Trainers Reveal: "My Go-To Ab Exercises"

SHAPE magazine

We got some of our favorite fitness experts to reveal their go-to moves for a flat, sexy stomach. Try them out today!

Passé ab series
Passé ab series

1. Passé ab series:

"This move is one of my all-time favorite abs sculpting exercises," says Andrea Rogers, a former professional dancer, certified Pilates instructor, and creator of Xtend Barre. "It strengthens the abdominal muscles while developing stability of the pelvic lumbar region. You can also amp things up by increasing the tempo."

To do it: Start seated, then lean back, resting your weight on your forearms (bending your elbows behind your body, fingers facing forward). Extend both legs straight out in front of you. Bend your right knee into a 'passé position' by pointing your right foot and pressing the inside edge of your right foot along the inside of your left knee. Draw your abs in tight and lift your legs off the mat and towards the chest (maintaining passé position). Bring your right knee all the way up to the right side of your chest and then lower your legs (still in passé) back down, about two inches from the floor (or as low as you can). Repeat 8 times and then switch legs. Try to do 8 reps on each side, for up to 2 sets.

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Boat pose
Boat pose

2. Boat pose:

"This pose will strengthen the core and tone the abdominal muscles," says Tamal Dodge, a certified yoga teacher and star of the "Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners" DVD.

To do it: Sit with your knees bent and together, feet slightly lifted off the floor. Reach your arms forward and shift your weight into your sit bones, draw your abs in tight, and lift your chest. Try straightening the legs as much as you can (forming a 'V' shape with your body) and hold this pose for 30 seconds to one minute, with even breathing



stability-ball rollout
stability-ball rollout

3. Stability-ball rollout:

"I love this exercise because it advances the plank in two ways: 1) you're on a ball and 2) you stress the core by moving the ball away from your body," says Rick Richey, owner of R2Fitness LLC and master instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. "You get to control how easy or difficult the exercise is by the distance of the ball from your body-I have done this for years and can still make it hard enough to fire up the abs!"

To do it: Kneel with your elbows bent under your shoulders on top of a stability ball. Draw your abs in tight, keep your weight in your arms (chest lifted off the ball), and extend both legs out straight behind you, feet about hip-width apart. Maintain a straight line from your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. Once you are stabilized on the ball, slowly roll the ball away from your body to increase the lever length and add stress on the abdominal region. For safety, go slowly and start with short movements in and out for 10-15 reps. When you feel ready, you can progress how far away you reach and your number of reps, Richey says.


Standing side crunch
Standing side crunch

4. Standing side crunch:

This is my favorite abs exercise because you don't tug at your neck like we sometimes do during mat work, and you don't need a lot of reps to get the job done. It works your balance too," says fitness expert Ellen Barrett, star of the "Ellen Barrett Live: POWER FUSION" DVD.

To do it: Stand with your feet planted 3-4 feet apart, toes slightly turned out, hands on your hips. Lower into a plie by bending your knees out over your toes and lowering your hips directly underneath your shoulders. Then, as your straighten back up, slowly lift the right knee up towards the right shoulder. As you go back into the plie, slowly return the foot to the floor. Be sure to move at a very controlled pace to really engage the obliques the entire time-on the way up and on the way down. Do 10 repetitions on the right side, then another 10 repetitions on the left side for a total of 20.


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The walkout
The walkout

5. Walkout:

Stacy Berman, owner and head trainer of Stacy's Bootcamp in New York City, loves this plank move to target the core muscles. "You are going to work your upper and lower abs, obliques, and lower back," Berman says. "Walking the hands as far above your head as you can forces the core to work extra hard to stabilize."

To do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly (or more if needed) and place both hands flat on the ground. Keeping your legs extended and your feet planted, walk your hands away from your body, as far past your shoulders as you can, until you are in a full plank position. Hold for one count at the furthest point, and then walk your hands back to your feet and slowly return to standing. That's one rep. Repeat up to 10 times.
To see more ab exercises fitness experts swear by, click here!

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