15-Minute Ab Workout | Abs and Core Exercises | The Gym Group

Spend 2 minutes doing sit-ups or crunches

Click the links above to view our step-by-step guides on sit-ups or crunches if you need a refresher. These are the exercises many people picture when thinking about ab workouts, and for a good reason: they work. Do a minute of sit-ups and crunches to improve your core strength and build your abdominal muscle mass. Crunches specifically target your core and no where else, so focus on those if you’re really going all in on your abs.

Rest for 1 minute.

Spend 2 minutes doing Russian twists

Russian twists take it up a level, targeting not just core abdominal muscles but also your obliques (the muscles which run on either side of your core—you stretch them when bending one way or the other). They also help reduce belly fat and ‘love handles’, so adding them to your 15-minute ab workout serves a dual function here.

Rest for 1 minute.

Spend 2 minutes doing mountain climbers

These exercises are great for arm and leg strength, but they can also help reduce belly fat and target your abs at the same time. They’re less intensive on the abs, however, so putting them in the middle of your 15 minutes will give your core muscles a bit of a break.

Rest for 2 minutes, lying on the mat or floor and taking deep breaths. You’re now over halfway there!

Spend 2 minutes doing hand walk outs.

Hand walk outs build strength and endurance—and they’re also just fun to do. Just don’t forget to keep your core tight and your back neutral; otherwise, you’ll develop bad form and ignore the muscle groups that need it most.

Rest for 1 minute.

Finally, close out by holding a plank as long as you can. 2 minutes is the ultimate goal, but you’ll be able to start out aiming for much shorter planks—you’ll build up to it!

Planks strengthen your core, build muscle endurance, and even help with back pain and posture. They’re also one of the most popular ab exercises, and a great challenge to close our your 15-minute ab workout. You will probably need to build up to the full two minutes, and that’s okay. You’ll get better every time!