10 Ab Exercises To Get You in Shape for Summer

Looking for ab exercises to get you in shape for summer? You’ll have to do more than the traditional sit-ups and crunches. And, that’s why we’ve created this list of the best abs exercises to shred your 6-pack fast so you can show off your summer body. 

In this post, you’ll find ab exercises you can do with no equipment and those you can do with a machine to work your abs harder. Add two to four of these abs exercises to your workout routine to get in shape for the summer faster. 

Best Ab Exercises To Do Without Equipment

Start with these no-equipment abs exercises if you haven’t worked out in years or are just starting the fitfam journey. You can perform these ab exercises at home or incorporate them into your routine at the gym.

• Mountain ClimbersThis is the best abs exercise for strengthening your core and getting some cardio (link to an article on the benefits of cardio – not available). It gets your heart pumping while burning the fat in your abs, especially the lower abs.

• Get into a high plank position, with your hands lined up with your shoulder, your legs extended, and your core tightened.
• Pull your right knee towards your chest and return it to the starting position. 
• Simultaneously pull the left leg towards your chest as you return the right leg to the starting position, and vice versa. 
• Repeat the motions rapidly for 30 to 60 seconds to simulate a climbing motion. 

• Leg LiftThis exercise is a lower ab exercise that shreds your lower abdomen, which is hard to train with ab exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.
  • Lie flat on your back with your hands by your sides or beneath your butt for stronger support. 
  • Lift your left leg to a vertical position until it’s perpendicular to the floor, and slowly lower it back to the floor. 
  • Do the same to the right leg and repeat the movement 10 to 20 times. To make it more challenging, lift both legs at the same time.  
• Side Planks RotationIn addition to your core, this side abs exercise will work your oblique – that’s the side of your belly, so you can have a well-sculpted six-pack.

• Lie on your side with your legs on top of each other and lift your body up while supporting your body with your forearm.
• With your body in a straight line, extend the free hand towards the ceiling while tightening your abs. If you’re a beginner, you can hold for 60 seconds and stop the exercise here. 
• If you’re strong enough, twist your torso forward and bring the raised hand down under your body. 
• Then, go back to the starting position, repeat it a couple of times, and do the same thing on the other side. 
• DeadbugThis ab exercise works almost every part of your deeper core muscles, as well as your lower back, while sculpting your six-pack. 

• Lie on your back with your arms and leg lifted towards the ceiling. Then, bend your legs at the knees at a 90-degree angle. 
• Lower your left leg until it’s parallel to the floor and your feet almost touch it. Simultaneously extend your right hand behind your head. 
• Breathe in, and return to the starting position. Then, repeat the movement on the other leg and hand. Perform the exercise for 30 to 60 seconds. 
• Russian TwistThe Russian twist is a side ab and upper ab exercise that gets rid of your love handles and strengthens your core.  

• Lie down with your knees bent, then raise your upper body to create a V shape with your thighs.
• Twist your torso to the right. Then, alternate sides and twist your torso to the left. Only twist from the ribs up and not your entire body. 
• Perform the twists for up to 60 seconds. 

Best Ab Exercises To Do With Equipment

Performing abs exercises at the gym with equipment will work your core more effectively and shred your abs faster. For instance, a study found that ab roller exercises are more effective than traditional ab exercises. So, here are the best ab exercises to do with equipment to get in shape for summer fast. 

• Ab Wheel Plank Performing the plank with an ab wheel or roller works all your core muscles to sculpt your abs. It also works your back and arm, as well as help you build balance and stability.

• Get on your hands and knee and grasp the ab wheel handles with your palms facing down. 
• Extend your arms fully and step your feet back to get into a plank position. Ensure your body is in a single straight line
• With your toes and the wheel supporting your weight and your core tightened, hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds. 
• Hanging BicycleThis ab exercise involves using a pull-up bar to perform bicycle crunches. It works your six-pack muscles and burns the fat in your lower belly, which is quite difficult to lose. 

• Hang on a pull-up bar with your palms facing outward and your legs off the floor. Your grip should be slightly more than shoulder-width apart, so your arms aren’t too close to your ears. 
• Tighten your core and raise your right knee towards your chest. Then, return your right knee and raise your left leg towards your chest. 
• Repeat this up and down motion without swinging your legs to look like you’re riding a bicycle. Perform at least 15 reps. 
• Rower Seat Roll OutBesides the traditional rowing exercise, you can do this ab exercise on a rowing machine to sculpt your abs faster. 

• Stand a few feet away from the back of the rowing machine. Grab the seat and bend into a high push-up position. 
• Extend your arms to push the seat forward as far as you can until your back straightens. 
• Pull the seat back towards yourself while returning your body to a high plank position. 
• Repeat the push and pull movement for at least 10 reps. 
• Incline Bench Sit-UpThe incline bench sit-up is an excellent variation of the traditional sit-up that challenges your entire core harder so you can get results faster.

• Sit on an inclined sit-up bench with your feet on the inclined side. 
• Bend your knees to hook your leg under the support bar or anchor. Then, lie on your back and place both hands behind your neck. 
• With your abs tight and your back straight, use your core to sit up from the lying position. 
• Then, lower yourself back on the bench and continue the up and down movement. 
• Cable CrunchesThis enhances the regular crunch exercise by adding weights to the ab exercise. It strengthens your upper and lower abs and can also improve your posture. 

• Stand in front of a cable station and grip the rope attached to the pulley with both hands. 
• Then, step backward and kneel on a foam pad. Pull the rope down until your hands are above your head 
• Hinge your hip slightly backward and tighten your core, while bending your shoulders towards your pelvis. 
• Then, lower your upper body all the way towards your knees as far as possible, and repeat the movements a couple of times. 

Abs-olutely Try These Ab Exercises

Yes, you can’t spot lose weight in your abs alone. But, ab exercises can help torch abdominal fat and get you in shape for summer. So, if you’re looking to shred your abs and show off your summer body, these are the best abs exercises you should abs-olutely start doing now. 

If you’d like to get in shape even faster, YouFit has a premium+ member to get access to personal training and group fitness classes at zero extra cost. You’ll also have access to the app, so you’ll never miss your abs exercise sessions when you can’t make it to the gym.