A lot of us have busy schedules, so it's not always easy to find time for a full-body workout. That's why we've rounded up five simple 10-minute ab workouts that are great for getting your heart rate up and working all your major muscle groups.
The best part about these 10 minute ab workout is that you can always add more resistance and keep progressing, while training not just your abs, but also the rest of your body!
10 Minute Ab Workouts That You Must Try
1) Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are a great 10 minute ab workout that can be done anywhere. They’re a compound exercise, meaning they work multiple muscles at the same time, making them more efficient and effective than isolation exercises. Mountain climbers also target your core and upper body for an overall total-body workout.
To do mountain climbers:
- Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Brace abs so they're tight -- this will stabilize your body as you move.
- Pull your right knee toward your chest while keeping your left leg straight behind you.
- Return to the start position, and repeat by bringing your left knee toward your chest while keeping your right leg straight behind you -- that’s one rep!
- Repeat in rapid succession for a minute before resting. Do 3-4 sets of this exercise.
2) Planks
This one is a classic 10 minute ab workout. Planks are the foundation of a strong core, and they can help improve posture and lower back pain as well as increase your overall strength.
- To start, lie on your stomach with your forearms on the floor below you supporting your weight, with fingers facing forward (not inward).
- Keeping your body straight and tight from head to toe, lift yourself off of the floor by engaging your core and glutes.
- You can hold this position for as long as possible or up to 60 seconds at first.
- Either way, try to increase that time over time so that eventually you can hold it for 30-60 seconds comfortably.
3) V-ups
V-ups are an incredible 10 minute ab workout to fire up your core. They are a bit more challenging than most other ab exercises, but you can always get stronger by trying this exercise!
You can try this exercise by following these steps:
- Start in a push-up position, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Raise your legs to form a V with your body—don't let them touch the ground.
- Lower yourself to the floor and lift back up for one repetition.
- Complete 10 or more repetitions for one set.
4) Hanging Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises, which are an effective 10 minute ab workout, offer a great way to strengthen your core, which includes the muscles in your abs and back. You can use this exercise to build a much sought-after v-shape. They’re also great for improving flexibility in your hips, thighs, and abs. To do this exercise correctly:
- Get into a shoulder-width grip (or wider) on a pull-up bar.
- Use an overhand grip (palms facing away) to perform this exercise.
- Pull your legs up so that you’re hanging from the bar with both arms locked out straight, and keep your legs parallel to the floor.
- Slowly lower your legs towards the ground until they almost touch it, and then raise them back up again.
- Do these reps as fast as possible while keeping good form.
5) Russian Twists
Russian twists are a great 10 minute ab workout to hit your abs and obliques. Follow these steps to perform this exercise:
- Keep your arms straight and rotate from side to side without moving from that position in any other way (torso, hips).
- If you want more resistance, hold heavier weights or keep the same amount of weight but use a smaller diameter object (e.g., dumbbells instead of kettlebells).
- You can also tuck in one leg at a time or raise one leg up higher during this exercise.
- You should feel this move in both sides of your midsection as well as under both armpits—that's where those pesky love handles live!
- Aim for 50 reps total -- 10 reps per side will do just fine!
Conclusion
If you want to get a great 10 minute ab workout in, there are many exercises that will do the trick. These are some of the best ab exercises that can be done at home or in any gym.