Having a strong core is essential for having a fit, healthy body. Even if you don’t want that chiseled six-pack look, it can help you with other lifting movements like deadlifts and squats. Keep in mind that these exact exercises may not meet all your training goal needs but are a solid place to start. The best workouts for abs depend heavily on your training level and goals.

Something to remember is that no ab exercise will give you visible abs. They’re used to strengthen them to enhance training performance and general health. If you want visible abs, you can shoot for a healthy body fat range. A manageable body fat percentage is 10-14% for men and 15-19% for women to see definition in your abs.

Now is the part you’ve been waiting for: The four best workouts for abs.

1. Alternating Arms and Legs With Deadbug

This exercise focuses on activating your core muscles. It is lower-intensity with no weight or resistance. Use this exercise to channel the proper core muscle activation and lumbar stability. This is a beginner-level exercise and can be performed at home without any equipment.

How to perform a deadbug:

• Lay on your back with arms straight in the air while your legs are in the air with a 90-degree bend in the knees.
• Lower one arm above your head while the opposite leg straightens as you move it downward. Each limb should be straightened while hovering over the ground.
• Reverse the movement and return to your original position.
• Repeat on the other side.

Remember to stay engaged in this movement. Keep your spine pressed into the floor as you go. An excellent way to make sure is by controlling your breath. Inhale as you lower your limbs and exhale when pulling them back up to the original position.

2. Hanging Knee Raises

Hanging knee raises are another beginner-friendly exercise. All you need is a place to hang from. It’s a great exercise because, once you master the basic movement, you can add resistance weight to your feet for a more significant challenge. A plus to this exercise is increased grip strength to help with other exercises you do!

This is how to execute the hanging knee raise:

• Hang from a bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your shoulder blades activated by squeezing them together.
• Keep your legs pressed together as you pull your knees into your chest.

Try to keep from swinging your body, which uses your momentum over actually engaging the core muscles. To prevent this, extend your legs slightly in front of you before lifting them.

3. Cable Woodchopper

You can transition into more challenging exercises when you get the hang of activating your core. These may have opportunities to implement weight and resistance. You can focus on the same muscle engagement through directional movements while building core strength and endurance. Here’s how to do a cable woodchopper:

• Set your cable up slightly above shoulder level. Use a single-handle cable attachment.
• Stand with your shoulder parallel to the cable machine in a lunge position.
• Engage your core muscles and rotate diagonally while pulling the cable across your body.

You should feel your oblique muscles doing a lot of the work while you keep the motion controlled.

4. Kettlebell Hip Flexor Lift

An advanced move would be a kettlebell hip flexor lift. These are movements that are functional and include lots of stability. You will be able to add more weight as you master the movement. Here’s how to do a kettlebell hip flexor lift:

• Stand on a box with one foot stabilized and the other with your foot in the handle of the kettlebell.
• With your weight on the stabilized foot, pull the leg with the kettlebell to a 90-degree angle at your knee.
• Control the leg in a repeated up and down motion.

Get Training!

There you have it! The best workouts for abs for each training level. Remember not to rush into anything too advanced to avoid any injuries. Take your time and enjoy the process of mastering each movement for optimal core strength.