involves a twisting motion from the top-down and bottom-up, engaging the rectus abdominis and obliques to mimic the pedaling of a bicycle.

Now, don’t go riding off into the sunset too quickly there son, the key is to perform each rep slow and steady with an emphasis on controlling your breathing and feeling the contraction in your abdominals.

#3 - Planks

Ahh the classic plank.

You and I both knew it was going to be somewhere on this list.

As unpleasant as they are, to put it simply, planks just work.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of men perform them INCORRECTLY, negating many of the exercises’ wondrous benefits.

To execute a proper plank, start with your forearms on the ground directly below your shoulders.

For those just starting out, you can assume the position on your hands instead of your elbows, helping to take some of the tension off the abs and lower back.

Keeping your toes firmly planted on the floor, visualise pushing your belly button towards your spine to create a flat back (this is done by actively contracting the glutes and abs together).

Make sure to maintain a straight line without letting your hips sag or ride upwards (both common forms of ‘cheating’).

Blow all your air out at the beginning of the plank for an added level of difficulty (trust me, this hurts).

#4 - Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a great choice for a dynamic core workout that simultaneously works the abs and breaks a sweat.

The most basic version is completed by starting in a push up position and then drawing the legs across the body towards the chest in a controlled running motion.

Mountain climbers in a plank position can be a good challenge for those who find the push up position too easy.

As with a regular plank, make sure you’re keeping your glutes and abdominals tight to keep the tension on the core.

 #5 - Leg Flutters

Leg flutters involve lying flat on your back and moving your legs up and down, primarily engaging the lower abs and hip flexors.

When performing leg flutters, ensure your lower back stays in contact with the floor with your neck and shoulders slightly elevated off the ground.

Controlled, longer repetitions are recommended for the most effective core workout.

The closer your feet get to the ground, the more difficult the movement will be due to the increased tension on the abs.

#6 - Scissor Kicks

These are the slightly more advanced, big brother if you will, of leg flutters.

Scissor kicks involve lying flat on your back and crisscrossing your legs repeatedly in a scissor-like motion.

Despite their simplicity, scissor kicks are a staple when it comes to building the lower abs, transverse abdominus, hip flexors and obliques.

Remember to take these slow and steady to ensure peak contraction of the ab musculature.

If you’re feeling like superman, you can up the intensity of your scissor kicks by using a pair of ankle weights.

#7 - 90/90 Crunches (alternating)

Crunches are often the first exercise that come to mind when we think of ab training.

The 90/90 alternating crunch is a variation of the standard crunch that adds a bit of rotation to the equation to target the obliques as well as upper abs.

With hands behind your head and legs bent in the air at 90 degrees, lift your shoulders off the ground and crunch your elbow towards your opposing knee.

Repeat on the other side, exhaling as you reach the top.

Personally, I like to add in a regular crunch in the middle in order to work all planes of top down ab movement.

Remember to keep your lower back glued to the floor at all times, focusing on really feeling the contraction in your abdominal muscles.

#8 - Russian Twists

Russian twists are tried and tested when it comes to building the lower abs and obliques.

Sitting on the floor with your feet slightly elevated off the ground, rotate your torso side to side, alternating between left and right.

If you’re a bit wobbly, you can start with your feet on the ground until you’re able to progress to the elevated version.

As with every other exercise on this list, slow and steady wins the race, so make sure you’re not rushing those reps!

You can add a small weight to your twists (e.g. with a kettlebell) as an extra challenge once they inevitably start feeling easy.

 #9 - Side Planks

Side planks are a very effective and versatile way to target the obliques.

The classic side plank is done by lying on your side in a straight line with your feet stacked on top of each other and your forearm placed directly below your shoulder.

Make sure to engage your abdominal muscles without letting your hips sag to keep the tension on the obliques.

Once you’ve mastered the basic version, there are tons of challenging static and dynamic variations for the side plank to choose from.

Some of our personal favourite are:

• side plank raises

• side plank crunches

• elevated side planks

• side plank rotations (aka ‘thread the needle’)

#10 - Ab Wheel Rollouts

Now I know I said no fancy equipment, but for those who want some variety, you can pick up an ab wheel for pretty cheap these days (most commercial gyms have one lying around as well).

Similar to planks, the main objective of this marvellous little tool is to train ‘anti-extension’ (resistance against spinal extension).

When performing ab wheel rollouts, position your knees on a soft surface and elevate your feet slightly off the ground.

While maintaining a neutral lower back position, slowly roll the ab wheel forwards across the floor until it is above your head and then pull the wheel back to its original position.

Remember to keep your glutes and abs engaged to stabilise the lower back and protect your spine from injury (also avoid rolling the wheel too far out above your head).

How to make a home ab workout…

To construct an effective home ab workout, pick 2-4 of the aforementioned exercises and train them reasonably close to failure with straight sets.

Alternatively, you can also opt to perform each exercise for a pre-set time limit (say 30-60 seconds) one after the other in circuit style.

You can choose any combination you like, but it’s recommended you try to incorporate:

• 1 exercise for the lower abs/hip flexors (e.g. leg raises, leg flutters)

• 1 exercise for the middle/upper abs (e.g. 90/90 crunches, bicycles)

• 1 exercise for the obliques (e.g. Russian twists, side planks)

• and last but not least, 1 exercise to train ‘anti-extension’ (e.g. a plank or ab wheel rollouts)

Here’s a circuit style ab workout you can try at home:

• EXERCISE 1: Floor leg/knee raises for 45 seconds

  (30 seconds rest)

• EXERCISE 2: Bicycles for 45 seconds

  (30 seconds rest)

• EXERCISE 3: Russian twists for 45 seconds

  (30 seconds rest)

• EXERCISE 4: Plank for 45 seconds

  (2-3 minutes rest, then repeat 1-2 more times)

1-3 rounds of a workout like so completed 2-3x per week is more than enough to get those abs popping (with proper nutrition of course!)