Standing Ab Exercises

It can be a defining moment in an adult's life, that moment when they realize they don't have to do a zillion crunches in their workout. In fact, it is entirely possible to work the Abs and back without a single crunch...without even getting on the floor.

Not only is it possible but, in some respects, it's preferable. Floor exercises have their place, of course, but working the Abs from a standing position, either with exercises that are integrated into your workout, or with targeted core exercises, focuses on the Abs the way they function in real life - as a support for all the movements you do each day ….walking, bending over to pick something up, lifting something overhead or twisting around to grab something behind you.

The study behind these exercises suggest these moves are the best for recruiting all those muscle fibers in your Abs but, with the shift towards functional training, we now understand that we need strong Abs, not just while lying on the floor, but for all the movements we perform each day.

We also know that working the body as a whole is a lot more effective than trying to isolate different muscle groups (like crunches do). What that means for your Abs is that, while crunches and other floor exercises still have a place in our training routines, standing Ab work can add a new depth and dimension to your workouts, giving you more than just strong Abs, but a strong core.

What do you think? Are you over crunches and looking for something new? How do you work your Abs and do you focus on both floor and standing exercises?

Here’s what I think are the 10 most effective Ab exercises:

Reverse Wood Chops

Reverse wood chops are great for the Abs because they involve rotating the body and bringing the arms from the hips and across the body to the opposite shoulder.  This dynamic exercise requires the Abs and back to stabilize the body throughout the movement.

Horizontal Wood Chops

Like the reverse wood shops shown above, horizontal wood chops take your body through a rotation, moving the arms from one side to the other and targeting every muscle in the Abs and back with some core stabilization thrown in.

Side Bends With a Medicine Ball

While side bends won't necessarily whittle your waist (that comes from losing body fat), this overhead side bend is a great way to strengthen the muscles of the waist (the obliques) while also targeting the Abs and lower back.

Windmills

The windmill is an excellent exercise for the entire body with a strong focus on the obliques and the lower back.  With this move, formis everything.  You can add intensity by holding weights in both hands.

Overhead Squats

The overhead squat is an advanced Ab exercise that looks easier than it is.  Your Abs and back work hard to keep the body in position as you squat and rotate to bring the arm overhead, making this a dynamic, whole body exercise.  Start with no weight.

Medicine Ball Circles

Medicine ball circles are one of my favourite exercises for warming up the entire body, especially the Abs and back.  The idea is to circle the weight, making the biggest circle you can while using your whole body in the process.

Medicine Ball Rotations with Static Lunges

The static lunge with a med ball rotation is another great exercise for working the Abs and back while building endurance in the lower body.  The idea is to engage the stabilizer muscles in your legs and hips to hold a lunger while rotating the medicine ball slowly to one side and then the other.  As a modification, keep the medicine ball close to the body as you rotate, focusing on keeping the entire movement centered on the torso. 

Figure 8s with a Medicine Ball

Figure 8 lunges are a total body exercise emphasizing core strength and stability along with lower body endurance and overall balance and coordination.

The key to making this move effective is to start by performing each move separately.  Step forward into a lunge with the right leg and hold that position, getting your balance.  Then, take the ball to the opposite hip, rotating through the torse, and sweep the ball down and up in the first half of your figure 8.  Then step the right foot back to start before taking the same leg back into a reverse lunge.  Hold that position as you complete your figure 8 motion to the other side.  Do all reps on one side before switching legs.

Standing Side Crunch

The standing side crunch is all about the obliques, with an added challenge to your balance and stability.  To really engage the obliques, go through a full range of motion and keep the movement slow and controlled.  As you bring the knee toward the elbow, keep the chest open rather than rounding forward - imagine that your back is against a wall and you're sliding along the wall as you do this exercise.

Standing Crossover Crunch

The standing crossover crunch looks a lot like the bicycle move done on the floor, with an emphasis on the obliques.  To really get the most out of this exercise, go slow and focus on bringing the shoulder towards the hip, rather than the elbow to the knee.  This will put the focus through the torso and engaging the core rather than swinging the arm towards the knee.