Transform Your Midsection Into A Hard And Defined Six-Pack With This Five-Move Session

If you spend a few weeks working hard in the gym and eating a strict, healthy diet that puts you in a calorie deficit every day, you’ll start to notice the emergence of a set of upper abs. At this point you’d be forgiven for making the assumption that the rest of your abs are set to follow in a similar timeframe.

Unfortunately, that’s not normally how things go. The upper abs are always the first to show and they are also easier to target, since most common core exercises like crunches hit that area of your midriff.

If you want to sculpt a complete six-pack, though, you need to plan your workouts to hit the lower abs and obliques too. Alternatively you can leave all the planning to us and use the workout below, which is designed to ensure you carve out a full complement of rippling abs, rather than just a two-pack.

The workout is designed to keep your abs under tension for long periods, so they’re not going to be a fun ride, but the results will be worth it!

Lower Abs Workout 1

Superset:

This superset works your core and lower abs especially hard as you move your legs upwards, downwards, left and right. Keep each rep quite fast but always controlled so it’s your muscles that do the work, not just your legs swinging back and forth.

1. Hanging knee raise:

Targets: Entire core

Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 30sec

How to:

Hang from a set of rings or pull-up bar with an overhand grip and straight legs.
Brace your abs, then draw your knees up towards your chest.
Hold this position for a one-count, then lower back to the start.
That’s one rep.

2. Hanging knee twist:

Targets: Entire abs and core

Sets: 4 Reps: 15 each side Rest: 60sec

How to:

The set-up is the same as move 1, except once your draw your knees up, you keep them bent and rotate them one side, then the other, alternating sides for the duration of the set.

Tri-set:

This tri-set targets your entire core, which must maintain tension to keep your body stable, as well as your side abs with the introduction of some movements that keep your body guessing.

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3. Alternating leg raise:

Targets: Lower abs

Sets: 4 Reps: 25 each leg Rest: 30sec

How to:

Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head, holding your feet just off the floor with legs straight.
Raise one leg and lower it again, then repeat with the other leg.

4. Plank jack:

Targets: Entire core

Sets: 4 Reps: 25 Rest: 30sec

How to:

Start in a plank position resting on your forearms with feet together.
Jump your feet out to the sides, then back in again.
That’s one rep.

5. Superman plank:

Targets: Entire core

Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60sec

How to:

Start in a plank position resting on your forearms with feet together.
Lift your left leg while extending your right arm forwards, then bring them back to the start position.
Repeat with the opposite limbs.
That’s one rep.