The ultimate abs workout to do at the gym

by | | Fitness, Fitness Tips

Nicola Joyce aka "thefitwriter" is a freelance copywriter with nearly 20 years experience writing about fitness and nutrition for brands and businesses in the health and fitness space. She's written for clients including Technogym, UKActive, PhD Nutrition, and Speedo, and contributed to books by Weider Publishing and the Observer. She also used to write for magazines including Muscle & Fitness and Women's Fitness. Nicola is an accomplished amateur athlete, having swum the English Channel twice, done a few marathons and triathlons, competed as a bodybuilder and powerlifter, and now trains at a Crossfit gym.

Flat abs are the ultimate sign that you take fitness seriously. Here’s the ultimate abs workout to do at the gym.

Commonly Asked Questions On Abs Workout

Can you get abs with just sit ups

Your abs and core are made up of several layers of different muscles, and you need to work them all to get a tight, flat mid-section. The “six pack” muscles are the rectus abdominis, but you’ve also got internal and external obliques, and deeper core muscles like the transverse abdominis. So you can see you need to do more than just sit ups to get great abs.

How to pick the best abs exercises

The ultimate abs workout should consist of different movements. Anti-extension movements are good for posture, anti-lateral flexion movements teach side-to-side stability, and anti-rotation movements train the waist. We’ll cover all of these and more in our ultimate abs workout below.

What kind of exercises are best for abs

If you want to get a flat, lean mid-section you’ll need to combine crunch-style exercises with single-leg exercises, deep core movements, and exercises that train the side-to-side muscles. This combination will help you get the ultimate look of a flatter stomach, smaller waist, and toned abs.

Try the ultimate abs workout to do in the gym

For this abs workout you’ll need a rig or pull up bar, dumbbell or kettlebell, medicine ball, cable machine or resistance band, and an ab roller.

Plank

Get into the perfect plank position, on your toes and forearms, and focus on squeezing your quads, glutes and abs as tight as you can. As soon as you feel your form drop, come out of the plank.

Accumulate 60 seconds.

Side plank

This isometric exercise focuses on that important anti-lateral flexion strength. Set up on your side, with one forearm and one foot on the floor (you can have the other foot n the floor in front if that helps you balance). Focus on pushing upwards through the underneath of your body.

Accumulate 45 seconds each side.

Hollow hold

Hollow holds are tough but great for developing core strength and encouraging a flat stomach. Lie on your back with legs out straight and arms overhead. Lift your arms, shoulders, and legs off the floor and contract your abs so you’re in a shallow bowl shape. Hold here whilst you focus on contracting your abs.

Accumulate 60 seconds.

Pallof press

Anti-rotational core strength is an important part of getting great abs, and the Pallof press is the best way to work on it. Set up the cable machine with the handle at chest height. Stand at right angles to the cable. Hold the cable handle with two hands close to your chest. Press your arms out together in front of you (at 90* to the cable stack) and hold the end position for 1-3 seconds, focusing on keeping your torso still.

Do 10-12 reps each side.

Hanging knee raise

Grab hold of the rig or pull up bar and start in a dead hang. Bring your knees up in front of you in a crunching motion, but resist the urge to swing your legs. Keep the movement controlled.

Do 15-20 reps.

Banded deadbug

This is a dynamic exercise that will build anti-extension strength. Put a resistance band around the cable machine or rig. Lie on your back facing away from the band. Lift both legs off the floor with bent knees. Take hold of the band above your head with straight arms, and pull until your hands are above your chest. Hold this tension in your arms as you extend one leg at a time out in a bicycling motion.

Do 10 reps each leg.

Single-leg V ups

Lie on your back with arms and legs outstretched. Crunching at your core, lift one straight leg and your torso at the same time. Aim to touch the laces of your shoe with both hands each rep. Switch legs each rep.

Do 20 reps total (10 each side).

Russian twist

Sit up, holding a medicine ball in your lap (you can also do this exercise with a light kettlebell). Lean back slightly and twist from side to side, touching the weight to the floor by your hip each rep. Try not to twist your hips – all the movement should be coming from your core.

Do 20 reps total (10 each side).

Ab roll out

If your gym has an ab wheel, go grab it for your ultimate abs workout at the gym. This is an advanced exercise so build up slowly. Get into a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Roll the ab wheel out in front of you, keeping your arms straight and glutes engaged. Start by rolling out a short distance and check that you can maintain this proper position as you pull the ab wheel back to the start point.

Single arm overhead carry

Surprise to ese an overhead weighted carry in an abs workout? Don’t be. This dynamic exercise builds true functional core strength. Start standing and press your kettlebell or dumbbell overhead with a straight arm. Walk forward slowly and with control, keeping the weight directly over your shoulder.

Walk the length of the gym with one arm, then swap arms to walk back.

Are you looking for gyms near me where you can get a great abs workout? Use Hussle’s network of 1000s of gyms and fitness centres to find the perfect gym near me and book online easily. There’s a pass to suit you, with one-off visits, multi-gym access, or full gym membership.

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