15 Best Ab Exercises to Improve Your Core and Balance

Most of us want a flat, hard stomach with an unbreakable, functional core. Some of us even want a six pack. But do you know how to build strong abs?

The abs, which are often improperly referred to as the core (the “core” is a broader grouping of muscles that includes the abs, lower back, and hips), are used to stabilize the torso and also to bend forward, while the lower back extends the back backwards. The hips, of course, move your legs relative to your torso. 

Related: The 20 Best Exercises for Your Legs

In practice, the core muscle groups tend to get worked in many of the same exercises. The distinction is important, however, particularly because many “abdominal” exercises — such as crunches — are effectively hip and thigh exercises first and ab exercises second.

You won’t find any crunches here: All of these exercises focus primarily on your abs, and secondarily on the other core muscles (and sometimes other parts of the body, such as your arms). Combining several of these will allow you to build stronger, more defined rectus abdominis and oblique muscles — the front and side of your abs — because these exercises actually target the abdominals and work them in a way that’s natural to the body.

What Are the Best Exercises for Abs?

1. Inchworm

The inchworm is a combination resistance and mobility exercise, testing your upper body strength and endurance, lower body endurance, and the flexibility of your hamstrings and back. It combines a hand plank with something close to a bodyweight squat/deadlift and a hand walk-out.

How to do the inchworm

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
2. Bend over, crouch down, and put your hands on the floor.
3. Walk your hands forward until you end up in a push-up/hand plank position.  
4. Hold for one second.
5. Walk your hands backward until they’re in front of your feet.
6. Stand back up.
   

2. Palm Plank

The palm plank, or push-up-position plank, is a plank variant that is held in a push-up position rather than on your forearms. That makes it slightly easier on your abs, forearms, and quads, but it engages parts of the upper torso more. You may find it easier or harder than a normal front plank, depending on the relative strength of those muscles.

How to do a palm plank

1. Get into a push-up position with your palms at shoulder width.
2. Hold that position for as long as possible. Make sure to keep your spine straight; avoid excessively dropping your chin.
   

3. Palm Plank Shoulder Tap

The palm plank shoulder tap adds an extra level of balance, coordination, and strength challenge to the standard palm plank. It requires you to alternately balance on one hand while moving your other arm, engaging in cross-talk between the two sides of your body.  

How to do a palm plank shoulder tap

1. Get into a push-up position with your palms at shoulder width.
2. Pick your right hand up off of the floor, tap your palm to your left shoulder, then place it back on the floor.
3. Pick your left hand up off of the floor, tap your palm to your right shoulder, then place it back on the floor.

Related: The 20 Best Exercises for Your Shoulders

4. Elbow Plank

The elbow plank — known to many as the front plank, or simply “the plank” — is a common plank variant that holds your body at a lower position. This makes it harder on your abs, forearms, and quads. You may find this easier or harder for your shoulders and lats, depending on which plank variant you’re more used to.

How to do an elbow plank

1. Get into a push-up position with your palms at shoulder width.
2. Place your forearms on the ground, pointed forward and with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders, so that you’re now resting on your forearms instead of your palms.
3. Hold that position for as long as possible. Make sure to keep your spine straight; avoid excessively dropping your chin.
   

5. Elbow Side Plank

The elbow side plank engages the obliques, or the side of your abdominals, as well as the rectus abdominis, or the front of the abdomen. Since you’re balancing on one side and one arm, it’s also a lot more fatiguing for your arms, and additionally challenges your ability to balance properly.  

How to do an elbow side plank

1. Lay on your side.
2. Prop yourself up on one forearm, which should be placed palm down and  perpendicular to your torso. Place your other hand on your hip, elbow pointed up to the ceiling.  
3. Place your feet either stacked one on top of the other, or staggered with your top foot slightly in front of the other. (The second option makes balancing a bit easier.)  
4. Lift your hips off of the floor so that you’re now balanced on your forearm and feet. Keep your torso straight.
5. Hold for as long as possible.  

6. ISO Quadruped Plank

The isometric quadruped plank is a more challenging front plank variation that puts the lower body at a great mechanical disadvantage. This is felt mainly in the quadriceps, making this an unusual plank variation in that you’d use it to build endurance in your quads more so than your abs. (It does fatigue the abs as well, but somewhat less than other plank variations.)   

How to do an ISO quadruped plank

1. Get down on your hands and knees.
2. Lift your knees just an inch or two off of the ground so that you’re balanced on your hands and feet, but still essentially in a “hands and knees” position.
3. Hold for as long as possible.
   

Related: The 10 Best Exercises for Your Chest

7. Plank Bird Dog

Plank bird dogs are a step up from palm planks, adding an extra level of strength and balance exercise on top of what you get from a palm plank. The asymmetry also brings the oblique (side) abdominals into play, as well as building some hip and shoulder mobility. 

How to do a plank bird dog

1. Get into a push-up/palm plank position with your palms at shoulder width.
2. Lift your right leg and left arm into the air and hold them horizontal for one second before returning them to the floor. 
3. Do the same with your left leg and right arm.
   

