Looking for great exercises for no equipment ab workouts? Whether you want to add abs into your usual fitness routine, or pick up a 10 minute daily habit in the morning, ab workouts that don’t require equipment are nice to have in your arsenal.
We’re sharing some of our favourite no equipment ab workouts to add to your routine.
Why are no equipment ab workouts so good?
There are so many benefits of working the abs. They honestly don’t get enough air time.
Working the abs can give you that chiselled six pack you’ve always been after (if your diet is impeccable that is, no false promises here). But on top of the aesthetic benefits, abs form the basis of our core stability meaning when we build their strength we can improve our overall performance across a range of movements and reduce the chance of injury.
Ab workouts can help with balance, strength, spine movement and so much more, so you can do these little exercises in the knowledge that you’re improving a whole lot more than your tummy tone.
Best exercises for abs — no equipment needed
When you do strength training of any kind you’re usually training abs without realising it. Free weights like dumbbells are especially good at building core strength as they require your whole body to support the movement.
That said, there are some isolated ab exercises that can be a welcome addition to any strength workout. Here are some of our favourites.
Crunches (watch)
Crunches involve crunching the abs inwards while lying flat on the ground with the knees bent. You’ll need to place your hands on your head and lift the shoulders off the ground to create a mini sit up movement. This can be repeated in sets of however many you can manage in one go (aim for 20).
Sit ups (watch)
Just like a crunch, a sit up is a standard ab exercise that can be done anywhere. Lying on your back with your hands at your head and knees bent, lift your shoulders up to your knees to create the sit up movement. Again, this can be repeated in sets of however many you can manage in one go (aim for 20).
Plank (watch)
Everyone’s least favourite ab workout that challenges the whole body. Set up in a plank position on your toes and forearms, aiming to keep the body in a straight line. Start with a 30 second plank and work your way up.
Bicycle crunches (watch)
Bicycle crunches involve mimicking a bicycle pedal motion while lying on your back. Bring one knee up towards your armpit while straightening the other leg and then repeat on the other side. The goal with this movement is to keep your lower back glued to the floor so that you don’t compromise core stability.
Leg lowers (watch)
This movement involves lying on your back and lowering your legs down to the ground and up again. You want to make sure that your lower back is planted firmly on the ground to avoid injury, and if this isn’t possible, start with bicycle legs where you lower one leg to the ground at a time.
Slow mountain climbers (watch)
Mountain climbers involve propping the body up in a high plank position and lifting the knees one by one to the chest. When done at speed, mountain climbers provide a solid cardio workout, but when done slowly, they are a challenge for the ab muscles.
Find no equipment ab workouts on Steppen
No equipment ab workouts provide a short and sweet workout that can be completed anywhere. Steppen is home to thousands of fitness creators sharing fitness content daily, so if you’re looking for your next ab workout why not browse the app?
Download the Steppen App now to explore our library of 1000’s of no equipment ab workouts.
