30 Best Gym Ab Exercises for a Sturdy Core (2024)

When it comes to working out your abs in the gym, you’ll have plenty of options. For example, you can use several machines and equipment to train your abs, such as a cable pulley, pull-up bar, weight plates, decline bench, and ab machine. These various pieces of equipment will help you bolster, tone, and build a powerful core.

In this article, I’ve shared how you can use all gym equipment to perform as many as thirty abs and oblique exercises to forge your core.

A sturdy core supports your torso, provides stability to the lower back, improves posture, boosts athletic performance, and helps lift heavy during compound exercises.

The Best Gym Ab Exercises for a Powerful Core Workout

These exercises target each abdominal muscle, from the upper, middle, and lower abs to internal and external obliques, and help you build a bullet-proof and defined midsection.

UPPER ABS

1. Kneeling Cable Crunches

The kneeling cable crunch is an excellent way to activate core muscles and build thickened upper abs.

Steps to perform kneeling cable crunches:

1. Anchor the rope to an appropriate height.
2. Grab the rope firmly and sit (a few inches away from the machine) on your knees with your face facing the machine.
3. Keep your arms straight overhead (gripping the rope with your hands). This is your starting position.
4. Pull the rope down as you curl your torso until you feel the stress on your abdominal muscles.
5. Pause for a moment and then return to the start. That’s one repetition.

2. Lying Cable Crunches

You can also do a lying cable crunch if you’re flexible and have a sturdy lower back. The lying cable crunch is better than many bodyweight crunches for engaging core muscles.

How to do it:

1. Attach the rope at the bottom of the cable machine and lie down on the floor with your legs straight in front of you (rope behind your head).
2. Grab the bar firmly behind your head and bend your knees in front of you.
3. Brace your core, lift your torso off the floor, and curl until your abs are fully engaged.
4. Pause and then bring your torso to the ground. That’s one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

3. Weighted Sit-up

The weighted sit-up is an excellent exercise to forge abdominal muscles and build ripped abs.

Depending on the ease of use and comfort, you can perform this exercise with a dumbbell, barbell, weight plate, or kettlebell.

How to do a weighted sit-up:

1. Lie on the mat, holding a weigh plate in your hands.
2. Bend your knees in front of you and keep your arms straight over your body. That’s the start.
3. Engaging your abs, raise your upper body toward your knees while keeping your arms straight until your core is engaged.
4. Pause for a moment and then return to the start.

4. Hollow Body Hold

The lying leg hold is one of the isometric ab exercises you can do in the gym to build a muscular core.

It requires you to lie on your back with your arms straight behind your hold and your leg extended in front of you.

Hold a weight plate in your hands and lift your leg and torso a few inches off the floor.

Engaging your core, stay in this position for at least 15 seconds to complete this exercise.

You can increase and decrease the hold time depending on your fitness level.

5. Abdominal Bench Crunch

Doing crunches on a decline bench is the best way to engage your rectus abdominis and thicken your six-pack abs.

How to do it:

1. Lie on the decline bench and position your feet under the adjustable pad.
2. Place your fingertips close to your ears, inhale, and curl your torso until your core is engaged.
3. Straighten your body and perform the desired reps and sets.

6. Weighted Plank

Theweighted plankintensifies core strength, builds endurance, and develops six-pack abs.

It is an isometric movement that requires you to keep your body in a plank position for a certain time. The longer you hold, the better.

To perform this movement, get into a forearm plank and ask your friend to place a weight plate on your back. And stay in that position for 30 seconds to two minutes, depending on your fitness.

7. Roll Out

The rollout is an excellent exercise to provide intense stretch to abdominal muscles and help forged core.

Steps to perform:

1. Sit on your knees, grab the ab wheel, and keep it in front of you on the floor with your arms straight.
2. Roll the wheel forward until your trunk is extended and your core is engaged.
3. Pause for a couple of seconds, then return to the start.

8. Standing Cable Crunch

You can use acable machine to do several ab workouts in the gym, and one standing cable crunch is one of them.

The standing crunch strengthens and tones your abdominal muscle and is suitable for all fitness enthusiasts.

Steps to perform standing cable crunches:

1. Set the weight and anchor the rope to a higher section of the cable machine.
2. Stand close to the cable machine with your face facing away.
3. Grab the rope firmly and keep your hands beside your ears. That’s the start.
4. Slightly bend your knees and pull the rope toward your stomach until your abdominal muscles are engaged.
5. Pause for a moment and then slowly return to the start. That’s one repetition.

9. Machine Ab Crunch

Access to the gym allows you to perform countless exercises for core development, and the machine ab crunch is one of them.

The seated machine crunch is an isolation exercise that particularly targets the upper abdomen and improves overall abs definition.

This exercise is suitable for all fitness freaks, from beginners to amateurs.

Steps to do it:

• Sit on the machine, and adjust your arm, hand, and feet to appropriate places.
• Perform as many crunches as needed.

10. DB Toe Touch Crunch

Toe touch crunches work throughout the core from the upper abs to the deepest abs (transverse abdominish).

