The Best Home Ab Workout in 10 Minutes for Six Pack Abs
10
Mins Read
Shred your stomach with this 10-minute ab workout routine at home!
This 10-minute ab workout combines everything you need from high-intensity cardio, strength training, to specific ab workouts to build tighter abs and a stronger core.
Not only doing this ab workout daily will help you score a flat stomach, but it’ll also build strength in the midsection, especially the core.
It’s one workout that leaves no ab muscles untouched.
From the side obliques to lower abs and upper abs, this 10-minute abs workout covers thoroughly with no muscle spared.
But by now, we all know it takes a little more than a bunch of abdominal workouts to get six-pack abs.
And none of the abs exercises alone gets the job done.
To effectively tackle body fat and build strength in your torso, a consistent combination of varying intensities of cardio is also essential.
In this abs and core exercises routine, you see the best ab exercises combined with HIIT cardio moves to maximize body toning and strengthening.
And undoubtedly, it builds your core strength.
While strong core muscles are often seen solely as showcases of build-up six-pack muscles, its importance goes far more.
Core strength is a key to optimal everyday performance and translates to your other workouts and daily life.
From holding a good posture to carrying groceries, it’s one muscle group that supports not only your upper body but the whole body.
Take a closer look, your core muscles are made up of many muscle groups in the torso.
It includes external obliques, internal obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and even the spinae and the pelvic floor muscles.
10-Minute Ab Workout to Blasts Belly Fat
In this 10-minute ab workout, you’ll be doing exercises that work both your inner and outer core muscles as well as the adjacent ones. There are only five ab exercises.
Each move only lasts for 45 seconds followed by a 10-second rest before you get to the next move.
You’ll perform 2 total rounds of these 5 best abs exercises for 10 minutes.
To get the most out of this 10-minute abs workout, it’s going to be important that you maintain tension in your core the entire time.
So keep your core muscles engaged (not relaxed) throughout and keep the correct posture and form — save that for the 10-second break.
This ab workout works with a time limit as opposed to a certain number of reps.
So within the 45 secs, go as hard as you can and hit as many reps as possible with the proper form.
This is to incorporate the HIIT cardio element into the ab workout moves and boost your daily burn.
With all that built-in, here is the best 10-minute ab workout to get a stronger core and tighter abs.
Ready to get started? Here’s what you need for a quick ab workout
- Time: 10 minutes
- Equipment: Mat
- Good for: Abs and core muscles (external obliques, internal obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and even the spinae and the pelvic floor muscles).
- Instructions: For each move, perform as many reps as possible in a 45-second timeframe, then rest for 10 seconds. Continue to the next move. After you’ve completed all four moves, rest for one minute, then repeat the circuit. Complete two rounds total. Your homework is to do this 10-minute abs workout three times per week to really see the difference in your core and sculpt your abs.
10-Minute Ab Workout at Home
1. Push Up + Alternating Toe Touch
Push-up and alternating toe touch are some of the best ab-focused compound exercises performed at a fast HIIT tempo. It’s an advanced dynamic pike plank that incorporates pushups as you hit the mat.
This ab workout undoubtedly uses your whole body including the abs and core, but it’s also effective in targeting your lower body.
The toe touch motions where your right hand reaches the left leg and vice versa, you’ll feel the engagement in the quads, glutes, hip flexors, and hamstrings.
You also feel the muscle activation in the obliques, lower abs, and upper abs. As you perform your push-up, you work your triceps, biceps, hips, and lower back.
This is one exercise you don’t need to go fast to reap all the toning benefits, but adding HIIT tempo even torches more fat and calories performing this advanced move.
How to perform this exercise:
- Set up a yoga mat. Place your hands right outside of the mat and start in a high full plank position. Stack your shoulders directly over your wrists and keep a slight bend in your elbows.
- Perform a push-up and then push up the hips to the ceiling into a pike plank. Touch the left toe with your right hand without bending knees.
- Come back to the full plank position. Repeat on the opposite side and touch your right toe with your left hand.
- Keep alternating for 45 seconds and rest for 10 seconds.
Trainer Tip: As you perform the push-up, draw in your belly button and keep your abs tight throughout the exercise.
Also, your glutes, hamstrings, and quads should be tightened during the pushup.
Start slow and get comfortable with the movements before you pick up your pace and let your knees and legs shuffle more rigorously.
Variations and modifications to Try:
Plank Knee Tap:
This is a beginner ab workout that incorporates dynamic motions to torch calories and burn fat.
Instead of starting in a full plank position, start in a forearm plank with your body in a straight line from your toes to your head.
Keeping the abs tight, tap the mat with your right knee and return. Repeat on the opposite side by tapping the mat on your left knee.
Alternate for 45 seconds and rest for 10 seconds.
2. Superman
Floor spinal flexion exercise like this superman is a great way to work on your flexibility, stability, and range of motion while working your abdominals and entire core.
It’s also a great exercise for people of all fitness levels. Whether performing this as static holds or dynamics, this abs workout effectively targets your abs, lower back, glutes, hip flexor, and hamstrings.
When you are starting strength training, it’s one exercise you want to add to your routine for injury prevention.
