Muscle group
Ab and core exercises
The core is more than the rectus abdominis. It also covers the obliques, the transverse abdominis and the spinal stabilizers that keep your torso stiff when you lift, run or carry a load in one hand.
So the atlas has three kinds of movement: crunches that bend the torso, anti-movement work like the plank, where the job is to refuse to bend, and rotations. A good plan uses all three.
Ab and core exercises by equipment
Choose the equipment available to you and find exercises that suit your setup.
More equipmentAb wheel 11·Suspension trainer 8·Resistance band 8
Exercise library
All Ab and core exercises
178 exercisesFilters
Abdominal Crunches
Core · Bodyweight
Situps
Core · Bodyweight
Lying Leg Raise
Core · Bodyweight
Side Plank
Core · Bodyweight
High Cable Kneeling Crunch
Core · Cable
Bicycles
Core · Bodyweight
Ab Wheel All the Way Out
Core · Ab wheel
Abdominal Crunches Machine
Core · Machine
Crunch Floor
Core · Bodyweight
Reverse Crunch
Core · Bodyweight
Captains Chair Leg Raise
Core · Roman chair
Dead Bug
Core · Bodyweight
Training guide
About training Ab and core exercises
Choose one movement, perform it well, then progress it over time.
How do you train the core?
The abs are a muscle like any other and they respond to load, not to rep counts. Three sets of 30 crunches with no resistance will do less than three sets of 10 with weight or in a harder position. Two sessions a week, two or three exercises each, is usually enough.
Do ab exercises burn belly fat?
No. Spot reduction does not work, and whether the muscle shows depends on your body fat level, which comes down mostly to diet and overall energy expenditure. Core work builds the muscle and improves how well you brace, which shows up as better squats and deadlifts.
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