You Don't Need To Lie Down To Work Your Abs With These Moves
When it comes to ab exercises, variety is key. Not only will targeting different areas holistically strengthen your core, but switching things up prevents boredom from creeping into your fitness routine (because, let’s face it, that minute-long plank can feel like eternity).
Allow me to present the solution to spicing up your core work: standing abs exercises!
Toning your muscles while in a standing position doesn't just hit the abs but many up-right ab moves pull in your back and butt muscles, improving your posture, as well. A strong core and better alignment–now, that’s a two for one special!
Doing movements in a standing position often tests your balance and stability, as your body naturally fights against gravity. These exercises hit all the same core muscles that floor work does…and then some. This spicy challenge engages a full-body burn while focusing on a six-pack sculpt. (Your mat exercises could never.)
“By being on your feet, you're allowing for more range of motion in each rep, helping to improve your posture by standing tall,” explains Rachael DeVaux, RD, CPT.
Meet the experts: Rachael DeVaux, RD, CPT, is a NASM certified trainer and author of bestselling cook book, Rachael's Good Eats. She also is a co-founder of the premier fitness accessories company, Recreation Sweat, and has created numerous fitness guides. Meghan Clare, A NASM and CPT certified functional strength coach teaches at The Mind Body Project in New York City. She is also on the content team at Lululemon Studios.
The ab-adjustment may also be perfect for those struggling with pain or discomfort in their hips. “Standing ab exercises can be great alternatives whenever one might experience hip flexor pain.
“They also mimic the motions of everyday life, making these functional exercises,” adds DeVaux, explaining how the exercises train the body for everyday activities.
Meghan Clare, NASM, CPT, echoes this sentiment when comparing standing ab exercises to floor moves. “If you were to do more of these as opposed to just crunches, you'll notice results in everyday,” she says, providing lifting heavy objects or standing for extended periods of time as examples. The exercises add up to “make your life a little bit better.”
Among the other benefits, standing abs exercises also don’t require a lot of space. You can do this routine anytime, anywhere. Any equipment, such as a weight or resistance band, is just a bonus!
Creating a standing workout to crush your abs.
If you're looking for a quick ab-burner, Clare advises doing three exercises for 60-90 seconds three times through. This quick hit is "a super easy way to just work on your grip strength, your upper body strength, and your core strength in less than 10 minutes," she says.
Claire adds that if you want to increase the challenge, you could add more moves into the circuit, grab a piece of equipment, like a weight or a band, or superset some exercises to bring a cardio element into the mix.
DeVaux says any circuit ranging between two to four exercises is great. "Think about it this way: choose 2-4 exercises. Do them each for 10-12 reps (either side), and repeat for 3-4 rounds total," she explains. A workout like this can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes, so it's the perfect routine to end a weight training session with or break between meetings at your desk!
Standing Abs Workout Instructions.
Time: 10 minutes
Equipment: None required. Add in weights or a resistance band for an extra burn.
Good for: abs
Instructions: For a full core burn-out, choose three to four moves from list below. Perform 10 to 12 reps of each, or do them for 60-90 seconds per rep, and then continue to the next move. When you finish all the moves, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat two or three more times.
Standing Oblique Crunch
How to:
Stand tall with your hands positioned behind your head and your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart.
Twist your entire torso and lift your left knee to chest while pulling your right side towards it.
Engage your core, as you reach your opposite elbow to your knee
Return to standing and repeat on the opposite side
To incorporate your glutes, add a squat in between each crunch.
That's one rep.
Standing March
How to:
Stand tall with your arms extended in front of you and your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart.
Bring one knee up to your chest and then return it to the ground.
Repeat with the other side in a marching movement.
To incorporate your arms, build resistance by holding a band in your hands.
That's one rep.
Unilateral Dumbbell March
How to:
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and extend your right arm out to your side at a 45-degree angle from your body.
Slowly lift your left leg up until you knee is at hip height.
Then, with control, lower your leg down to the ground.
Repeat on the other side.
That's one rep.
Squat to Twist Press.
How to:
Stand tall with your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart. You can hold weights for an additional challenge or keep your hands level with the center of your chest.
Squat down and push up quickly, extending your arms overhead and twisting to one side.
Return to neutral and repeat on the other side.
That's one rep.
Wood Chop
How to:
Stand tall with your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart. You can hold weights for an additional challenge or keep your hands level with the center of your chest.
While engaging your core, twist to one side so your knee points in that direction and your hands reach towards that foot. If your holding a weight, it should rest in the air near the knee.
Bring your arms up and over your head as you stretch up tall and twist to the other side.
Reset and repeat on the other side.
That's one rep.
Standing Side Bend
How to:
Stand tall with your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart. For an added challenge, place a resistance band under the ball of your foot and hold it in the same hand. The other hand should be behind your head.
Bend to one side while engaging your abs and keeping your spine long. Think bout mimicking a side crunch with the bend.
Complete for reps or time.
Return to center and set up for the opposite side.
Repeat the reps on the other side.
