Target belly fat and improve your balance, all without having to do a crunch or a plank.
Your core plays a role in every movement you make. From lifting your kids to walking more efficiently, the core is integral to your daily functioning, which is why you need to strengthen it regularly. But don’t think you’re stuck having to get down on the ground for old-fashioned crunches or planks every time.
You can actually train your core by incorporating some easy standing exercises into your day, and there are tons of great benefits to doing so. We’re sharing some useful know-how along with a simple standing exercise routine that you can complete without any equipment.
Ab Workout Routine
Below, Chakoian and Powell designed a 10-move routine that will shake up your core training because all of the exercises are done from a standing position. Bonus? You don’t need to change into exercise clothes, and you can pretty much do these standing exercises wherever you are.
Aim to do each exercise two or three times through, moving slowly and mindfully at first. “You can sometimes overcompensate with your lower spine for core moves if you do them incorrectly or too fast,” Chakoian warns. As you move through them deliberately, feel your core fire up with each move.
1. Single Leg Lifts
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Extend your arms out to the sides of your body with arms lifted to shoulder height (making a “T” shape) and palms facing down.
- Shift weight to your left foot and lift your right leg straight up in front of you as high as you can without letting your back round. Release your foot to the floor and repeat 15 times. Switch sides and repeat.
2. Lateral Side Standing Crunch
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms down by your sides.
- Extend your right arm up and over the left side of your head as far as you can. At the same time, press your left arm down by the side of your left leg.
- Release, moving your right arm back over your head and letting your left arm return to its natural position at your side. Repeat 15 times. Switch sides and repeat.
3. Torso Twist
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Bring your palms together in a prayer position in front of your chest.
- From this position, extend your arms straight in front of you at shoulder level, fingers pointing away from you, and rotate the waist and shoulders to the right as far as you can. Keep shoulders down and relaxed as you do this.
- Return back to the center and repeat to the right side 15 times. Switch sides and repeat.
4. Overhead Reach Knee Tuck
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Reach both arms up overhead, shoulder-width apart, so your elbows are by your ears.
- Keeping arms extended, shift weight onto your left foot and lift your right knee off the floor toward your chest as high as you can without letting your back round.
- Release the right leg to the floor and switch to the left leg. Continue alternating marches for 60 seconds.
- Take a 20-second break and repeat for another minute.
5. Diagonal Chops
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms to the sides.
- Bending knees into a squat—keeping knees behind toes and weight in your heels—reach both hands down toward the outside of your right foot.
- Release the squat as you start to stand, slowly moving your arms across your body and overhead to the left corner of the room (your arms should be “chopping” the air in a diagonal line in front of your body). Keep hips squared to the front as you rotate through the core.
- Return to center and repeat 15 to 20 times. Switch sides and repeat.
6. High Knee Marches
- Standing tall, march your knees up and down, one at a time.
- Focus on pulling your navel in to engage your lower abdominal muscles and move at a slow and controlled pace.
- Put hands on hips or out in front of you to help with balance.
- Try to go for 30 seconds to a minute at a time, then rest as needed.
7. Side Bends
- Standing tall, place your hands on your hips and get your hips into a neutral position.
- Bring the rib cage down to engage the core and squeeze the glutes. From this position, lean as far to the side as you can, pause, then return to the center.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
8. Knee Drives
- Step the right leg behind your hips while reaching your left arm above your head.
- Bring the right knee up and left elbow down, to meet in the middle and contract your core.
- Repeat 10 to 15 reps on the right, then switch sides.
9. March With a Twist
- These are similar to the High Knee Marches but add a rotation to the upper half of the body.
- As the right knee rises in the march, rotate your chest to the right over your knee and thigh.
- Keep your hands on your head in order to maintain balance and engagement in your core.
10. Pelvic Rotations
- With hands on hips, focus on tucking your hips under you, as if you were a dog tucking their tail.
- Hold this position for one breath, then push the hips back while maintaining a neutral spine.
- Using the hands on your hips will help you guide and control your movements.
Ab Exercise Benefits
“By doing standing abdominal work, you utilize the core in an upright, vertical position while holding your own body weight, or what we often call bracing the core,” Chakoian says.
That’s much easier to achieve from standing versus a lying position, and it pays off in a big way. “It’s a more functional workout, and you train balance and stability at the same time,” she adds. In other words, along with getting some extra bang for your buck, you’re training your core to move as it does (or should) during the day.
When you’re working out, Powell recommends you focus on your breathing and the quality of your movements, rather than quantity of reps. “As you get comfortable, you can slowly increase your tempo and range of motion. If you become comfortable with these, you can also add weights to make things more challenging.”
Core Workout Frequency
How often can or should you train the core? You can do it every day as long as you’re changing the exercises from time to time, Chakoian says. Trying out some standing ab exercises is a perfect—and effective—way to add variety to your core-strengthening plan. If you feel sore in your abs or back, take the day off or focus on a different set of muscles. Most importantly, you want to make sure you are exercising safely based on your age and fitness level.
