Standing Ab Exercises
You don’t need a mat to mold your middle. Get on your feet to strengthen your core for these next 10 exercises. Most of these moves require your abs to act as stabilizers, keeping you upright and sturdy on one or two legs.
27. Extenders
Low-impact doesn’t mean low intensity. Prepare to feel your heart rate rise and your obliques burn as you pull your knee into your chest and stay grounded on one foot.
28. Standing Bicycle Crunch
Take your abs workout off the mat for this move that mimics a regular bicycle crunch — except in upright form. You’ll work your obliques and rotational muscles so you’re ready to move in any direction.
29. Kickboxing Crunch
It’s time to kick your core exercises up a notch. This punch-and-kick combo requires stability so you can stand on one leg, plus you need to use your abs to pull your knee in and extend your foot out.
30. Plie Oblique Crunch
Besides bicycles and ab twists, you can sculpt the side muscles of your midsection with this barre-inspired exercise. Light weights make it more challenging, and dropping it low in the squat targets your legs, too.
31. Standing Rotation Twist
You may have spotted a landmine at your gym — that barbell attached to a rotating base. Now it’s time to pick it up and work your middle. This ab-centric exercise builds strength in the transverse plane of motion, so you can twist with ease.
32. Nose and Toes Against the Wall
You’re not exactly standing on your feet here — but you are standing on your hands. And that works your core way harder. Want to do a handstand sans wall? This move is a step in the right direction.
33. Tuck Jumps
Catch some air to carve some abs. While you’ll burn out your legs on the leap, you’ll also use your abs to pull your knees into your chest and crush this tuck routine. Here’s to you hitting new heights — and snagging powerful muscles in the meantime.
34. Single-Leg Toe Touches with Ball
Balance is all about those abs, especially when you’re holding a big slam ball. Brace your belly to bring the ball down to your foot and back up to stand.
35. High-Low Rotation
Grab a partner and have some fun with this standing ab exercise. It requires you to turn your upper body, keeping your core tight while you go. When you twist, hand off a water bottle, weight or whatever you have on hand. (A bottle of wine will do, too.)
36. Hanging Knee Raises
Hang tight… your abs are about to get super strong. Tuck your knees up toward your chest to work your rectus abdominis (those six-pack-sculpting muscles).
Next Up: Sneaky Ab Exercises