Free Ab Workouts and Routines
Exercises to Increase Abdominal and Core Strength
There are thousands of ways to design your ab workouts, and this page has links to many different free core workouts.
The first thing you must do is clearly define the purpose of your stomach workout. Read my page on the best abdominal exercise for assistance in finding the best abdominal exercises for you.
Motivation is one goal and purpose that I don't mention on my best abdominal exercise page.
Sometimes the best ab exercise is the one that motivates you to exercise.
Learning new ab exercises is a great way to get motivated. The challenge of mastering something new really helps people to get focused.
In addition, changing your stomach workout routine can really help you to get re-focused. Use this page as a resource to learn how to pair and combine ab and core exercises to build the best ab workout ever.
Constructing An Ab Workout Routine
Here's a general philosophy for constructing a workout.
There are 3 major Training Techniques: Straight Sets, Super Sets, and Circuits.
Straight Sets are a technique in which you pick an ab exercise and perform 2-3 sets of that exercise before moving on to the next ab exercise.
Example: crunches, rest, crunches, rest, crunches, rest, then plank, rest, plank, rest plank, done!
Here's 6 Straight Set Abdominal Workouts: Beginner to Advanced
And, one of my best ab workouts ever was a straight set ab workout.
The Super Set technique uses two exercises in combination. You perform the first ab exercise, and then move immediately to the second ab exercise with no rest.
After you complete the second ab exercise rest, before repeating the sequence again.
Example: crunches, plank, rest, crunches, plank, rest, crunches, plank, rest.
Here are 3 ab supersets for your workout
The Super Set Technique is an advanced technique and it can really increase the challenge of your core workout.
The Circuit Technique uses three or more ab exercises in a row. You would perform the first, second, and third ab exercise, and so on in a row without any rest.
After you complete all of the ab exercises in the circuit you would rest before repeating the circuit.
Example: crunches, plank, bicycle crunches, reverse crunches, oblique crunches, rest� repeat from the beginning.
The Circuit Technique is also an advanced technique, and some of the best abdominal workouts are circuits.
Here are 4 Circuit Workouts You Can Do at Home or the Gym
Core Workout on the Ball
Here's a core workout for your abdominal muscles and your lower back muscles that uses an exercise ball.
Some of my favorite ab exercises involve the stability ball.
Exercise Ball Workout for the Abs #1
Here's a challenging workout just for the abs that consists of 4 ab exercises that use an exercise ball.
Exercise Ball Workout for the Abs #2
Here's another exercise ball workout for the abs that consists of 4 ab exercises.
Exercise Ball Workout for the Abs #3
Here's another exercise ball abs workout that consists of 3 advanced abs exercises.
Oblique Exercises Abs Workouts
Here is an abs workout that uses 4 oblique exercises. You can do these on the floor with no ab exercise equipment needed.
Killer Bosu Ball Workout for the Abs
The Bosu Ball is a great piece of core exercise equipment. If you're brave enough, try this killer bosu ball circuit for the abdominals.
Simple Home Workout for the Stomach
If you're looking for a simple home workout for your stomach muscles, look no further. Here is a simple stomach workout that uses 3 easy stomach exercises.
Bosu Ball and Swiss Ball Workout Routine
This abdominal workout combines 2 Bosu ball ab exercises with 2 Swiss ball ab exercises. You can do the workout in straight sets, super sets, or circuit style. Try this workout.
Lower Stomach Exercise Workout
This stomach workout uses 4 exercises that emphasize the lower stomach. You can do the workout in super set or circuit fashion.
Click the link to learn this lower stomach exercises workout.
Challenging Plank Exercise Workout
Here's a challenging plank exercise workout that uses 3 exercises in circuit fashion. Try this plank exercise workout.
Killer Ab Work out Routines
If you've been exercising regularly and want a challenge, try one of these Killer Ab Workout Routines.