It is an elite-level workout, you should perform when you’re good at regular crunches.

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, lie on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Raise your legs together until your feet face toward the ceiling. This is your starting position.
3. Lift your torso and touch your toes with the dumbbells, with arms straight.
4. You’ll feel your abs engaged, hold for a moment and then return your torso to the floor. That’s one rep.

LOWER ABS

11. Knee Raise

The hanging knee raise is an awesome exercise to hit the lower abs and improve core muscle symmetry.

It also bolsters forearm strength and enhances wrist mobility.

To perform this move, all you need is to have a better grip and arm strength.

Steps to perform hanging knee raise

1. Hang onto the bar with your hands hip to shoulder-width apart and arms fully straight.
2. Engage your abdominal muscle and keep your legs straight and together; that’s the start.
3. Raise your knees upward until they are at your chest level.
4. Pause for a couple of seconds you’ll feel the contraction in your abs), and then extend your knees until your legs are straight downward. That’s one rep.

You can use a dumbbell to make this move more effective.

12. Hanging Leg Raise

Once you can perform hanging knee raise, you can try hanging straight leg raise.

The hanging leg raisestargets the lower abs and helps reveal six-pack abs.

How to do a hanging leg raise:

1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip with your hands that are two times wider than h-width and are straight downward.
2. Brace your abdominal muscle, firmly grip the bar and raise your legs in front of you as high as possible.
3. Pause for a moment at the top, focus on your abdominal muscle, and then lower your legs to the start in a controlled manner. That’s one rep.

13. Lying Cable Leg Raise

You can reinforce your lower abdomen with lying cable leg raises. The cable machine provides resistance and helps build core endurance.

How to do lying leg raises using the cable machine:

1. Anchor the D handles to the machine (in the lowest section).
2. Place your feet in the D handles and lie supine on the mat with your legs straight.
3. Engaging your abdominal muscle, raise your legs together until your feet face the ceiling.
4. Pause for a couple of seconds, feel the contraction in your abs, and then slowly return your legs to the start. That’s one rep.
5. Do as many sets and reps as you like.

14. Dumbbell Leg Raise

Cable machine leg raise is safe and efficient, but if you want to dofree weight abs workout, you can try lying leg raises with a dumbbell.

To perform dumbbell lying leg raises:

1. Hold the dumbbell between your feet. Lay down on the mat with your legs extended on the floor.
2. Keep your arms straight at your sides under your buttocks for support.
3. Keeping your abdominal muscles engaged, raise your legs upward until they are vertical to the floor.
4. Pause for a moment and then return to the start. That is your one repetition.
5. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

15. Reverse Cable Crunches

You must include reverse crunches to build six-pack abs in your gym workout routine.

The reverse crunches specifically work on your lower abdomen and help you build strong core, tone muscles, and flatten your tummy.

Steps to perform a reverse cable crunch:

1. Set the desired weight and attach the D handles to the lower section of the cable machine.
2. Put the D handles on your feet and lie on your back on the mat with your legs straight in front of you.
3. Lift your legs 10 to 12 inches off the floor and slightly bend your knees.
4. Engaging your abdominal muscle, bring your knees toward your chest until you feel the contraction in your abs.
5. Pause for a moment and then extend your knees until your legs are straight. That’s your one repetition.

16. L Hang

The pull-up hang is anisometric ab exercise that strengthens your abs and helps forge core muscles.

To perform an L hang gym ab workout, grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip; hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Raise your legs in front of you until they are parallel to the ground, and your body forms an”“”” shape. Squeezing your abdominal muscles, hold in this position for as long as you can.

17. DB Reverse Crunches

The dumbbell reverse crunches fire up the core and help build abs without putting excess stress on your erector spine.

Steps to do a dumbbell reverse crunches:

1. Lie supine on the mat with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Clamp a dumbbell between your feet and keep your arms at your sides. That’s the start.
3. Brace your abdominal muscles and bring your knees toward your chest until your abs are engaged.
4. Pause and then extend your knees until your legs are straight. That’s one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

18. Dragon Flag

The dragon flag is an advanced ab exercise that strengthens abs, increases core endurance, and helps build a six-pack quickly.

It also improves balance, flexibility, and coordination throughout the body.

Steps to perform a drag flag:

1. Lie on the floor against a standing object.
2. Take your arms behind your head and grab the object firmly with your hands.
3. Brace your core and lift your legs, hips, and lower back off the floor until your heels face up.
4. Slowly lower your body to the start.

19. Toes to Bar

The toes to bar is one of the advanced abs workouts that challenge your abdominal strength and core flexibility.

How to do a Toes to bar:

• Hang onto the pullup bar with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core and raise your legs until your toes touch the bar.
• Pause for a couple of seconds, then extend your legs. That’s one rep.

20. Knee to Elbows

The knee-to-elbows target the lower abs, improve mobility, and strengthen forearms.

Steps to do knees to elbows:

• Hang onto the pullup bar with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core and bring your knees until they touch your elbows.
• Pause for a couple of seconds, then extend your legs. That’s one rep.

