Build strength, work your ab muscles, flatten that tummy, and burn fat and calories — these cardio ab exercises do it all. Try the floor moves or standing ab exercises to get a belly-blasting workout wherever you are. No equipment is required, except for the mountain climber sliders, for which you'll need either a couple paper plates or towels (or you can just do regular mountain climbers!).
Two-Point-Touch Plank
- Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet in line with your hips. Cheat your right leg toward your center line, and lift your left leg off the ground so your heel is even with your pelvis.
- Keeping your torso steady, reach your right arm forward. Really brace through your abs by pulling your navel to your spine. Hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Keeping your torso stable, bring your right elbow to your left knee under your body. Do not round your back or twist your spine, and keep your pelvis down. Then reach the arms and leg out and away from each other. This is one rep.
Plank Jacks
- Begin in plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
- Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your legs wide and then back together. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your booty rise toward the ceiling.
- Do a total of 30 jumping jacks, which counts as one set. Then complete two more sets.
Plank to Pike Jump
- Begin in plank position with your feet together. Keep your upper body stable and engage your abs. Don't let your lower back arch.
- Keep the weight in your hands as you draw your navel toward your spine.
- Use your abs to pull your your hips directly up while keeping your legs straight, and jump your feet forward, landing in pike position.
- Jump your feet back to plank, keeping your core tight and stable.
- Do 10 reps for two to three sets.
Frogger
- Begin in a plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders, body in one straight line. Jump your feet to the outside of your hands, coming into a deep squat and keeping your hands on the floor.
- Jump your feet back to a plank.
Mountain Climber Sliders
- With the towels under your feet (if you are on a hard floor; use paper plates if you are on carpet), start in a basic, straight-arm plank position.
- Then, as if you were actually running, pull one knee toward your chest, dragging your foot on your "slider" along the floor. As you push that leg back, pull the other knee forward. Quickly continue running or "climbing" in place for one minute.
- Complete three sets.
Knee Driver
- Begin with your weight on your left foot and your hands together in front of you for balance.
- Bend your left knee and extend your right leg behind you, placing little to no weight in the right toes.
- Drive your right knee toward your chest, bringing your hands to meet your knee.
- Reextend your right leg behind you. This completes one rep.
- Continue for 30 seconds on this side, then switch sides.
High-Knee March With a Twist
- Start with your right foot extended back behind you and your hands together, reaching up and out (at about a 45-degree angle from your face). Keep your core tight and keep the weight in your left foot, with little to no weight in the right foot.
- Drive your right knee up and toward your chest as you bring your hands down and twist your upper body to the right.
- Reextend your hands up and out while you tap your right foot back behind you. Tip: keep a soft bend in the knees.
- Repeat, continuing for 30 seconds. Then repeat on the left side for 30 seconds.
Knees and Toes
- Start with two high knees, bringing your right knee to your left hand, then your left knee to your right hand.
- Now rotate your right knee slightly outward to bring your right ankle to your left hand, then your left ankle to your right hand.
- Continue in this alternating pattern.
Quick Skips
- Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Make a fist with both hands and bend the elbows to where your hands are about level with your chin.
- Drive the right knee up, twist your torso to the right, and bring the knee to meet your left elbow.
- Immediately repeat with the left knee meeting your right elbow, and do this in a hopping motion while staying on the balls of your feet.
- Keep your abdominal muscles engaged as your knees come up, and squeeze the side oblique muscles as you twist.