If you are completely out of breath from the first ab exercise, good news this one, you can lay flat on a comfy yoga mat. Here is how to perform this move.
How to perform this exercise:
- On the yoga mat, lay face down comfortably with your legs and arms fully extended. As you start, brace your torso by tightening your abdominals. Keep the engagement in the abs the entire time.
- Slowly lift up your arms by squeezing together your shoulder blades. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
- Also, lift your legs at the same time to about 5 inches off the floor while keeping your core on the mat. Hold the top position for 2 seconds and return to the starting position.
- Repeat in a controlled manner for 45 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Trainer
Tip: The superman exercise is a beginner-friendly workout people of all fitness levels can do. But if you find this move too challenging, perform this ab exercise at a slower tempo.
3. Bicycle Crunch
Crunch is unarguably the most popular ab workout at home. But if you are tired of doing countless regular crunches, it’s time to switch up and add a dynamic modification that tackles more than your rectus abdominis.
According to ACE studies, bicycle crunch is far more muscle activating than captain’s chair, mountain climber, Swiss ball roll, and reverse crunch.
This dynamic crunch variation adds challenges to your entire midsection including the upper abs, oblique muscles, transverse abs, and upper abs.
Those are the very abdominals muscles the traditional crunches don’t primarily hit and engage.
Because bicycle crunches involve side to side, rotational movements, they get to engage more muscles in the addominis and help you get into the top physique and even score a six-pack.
The best part is, this crunch combines the abdominal workout moves with anaerobic.
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on a mat face up. Press your lower back firmly into the mat. Extend your legs fully.
- Place your hands behind your head, but don’t interlace your fingers. Open up your elbows and don’t yank your head during the exercise.
- Without pulling your neck, lift your shoulder blades and upper and middle back a few inches off the floor.
- Bend and bring the right knee towards your chest. In the same motion, turn your upper body and torso to your right, bringing in your right left elbow toward your right knee.
- Return to the start position and repeat with the opposite arm and knee. Keep alternating for 45 seconds.
Trainer Tips: Rotate through the core as you twist your torso and avoid pulling your head and neck.
It’s not necessary you touch your raised knee with your elbow.
Rather, the use of the core muscles in the rotational moves takes more importance.
Both true beginners and advanced beginners should focus on working the right ab muscles than prioritizing speed.
This is to ensure you perform with the correct form and get the most of this advanced workout move.
Alternative Exercise: Dead Bug
Bicycle crunch exercise can be an intimidating exercise that requires coordination and existing core body strength.
If you are a beginner looking for a gentler exercise that still works your abdominals, the dead bug may be a great alternative.
It’s also a low-impact workout that’s gentler to your lower back.
Russian Twists: For those looking to add dumbbells and free weights to this ab workout routine, you can sub with a Russian twist.
Russian twist exercise is a great exercise that also works your obliques and involves rotations of your trunk.
4. Up and Down Plank
Up and down plank is a beginner-friendly total body strength training move that works to build strong core muscles.
Aside from your abdominals and the entire core, this exercise tones your glutes, thighs, wrists, arms, and shoulders.
It’s truly an exercise that works your entire body without having to work multiple exercises.
There is a lot you can gain from doing this ab exercise for 45 seconds.
Keeping your body in a straight line and maintaining the posture while your upper body moves dynamically, challenges your midsection and boosts your fat loss and weight loss at the same time.
If you have only performed the regular plank with static holds, be sure to check out the instructions below to get the correct form.
How to perform this exercise:
- Start in a full plank position with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lower one elbow at a time and come into a forearm plank. To return to the starting position, put your left hand on the floor, directly under your left shoulder, and straighten your left elbow.
- Repeat with your left hand and place it right under your right shoulder. Extend the left elbow to return to the full plank position.
- Continue for 45 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Put your right hand on the mat, and straighten your right elbow. Do the same on the left to return to a full plank position.
Trainer Tip: Keep your body in a straight line and have your abs engaged throughout the entire time.
5. Side Plank with Rotation
If you are looking to build strong core muscles, add this side plank exercise to your workout routine.
This side plank rotation is an oblique muscles-focused workout that improves your core strength, shoulder stability, and spinal mobility.
By adding rotational movements with an otherwise static side plank increases challenges to your entire core including the side abdominals.
Since many ab exercises don’t primarily engage your obliques, it’s one exercise you can add to specifically target the hard-to-reach region of your torso.
To get the most out of the side plank with rotation, perform this with the correct form.
How to perform this exercise:
- Start sideways with your right side down in a forearm plank position with your right elbow and arm on the mat. Position your right shoulder directly over the right elbow and stack your feet and ankles on top of each other. Your left foot should be on top of the right foot.
- Tighten your abs and squeeze your glutes to lift hips off the mat. Adjust your body alignment so your body is in a straight line from the head to the toes.
- Extend your left arm towards the ceiling so your body and arm are at a 90-degree angle.
- Exhale as you engage your obliques and rotate your right arm downward.
- Inhale and unwind your arm towards the ceiling. Repeat as many times as you can within the 45-second timeframe.
- In the next round, perform the exercise on the opposite side so your left side is down and your right side up.
Trainer Tip: Maintain your body stability as you rotate your arm in this exercise.
