8 Best Abdominal Exercises to Make Your Core Stronger
The right workouts can make all the difference in building a strong, well-defined core. Planks and crunches are great, but the gym has a lot of other tools and equipment that can help you develop your abs. No matter how fit or new you are to work out, these eight exercises can help you build a stronger core. Here are eight of the best abdominal gym exercises you can do at the gym to build a solid core.
1: Cable Crisches
Cable crunches are a great way to add more tension when you do ab exercises. Lean against a cable machine so the rope connection is at the top. Hold the rope in front of you and pull it down. Then, crunch your abs. The constant strain on the cable machine will keep your abs working the whole time.
You can focus on squeezing your abs at the bottom of the move to get the most contraction.
2: Leg raises while hanging
This is one of the most challenging abdominal gym exercises, focusing on the lower abs and hip flexors. Hanging leg lifts might be challenging, but they work those lower abs effectively. Hang from a pull-up bar with extended arms and lift your legs straight from your body. Lower your legs slowly to keep control and avoid letting them drop too fast.
Pro Tip: If sticking your legs straight is complex, slightly bend your knees to help you keep your balance.
3: Ab Wheel Rollouts
The ab wheel is an effective tool for strengthening your core. Start by getting down on your knees and gripping the handles. Keep your core engaged as you roll forward, stretching out as far as possible without arching your back. Then, roll back to your starting position.
4: Russian turns with weight
Put your feet off the ground and bend your knees as you sit on the floor. As you hold a weight plate or dumbbell in both hands, move your body to the left and right. This practice strengthens the muscles that allow you to rotate by focusing on the obliques.
If you want to make it harder, work on this on a decline bench.
5. Landmine 180s
The landmine is a quite valuable equipment for core training. Start by adding some weight to one end of the barbell. Then, grip the other end with both hands and rotate your body 180 degrees. This exercise effectively targets your obliques!
Keep your movements controlled, and don’t use speed to swing the weight.
6. Reverse Crunches on a Bench
Place your knees over your hips and your legs on a flat bench. Lift your hips off the bench by tightening your lower abs to stabilize yourself. Slowly lower your hips, and then do it again.
It’s more important to lift your hips from your core than from your legs.
8. Plank with Weight Shifts
Planks are an essential core workout, but adding weight shifts makes them more difficult. Hold a dumbbell or small weight plate next to you while you do a wrist plank. Slide the weight to the other side with one arm and do it again. As you move the weight, this move makes your core stay stable.
Keep your hips as still as possible to get the most out of your core work.
Fast thoughts:
A strong core does more than just give you aesthetic abs—it supports your spine, enhances performance, and improves overall strength. Adding these abdominal gym exercises into your routine and staying consistent. Remember, a great core is built with both strength training and proper nutrition, so keep your diet in check to see the best results!
Which of these exercises do you find most effective? Let us know in the comments!