Ab and Arm Toning Workout
Here is an arm toning workout that pairs arm exercises with ab exercises. This workout can be used by women and men.
3 Bosu Ball Workouts
This page has 4 of the best abdominal exercises on the Bosu Ball and shows you how to do a straight set, super set, and circuit workout.
Here are 3 free ab workout routines using the Bosu Ball.
Great Core Workout Video
Here's a great core workout from Ford Fitness Model Kim Strother. It uses 3 core exercises on the physioball and 1 total body core exercise with the medicine ball.
Easy Oblique Workout #1
Here's an easy oblique workout that you can do at home with no equipment.
Easy Oblique Workout #2
Here's another easy stomach workout for the obliques that you can do at home with no equipment.
Challenging Oblique Workout #1
Here's a really challenging oblique workout. This one will be hard to get through the first time you try it so build up slowly.
Challenging Oblique Workout #2
Here's another challenging oblique workout.
Workout Tips for Lower Abs
Click to learn some workout tips for exercising the lower abs.
Pilates Ab Exercises and Flat Stomach Exercises Inspired by Pilates
Here is a video with 5 Pilates Ab Exercises. 3 of the exercises are relatively unique to pilates and the other 2 exercises are more traditional.
Britney Spears Ab Workout
Here's a video that reveals Britney Spears Top 4 Ab Toning Exercises.
Everyone has their favorites. You can use Britney's or choose your own to create an awesome workout.
Ab Exercise Videos
Here's a couple of ab exercise videos which show you a few ab and core exercises that you can add to your core workout.
Katrina is a friend of mine up here in Boston, and she's a great personal trainer.
Best Ab Exercises and Favorite Core Exercises of Personal Trainers
Here are what some trainers feel are some of the best ab exercises.
Check out some of the ab exercises that other personal trainers like and include them in your core workouts.
Ab Workout Tips
Regardless of which technique you choose, your tempo should be smooth and rhythmic. Slower tempos help more with endurance and faster tempos help more with speed. Varying your tempo can change the feeling of the workout routine.
Aim for 15-25 repetitions for most ab exercises. If you are using resistance or doing a challenging exercise begin with a goal of 8-15 repetitions.
Rest 0-60 seconds between exercises. Perform 2-3 sets per exercise. Work your ab muscles 2-3 times per week-- if you're an extremely high level athlete you could train your core muscles up to 4 times per week.
Stay consistent. Use the same ab exercises for 3-6 weeks. Master the exercises you choose and progress them over a 3-6 week period.
Change your ab workout routine every 3-6 weeks.
Don't forget to include lower back exercises in your workout.
Don't forget to stretch after your ab workouts.
If you ever feel pain during any ab exercise, rest, check your form, try an easier form of the exercise, take the exercise out of your workout, and/ or see a health professional in person.
These are general guidelines for constructing your workouts.
Remember, to have fun working out and keep at it.
I hope these ab exercises, tips, and abdominal workouts help to get you motivated. I will continue to update this site with abdominal workout tips and routines, so keep coming back to get new workout ideas.
Or simply subscribe to my Blog so that you'll keep learning how to get ripped six pack abs or flatten your stomach.
If you subscribe to my blog by clicking "the orange button" under the navigation bar, you'll know whenever I add new ab workouts or new ab exercises.
Check out the Directory of Abdominal Exercises to learn all the ab exercises on this site.
Or visit the Picture Directory of Abs Exercises: Part I
Picture Directory of Abs Exercises Part II
Picture Directory of Abs Exercises: Part III
Picture Directory of Abs Exercises: Part IV
See you soon
Yours in Health
Dr. Charles PT/PT
Read my article on Core Exercises for a Better Body
Or Return to the Home Page of the Best Ab Exercises Website
P.S. Check out my Core Workout Video!
The video can be purchased as DVD's and shipped to your home.
Get the DVD for $7.95 + sph
Click Here to Order Your DVD Today!
Click to learn more about the core training.
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