For those who hate spending hours in the gym working on their abs, we’ve got some good news: getting a strong core really doesn’t have to take up a huge chunk of your day. We know it can often feel like there’s an endless number of ab exercises out there and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. So we’ve put together a list of 7 effective moves that you can quickly knock out at home that will have your core feeling as strong as steel.

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Hollow Body Hold

Lay down, pressing your lower back into the ground. Hinge at the hips to tuck your knees into your chest while also raising your shoulders off the ground, reaching forward with your arms.

Extend your legs straight out and hold in position, stretching your arms back behind your head and squeezing your core to maintain your posture. For beginners, keep your arms pointed forward to make the move less difficult. Hold for 30 seconds to start, then ramp up to a minute or more once you develop the core strength.

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V ups

Lay on the floor with your legs fully extended and arms stretched out above your head.

Simultaneously lift both hands and both legs up in the air, reaching your hands towards your toes, to form your body into a V shape. Repeat for 60 seconds.

Bird Dog

The bird dog helps you to move dynamically within your workout, which is a great way to help you hone that stomach.

Put your weight on your hands and toes, bending your knees to take a tabletop position, squeezing your core to keep your spine straight.

Raise your left arm to reach straight forward, while simultaneously raising your right leg and stretching it straight out. Hold for a count, squeezing your core, before returning to the original position. Repeat the movement with your right arm and left leg to count 1 rep.

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Double leg reach

The double leg reach is a very effective abdominal exercise, working both the upper and lower abdominals.

Lie on your back with your legs stretched and your arms facing upward.

Lift your feet back off the ground at a 45-degree angle using your abdominal muscles and pause at the peak.

Then slowly lie back down keeping your arms and legs stretched.

Downward Facing Dog

 From a high plank, hinge at the waist to push your weight back through your heels until you arrive in a downward-facing dog: legs straight and arms outstretched in front of you, hands shoulder-width apart.

 Hold for 10 seconds, pushing your hips back over your heels to feel the stretch in your hamstrings and the backs of your arms. Return to a high plank and repeat five times.

Bicycle crunch

Lie on the ground with one leg extended straight out and one leg bent with your knee pulled in towards your chest. Both feet should not be touching the floor. Place your hands on the back of your head.

Alternate bending and extending your legs, as if on a bicycle, while rotating opposite elbows towards the bent knee. Be sure to focus on fully extending your straight leg out. 

 Cross Crunch

Lie with your left hand behind your head and your right arm outstretched at a 90° angle to your body, right palm facing down. Engaging your core, raise your right knee and crunch over to your right side until your left elbow touches your right knee.

Reverse the movement until you return to the start. Done your reps? Switch sides and repeat, crunching as hard as you can.