OBLIQUES

21. Side Knee Raise

The lateral knee raises strengthen internal and external obliques and provide good shape to love handles.

Depending on your fitness level, you can do this movement with and without weight.

Here are the steps to do side hanging knee raise

1. Grab the pull-up bar firmly with your hands shoulder-width apart and legs extended straight downward.
2. Brace your core and bring your knees at your sides by twisting your torso until your oblique muscle is engaged.
3. Pause and then extend your knees and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

22. Cable Oblique Twist on Gym Ball

The oblique cable twist can help you target your love handles more effectively than the Russian twist. Moreover, it also puts less stress on the lower back and allows you a better range of motion.

Steps to perform the oblique twist on the Swiss ball:

1. Attach the D handle to an appropriate height and set the desired weight.
2. Keep the ball on the floor a couple of feet away from the machine (to the right).
3. Place your back on the ball with your feet firmly on the ground.
4. Grab the handle with both hands on your right side.
5. Keeping your core engaged, pull the handle across to the other side of your body and twist your torso simultaneously. Your arms should be straight throughout the movement.
6. Hold for a moment, feel the contraction, and then return to the start. That’s one rep.

23. Low to High Wood Chop

The low-to-high wood chop is an incredible way to target the oblique muscles and develop a firm core.

How to do it:

1. Attach the D handle to an appropriate height and set the desired weight.

2. Stand straight in a split stance (one step away from the machine), slightly across the machine.
3. Bend your outside knee, twist your torso to the side, and Grab the D handle firmly with your hands at your knee level. That’s the start.
4. Keeping your core tight and arms straight, pull the weight across your body while twisting your torso to the opposite side.
5. Once you feel the contraction in your oblique, return the weight to the start.
6. Keep your arms as straight as possible during the entire movement.

24. High to Low Wood Chop

Like the low to high wood chop, you can do its reverse movement, high to low.

The steps will be similar. You only need to anchor the handle to a higher section and pull the weight from high to low across your body.

25. Parallel Chop

A study has shown that wood chop exercise is reliable for increasing the maximal power and endurance of core muscles. So, it is a great exercise to incorporate into your abs workout program.¹ Zemková E, Cepková A, Uvaček M, Šooš L. A Novel Method for Assessing Muscle Power During the Standing Cable Wood Chop Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(8):2246-2254. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001692

Steps to perform a parallel chop:

1. Set a cable to an appropriate height and grab the handle firmly with your hands.
2. Take a few steps back and stand on the right side of the machine.
3. Pulling the bar, twist your upper body against the machine.
4. Perform as many reps as you like and repeat on the opposite side.

26. DB Side Plank

The dumbbell side plank strengthens and tones oblique muscles and helps you build defined abs.

It’s easy to perform. All you need is to grab a dumbbell in any of your hands and get on either side by placing your arms on the floor.

Keep your other arm straight above your body and hold in this position for as long as possible.

Once you have done this, switch to another side and complete one set. You can do for a couple of times for promising results.

27. Landmine Oblique Twist

The landmine oblique twist is one of the incredible abs workouts you can do in the gym. It fires up oblique muscles and sculpts your core.

Steps to perform a landmine oblique twist:

1. Position the bar to an appropriate place and grab the end with your hands.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly lean forward.
3. Move the bar and torso to the right, then to the left, and repeat as many times as possible.

28. Russian Twist

The Russian twist is a core strengthening exercise that hits the love handles, makes your torso flexible, and improves balance and hip mobility.

You can do it with a dumbbell, barbell, kettlebell, or a weight plate.

Steps to do it:

1. Sit on your butt with your legs extended.
2. Grab a weight plate and twist your trunk from right to left and vice versa for the desired times.

29. Windshield Wipers

The windshield wiper abs work on yourabdominal muscle and improve hip mobility, arms, and grip strength. It also enhances your balance and makes you flexible.

Steps to do a hanging windshield wiper:

1. Get onto the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Brace your core and raise your legs until your feet face the floor.
3. Keeping your legs straight, rotate them from side to side as many times as possible.

30. Seated Bar Twist

The seated bar twist targets the external and internal obliques and helps develop ripped abs.

Steps to perform:

1. Sit on the edge of a bench, grab a barbell, and place it on the back of your shoulder.
2. Twist your torso to the right as much as possible, pause for a moment, and twist on the opposite side.

The Best Gym Ab Workout Routine Examples

Beginner’s 15-minute Gym Workout for Abs

• Kneeling Cable Crunches: 10 reps x 2
• Knee Raise: 10 reps x 2
• H2L Wood Chop: 10 reps x 2
• Machine Ab Crunch: 10 reps x 2
• DB Reverse Crunches: 10 reps x 2
• Parallel Chop: 10 reps x 2

30-Minute Core Workouts at the Gym

Perform as many rounds as possible in thirty minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

• 1

  Zemková E, Cepková A, Uvaček M, Šooš L. A Novel Method for Assessing Muscle Power During the Standing Cable Wood Chop Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(8):2246-2254. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001692

• 2

  Vispute SS, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS. The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Sep;25(9):2559-64. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46. PMID: 21804427.