Abs Workout in 10 Minutes: 5 Moves to a Stronger Core | SELF

There’s a reason there are so many 10-minute abs workouts out there: You can get in a really good abs workout in just 10 minutes. It might not seem like a sufficient length of time, but if you’ve ever done a short but intense abs workout, you know that it is. (Even an abs workout as short as 4 minutes can be killer.)

Some days you may only have 10 minutes to dedicate to a workout. Or maybe you just like to start the morning off with a little sweat and want to feel like your core is warmed up and ready to take on the day—not a bad idea if you’re about to sit in a chair for several hours.

Whatever your reasons, read on for some intel on abs workouts and a speedy 10-minute routine you can try tomorrow morning—or whatever time of day you want, really.

The muscles that make up the abs

When you think of abs you’re likely thinking of the rectus abdominis, which is the outermost layer of abdominal muscle, or those six-pack muscles. But four main muscles make up your abdominals: rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transverse abdominis. The obliques are the muscles that run along each side of your torso from ribs to hips, and the transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle, sitting between the rectus abdominis and the spine and playing a major role in spine stabilization.

The core includes all of these abdominal muscles plus muscles in the lower back, hips, and pelvic floor.

Having strong abdominal muscles and a strong core overall is important for pretty much every movement you make. A strong midsection supports and stabilizes your spine; it helps improve and prevent lower-back pain; it helps you maintain proper posture; it even is essential for keeping the hips and knees aligned properly. All of these things are important for keeping your body moving and functioning well and warding off injury.

The best—and quickest—way to work the abs

If you’re doing compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, lunges, and pretty much any other big strength-training move, congratulations: You’re working your abs without even realizing it. Any movement that engages multiple muscle groups and joints requires serious core activation to keep the body stable. That’s even more true if you’re doing side-to-side movements (think lateral lunges) or single-leg movements (think reverse lunges or single-leg deadlifts) that demand even more from your core to keep your body stable.

Even traditional cardio workouts like running and cycling work the core if you’re doing them with proper posture and making sure to engage your abdominals throughout.

If you want to do a workout that specifically targets the abs, you can definitely keep it short and sweet—you’re already working these muscles in your regular routine. Plus, it doesn’t take long to feel a serious burn when you’re doing abs-targeting moves. The key is to keep the muscles under tension for as long as possible before giving them a break. Having said that, it may only take 10 seconds to feel your muscles being challenged.