5 Awesome Abs Exercises To Sculpt Your Core

If you don’t already have a go-to core routine, here are the five best exercises for sculpting strong abs, from trainers.

1. Plank

How to:

1. Start on the floor on hands and knees with hands directly under shoulders.
2. Step feet back, one at a time. (For more stability, bring feet wider than hip-distance apart, and bring them closer for more of a challenge.)
3. Maintain a straight line from the top of head through heels, gaze down just above fingertips.
4. Now, tighten abs, quads, glutes, and hold. Think about digging through your heels, squeezing your quads, and keeping everything nice and tight. (If you feel your body shake, that’s a good sign you’re creating enough tension from head to toe.)
5. Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds.

2. Side Plank

1. Lay on left side with left forearm flat on the floor, elbow lined up directly under shoulder and both legs stacked and extended out in a long line. Option to raise right arm to ceiling or rest on right side of body.
2. Press into left forearm, lifting hips off of the floor and balancing on forearm with your opposite hip in the air. Body should make a straight line from head to feet.
3. Hold the position while engaging glutes and quads for 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Leg Lowers

How to:

1. Lie on back with a neutral pelvis, engaging pelvic floor and core.
2. Bring legs straight up above hips, perpendicular to floor.
3. Slowly lower legs on an inhale as low as you can maintain core engagement and without pain in the lower back.
4. Re-engage and lift both legs on an exhale. That’s 1 rep.

4. Mountain Climbers

How to:

1. Start in a high plank, shoulders over wrists, pelvis tucked, and ribs drawn toward hips.
2. Drive your right knee toward your chest, then the left in a quick, alternating motion.
3. Pull your right knee back toward your chest and pause.
4. Repeat the pattern starting with the left knee. That’s 1 rep.

5. Heel Taps

How to:

1. Start on back with knees bent and feet on floor, hands by hips.
2. Lift chest toward the ceiling, keeping neck relaxed and bringing shoulder blades off the ground.
3. Tap right hand to outside of right ankle, flexing right obliques in the process.
4. Come back to center, keeping shoulders off ground.
5. Tap left hand to outside of left ankle. That’s 1 rep.