This ‘Perfect’ Ab Workout Hits Your Core From All Angles

IF YOUR AB workout begins and ends on your back on a yoga mat in a corner of the gym, you’re not doing enough. And even if you flip around for a plank or two, your efforts will still be lacking.

The main issue with this type of routine, according to Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is that even if you’re piling up the reps, you’re not challenging your abs enough. You’re probably only doing one or two types of movement if you’re sticking in one place—and your core has multiple functions you’ll want to hit in your workouts. You need to challenge your body in different ways if you want real results.

Level-up your core routine by following Samuel’s lead and picking exercises that use every function of the muscle group. These four core functions are:

BracingAnti-RotationRotationSpinal FlexionThe Perfect Ab Workout for All Core FunctionsBracing:Hollow Hold / Hollow Rock3 sets of 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off

You practice bracing your core when you do planks—but planks can get old, fast. Flip around and give the hollow hold a try. Along with giving yourself a new challenge, hollow holds allow you to level up more easily by holding weight in your hands or adding a rock.

Anti-Rotation:Weighted Plank Row Hold3 sets of 30 seconds per side

Again, you’ll level up the basic plank. This time, you’ll add a weight and fight against gravity (using your core) to keep yourself from falling (rotating) out of position.

Rotation:Hanging Typewriter3 sets of 6 to 8 reps

“When we think of rotation, the key thing I want you to think about is your hips going one way, or not going any way at all, and [the] shoulders going a different way,” says Samuel. The hanging typewriter uses a challenging position in a hanging hollow hold, then adds rotation as you raise your legs across your body.

Spinal Flexion:3-Step Getup3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

This is probably the movement you think of related to ab workouts, since situps and related exercises are all about flexion. You’ll level up the basic principle (and add a load) with this getup move that brings other muscle groups in, too.

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COURTESY DAVIDSON; ANDRE L. PERRY

Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.