Get up off the floor and work your core more with this standing abs workout.
Standing abs exercises offer plenty of bonus benefits—you’ll engage more muscles at once, improve your postural support, and burn more calories than most traditional floor exercises. Plus, you don’t need any equipment or a lot of space to do these standing exercises for lower abs, upper abs, obliques, and every other inch of your core.
Try them at home, in your hotel room, or at the gym to chisel your stomach without lying on any dirty floors.
How it works: Do 3 sets of the recommended number of reps for each exercise below. For best results, do this routine after your regular strength or cardio session up to four days a week.
1. Standing Bicycle
How to:
- Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, hands behind head, and left heel lifted.
- Brace abs in tight and lift left knee up as right shoulder rotates towards knee (try to touch).
- Lower back to start.
Do 20 reps per side.
Related article: 13 of the Best Obliques Exercises To Compliment Your Abs For A Smoking Hot Body
2. Extended Toe Touch
How to:
- Stand on the right leg, knee slightly bent, with left leg extended low behind the hip.
- Extend right arm straight overhead, palm facing forward.
- Slightly extend the spine and lift the chest, raising the left leg as high as you can, reaching the right arm up.
- Scoop abs into the spine and sweep left leg forward, reaching right hand to toes.
- Return to start.
Do 10 reps per side.
3. Leaning Lifting Crunch
How to:
- Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, arms extended overhead, palms pressed together.
- Lean torso to the right, stretching through the left side.
- Next, brace abs in and slowly lean to the left as the left leg extends out to the side, lifting the leg with pointed toe.
Do 20 reps per side.
Related article: Firm Your Butt and Smooth Your Thighs In Less Than 5 Minutes a Day With 10 Moves That Target Cellulite
4. Rotating Deadlift
How to:
- Begin in a split stance with left foot forward, knees slightly bent, hands behind head.
- Engage abs and hinge forward from hips, keeping spine naturally straight, until chest is almost parallel to the floor.
- As the body returns upright (maintaining flat back), rotate the torso to the left, looking back over the left shoulder.
Do 15 reps per side.
5. Stepping Chop
How to:
- Stand with feet together, knees bent, hands clasped, and arms extended overhead.
- Take a wide step out to the side with the left leg as arms chop down to the left hip.
- Bring left foot back to right and swing arms overhead to the right.
Do 20 reps per side.
Related article: 10 Tips On How To Lose 10 Pounds Without Totally Changing Your Diet!
6. Skating Windmill
How to:
- Stand on the left leg, right leg bent behind the body, foot lifted low.
- Bend left knee and lean forward, reaching right arm to the floor in front of left foot, extending left arm up behind body.
- Jump off the left foot and leap to the right, bending elbows and bringing hands together in mid-air.
- Land on the right leg, with knee bent, reaching left arm to the right foot, right arm extended behind body.
- Repeat to the other side.
- That’s one rep.
Do 10 reps.