8. Lateral Bear Crawl

A combination endurance, coordination, balance, and mobility warm-up, the lateral bear crawl uses the arms, back, abs, and legs. (But you’ll find it most fatiguing on your quads, due to the way it requires you to keep your legs bent the whole time.) The need to cross-coordinate between opposite arms and legs builds coordination in a way that has carryover to many sports. 

How to do a lateral bear crawl

1. Get down on your hands and knees.
2. Lift your knees just an inch or two off of the ground so that you’re balanced on your hands and feet, but still essentially in a “hands and knees” position.
3. Step your right foot and left hand to the right.
4. Step your left foot and right hand to the right.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as many times as you have room for.
6. Step your left foot and right hand to the left.
7. Step your right foot and left hand to the left.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 as many times as you have room for.
   

9. Beast to Extended Plank

The beast to extended plank is, roughly speaking, a combination of a hand plank and an ISO quadruped plank — two exercises that you’ll transition between constantly. This provides a workout for the entire front of your body, most specifically your abs, quads, and forearms, as well as a good warm-up for the hips.  

How to do a beast to extended plank

1. Get into a palm plank position.
2. Push your hips backward until your butt is just over your heels, keeping your knees off of the floor, and tuck your chin down. This position should look like a cross between the ISO quadruped plank and the downward dog yoga position.
3. Return to the palm plank position. 
   

10. X Plank

The x plank is a more difficult and mobile front plank variation that requires cross-talk between the left and right sides of your body, as well as balancing on one hand while moving. Additionally, it provides a light stretch to the hamstrings and lower back, providing a well-rounded lower body and core exercise.

How to do an x plank

1. Get into a standard palm plank stance.
2. Pushing your hips up, lift your right hand off of the floor and touch it to your left foot (or as far down your left leg as you can reach, given your level of flexibility).
3. Return your right hand to its starting position and return to a palm plank stance.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with your left hand.

Reps of the x plank should be performed in an alternating manner.

Related: The 30 Best Exercises for Functional Strength and Mobility

11. Single-Arm Dumbbell Plank Row

The single-arm dumbbell plank row is a combination of a palm plank and a single-arm dumbbell row. It works the middle of your back, your biceps and forearms like a row, and your abs, and — secondarily — your legs and supporting arm, like a plank. The asymmetry can force your torso to rotate, requiring you to use your obliques to stabilize yourself.

How to do a right single-arm dumbbell plank row

1. Start out in a palm plank position, but with a dumbbell in your right hand. 
2. Lift the dumbbell up, bringing your right elbow above your torso, as in a single-arm row.
3. Return the dumbbell to its starting position and hold for a moment before the next rep.
   

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12. Standing Single-Arm Dumbbell Plank

Yes, a standing plank sounds like a contradiction in terms, and this isn’t exactly a plank, but it’s a similar body position. Holding a dumbbell in an upright plank position works your forearms, triceps, back, and abs for a compounded, iso-lateral isometric workout.    

How to do a standing single-arm dumbbell plank

1. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, with the other hand on your hip. Stand upright with your feet hip width apart.
2. Hold the dumbbell in front of and above your shoulder, with your forearm angled vertically. This should look like the forearm position you hold in a front forearm plank, but upright.
3. Hold for as long as possible.
   

Related: 12 of the Best Bodyweight Exercises for Functional Strength

13. Single-Leg Hip Lift

Hip lifts are an excellent exercise for your quads, gluteus maximus, and spinal erectors of the lower back. The single-leg hip lift adds an extra element of balance and brings the gluteus medius (at the side of your butt) into play as well, while providing a better strength exercise because your one leg is lifting more weight.

How to do a right single-leg hip lift

1. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your arms out to the side.
2. Lift your right leg into the air, as straight and as vertical as possible. 
3. Lift your butt off of the floor and hold for a second before returning to the ground.
   

14. Dumbbell Sit-Up to Single-Arm Overhead Press

The sit-up is a staple core exercise that works the frontal abdominals and quads, while the overhead press (and its many variants) is your staple shoulder exercise.  Combining the two not only provides the benefits of both movements, but it also engages the obliques, or the sides of your abdomen, in stabilizing your torso, while building the neurological component of strength and power. This is thanks to the phenomenon of bilateral deficit, whereby you’re able to exert more strength with iso-lateral movements.  

How to do a dumbbell sit-up to single-arm overhead press

1. Lay in a sit-up position with a dumbbell in each hand, held in front of your shoulder.  
2. Sit up, keeping your feet on the ground as much as possible. At the same time, press one dumbbell upward.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Alternate which dumbbell you press upward on each sit-up. In other words, if you do 30 reps, you’ll do 30 sit-ups but 15 overhead presses with each arm. 

Related: The 12 Best Exercises for Your Back

15. Kettlebell March

The kettlebell march is a combination isometric upper body exercise, lower body mobility and cardio exercise, and a bit of both for your abs. It has you practice working your lower body through a basic calisthenic movement while holding your upper body in place against resistance — a rare combination.  

How to do a kettlebell march

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Pick up a kettlebell and hold it upside down in front of your chest, holding the handle on both sides just below the body of the kettlebell.
2. While holding the kettlebell in place, lift one knee up as high as you can, then return your foot to its starting position.

Do the same with the other foot. In essence, you’ll be slowly marching in place while holding the kettlebell stationary.

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