That's one rep.
Standing Side Bend with A Wide Stance
How to:
Get into a wide stance, squat position with your knees over your ankles. For an added challenge, place a resistance band under the ball of your foot and hold it in the same hand. The other hand should be behind your head.
Bend to one side while engaging your abs and holding the squat.
Complete for reps or time.
Return to center and set up for the opposite side.
Repeat the reps on the other side.
Standing Toe Touches
How to:
Stand with your feet planted wider than hip-width apart.
While getting into a side lunge position reach with your right hand to the touch the opposite, extended leg.
Switch sides and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
Slowly return to standing.
That's one rep.
Supported Single Leg Deadlift
How to:
Start with your feet spread in a lunge position. For an added challenge, hold a weight in one hand.
Slowly hinge at the hips while reaching the opposite hand to the leg in front.
Return to center and repeat for reps or time.
Switch to the other side and repeat.
Single Leg Deadlift
How to:
Stand tall with your feet planted hip-distance apart.
While keeping your balance, pick up one foot.
Hinge at your hips, allowing one leg to extend backwards while the opposite arm extends forwards.
Slowly return to center.
Reset and repeat on the other side.
That's one rep.
Standing Leg Circles
How to:
Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. For additional support, use a chair to maintain your balance.
Slowly pick up one leg and move it in circles in one direction while keeping your hips and upper body still.
Return to standing and lift the opposite leg.
Repeat on the other side.
Work for time or reps. (10)
Standing Hip Circles
How to:
Start in a standing position, with feet wider than hip-width apart. Bend your arms, and place your hands behind your head.
Bend your knee as you lift one leg up.
Circle that leg across your body, up toward your chest, then back down to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Work for time or reps.
Alternating Knee Lift
How to:
Start in a standing position, with feet wider than hip-width apart. Bend your arms, placing your hands behind your head.
Lift one leg up toward your body, bending your knee as you do, as if you were trying to touch your rip cage with your knee. Keep your upper body still.
Return to standing and repeat on the other side.
Work for time or reps.
Standing Air Chop
How to:
Start standing with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Arms should be raised overhead, elbows bent so that hands can be clasped behind body and biceps are framing face.
Engage arm muscles and, with control, swing arms forward and down, stopping when they reach chest level.
Return slowly to start.
That's one rep. 13.
Rainbow Slam
If you have access to a weighted medicine ball, this exercise is a great one for targeting the obliques.
How to:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a medicine ball in front of right hip.
Rise up on balls of feet while lifting weight overhead and pivoting on right foot to turn body toward left side as you swing medicine ball in arc with force to bounce off ground outside left foot.
Catch it and return to start.
That's one rep.
Single Arm Press
If you have access to a dumbbell, this exercise is a great one for targeting your core muscles.
How to:
Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your left hand.
Extend your right arm out to your side at a 45-degree angle from your body while you rack the dumbbell on right shoulder. This is your starting position.
Brace your core and begin to raise the weight overhead, keeping your bicep close to your ear and palm facing toward you.
Return to start.
That's one rep.
When it comes to abs exercises, variety is key. Not only will targeting different muscles holistically strengthen your core, but switching things up prevents boredom from creeping in. You do not have to take your abs workouts lying down anymore. Allow me to remind you of an awesome core work option: standing abs exercises.
Toning your muscles while in a standing position works your abs and much more. For example, you recruit your lats and glutes muscles, giving your posture a boost simultaneously. “By being on your feet, you're allowing for more range of motion in each rep, helping to improve your posture by standing tall,” explains Rachael DeVaux, RD, CPT.
What's more, standing ab exercises often put your balance and stability to the test, as your body naturally fights against gravity to maintain the upright position. These exercises hit all the same core muscles that floor work does…and then some. (Your mat exercises could never.)
Meet the experts: Rachael DeVaux, RD, CPT, is a NASM-certified trainer and author of bestselling cookbook Rachael's Good Eats. She also is a co-founder of fitness accessories company Recreation Sweat and has created numerous fitness guides. Meghan Clare, NASM-CPT, is a functional strength coach who teaches at The Mind Body Project in New York City.
Standing ab exercises may also be perfect for those struggling with pain or discomfort in their hips. “Standing ab exercises can be great alternatives whenever one might experience hip flexor pain," says DeVaux. “They also mimic the motions of everyday life, making these functional exercises."
That's where standing ab exercises have a leg up on floor core work. “If you were to do more of these as opposed to just crunches, you'll notice results in everyday life,” says Meghan Clare, CPT. What's more, standing abs exercises also don’t require a lot of space. You can do this routine anytime, anywhere without equipment. Or, increase the challenge with dumbbells or a resistance band.
Best Standing Abs Workout
Time: 10 minutes | Equipment: None. Dumbbells/resistance band optional | Good for: Abs / core
Instructions: For a full core burn-out, choose three or four moves from the list below. Perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for 60-90 seconds, and then continue directly to the next move. When you finish all the moves, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat for two or three more rounds.
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