Best Ab Exercises

The core does more than flex the spine. The rectus abdominis curls the torso (crunches, leg raises), the obliques rotate and bend it sideways, and the deeper muscles brace the spine against movement — the job trained by planks, ab-wheel rollouts and anti-rotation presses. A good routine mixes all three. Visible abs depend mostly on body fat, so these exercises build strength and stability rather than burning belly fat. Move slowly, breathe out as you contract, and stop when your lower back starts to arch or your hip flexors take over. Two or three sessions per week of a few hard sets are plenty, and heavy squats and deadlifts train the core as well.

Pick exercises from this list, log your sets and weights in ForceIndex and track your progress — free, start right away.