The 20 Best Abs Workouts for Women That Really Work

Remember those moments in gym class, lying on the mat, practicing sit-ups and dreaming of sculpted abs? Achieving a strong core has always been more than just about visible six-packs—it’s about building a foundation for life itself. From carrying heavy grocery bags to standing tall with confidence, a solid core supports balance, posture, and even protects your lower back from those all-too-familiar aches.

The best abs workouts for women tap into the strength of your entire core, much like the routines of old fitness classes but with a modern twist. Think of bodyweight moves like Russian twists for that satisfying side-to-side burn, mountain climbers for a heart-pumping challenge, or leg lifts that bring a throwback to classic Pilates sessions. Picture this: your legs creating perfect 90-degree angles, your movements in sync—right elbow, left hand—like a well-rehearsed dance, all while maintaining that straight, proud line through your body.

These exercises don’t just build strength; they tell a story of discipline and care, weaving together the aesthetics of a toned core with the practicality of a healthier, more active life. With every plank held and every twist completed, you’re engaging not just muscles but memories of progress. From the humble tabletop position to the steadfast forearm plank, this is about more than workouts—it’s about reclaiming your body’s full potential. After all, a strong core isn’t just built in the gym; it’s forged in the moments when strength meets purpose, helping you stand taller, move freer, and live more confidently every day.

20. V-Up (Upper Abs)

Ah, the V-up—a classic exercise that feels like a throwback to gym class days, where the challenge was simple but oh-so-effective. This dynamic move, designed to target both the upper and lower abs, brings a sense of old-school determination to modern workouts. If you want to zero in on those upper abs, here’s how to do it, step by step:

 

1. Lie flat on your back, arms stretched above your head, as if reaching for the stars.
2. Now, channel that childhood energy: sit up and lift your legs toward the ceiling, bringing your hands up to meet your feet in a perfect, triumphant arc.
3. Keep the momentum alive—repeat this motion for 10 sets of 5.

 

It’s a movement that’s as straightforward as it is satisfying, harkening back to a time when workouts were more about grit than gadgets. Ready to feel the burn and relive a bit of that old-school energy? Let’s go!

19. Bicycle Crunches (Upper Abs)

The bicycle crunch has stood the test of time for the best ab workouts for women because it works. In fact, it’s ranked No. 1 for strengthening the rectus abdominus (the slab of muscle on the front of your body), according to the American Council on Exercise. The bicycle crunch requires little room and no equipment, and it can be modified depending on your abdominal strength.

1. Start by lying on the floor face-up.
2. Lace your hands behind your head and lift your head and shoulders off the floor.
3. Begin pedaling your feet and twisting your torso as if you were trying to touch your elbow to the pulled-in knee. If you’re a beginner or have back issues, pedal your feet toward the ceiling.
4. Pedal your legs parallel to the floor when you’re strong enough to do so.

Crank out 12 to 15 repetitions.

18. Rolling Like a Ball (Upper Abs)

Balance is a core game. The rectus abdominis and obliques work to sustain the spinal flexion throughout the exercise.

1. In a sitting position, flex the spine into a c-curve.
2. Lean back to balance the sit bones and sacrum, and hold the knees to the chest with your feet off the floor.
3. Inhale as you roll back, taking caution to avoid rolling on your neck or head.
4. Exhale to roll back up to the starting position, fighting for the balance at the top.

17. Lying Leg-Hip Raise (Upper Abs)

This workout is great for burning fat along the entire range of your abdomen, from the pelvis to the rib cage, which are the two places that the rectus abdominis muscle connects. The rectus abdominis is the main ab muscle, and the lying leg-hip raise is a classic to give you a complete tone.

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight, then bend your knees as you bring them toward your chest.
2. Lift your hips a few inches off the floor before reversing the motion.
3. Do a set of 10 to 12 repetitions for optimal results.

16. Double Leg Stretch (Upper Abs)

Double the trouble; this uses the rectus abdominis and obliques to maintain thoracic flexion.

1. Lie on your back with arms by your sides and bring the legs to the tabletop.
2. Nod the head slightly, then lift the shoulders off the floor while reaching the arms up to the knees.
3. Reach your legs out on a diagonal and your arms overhead, as if you were taking off a hat.
4. Circle your arms out to the side and back to your knees as they flex in.
5. Repeat 10 times, each time exhaling as you extend the limbs and inhaling as you return to the starting position.

15. Rowing (Lower Abs)

Exercises will tone the muscles, but if you carry belly fat, your sculpted muscles will remain hidden. Rowing will burn away the pudge and tone your abs. It takes a little coordination and timing to maximize the rowing machine, but when done correctly, rowing is one of the best non-impact total-body workouts you can get. It stands to reason that this is also one of the best ab workouts for women.

1. Start the catch phase by sitting on the pad with your feet on the footrests.
2. Bend your knees and reach for the handles.
3. Extend your legs by pushing back. Keep the arms straight until your legs are nearly extended, then pull the handles toward your upper stomach. This is the dive phase.
4. Return to the starting position by extending the hands, bending the knees, and leaning forward until you’re back in the catchphrase.

Don’t you have a rowing machine? Any exercise that gets your heart rate up for 30 to 60 minutes will burn fat, so you can find an exercise that doesn’t need this kind of equipment but still gets a great workout.

14. V-Up: Exercise Ball Style (Lower Abs)

Adding a ball to the classic V-up adds an extra challenge. Having to pass a ball back and forth ensures that you don’t cheat by not going through the full range of motion. You can use an exercise ball or a stability ball.

1. Lie on your back with your arms straight overhead.
2. Sit up as you bring your legs up toward the ceiling.
3. Pass a ball from your hands to your feet, and then lie back down.
4. Sit up again and pass the ball to your hands.
5. Continue to alternate for 10 sets of 5.

13. Scissors (Lower Abs)

Scissors are the cousin of the bicycle, engaging the rectus abdominis and obliques for thoracic flexion and multifidus for pelvic stability. This helps make it one of the best ab workouts for women.

1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides.
2. Bring the legs tabletop, legs together as they straighten, feet to the sky.
3. Lift the head and shoulders off the mat into flexion as the arms reach to the legs.
4. Use your arms to assist in pulling the right leg closer to the chest as the left leg reaches long, hovering above the floor on a two-count exhale.
5. Inhale to switch legs and repeat 10 times.

Although the arms assist, they should be barely touching. There is no pulling the body closer to the leg. That would defeat the purpose of the exercise. This exercise is not about strengthening your biceps; this is supposed to be one of the best ab workouts for women!

12. Mountain Climber (Lower Abs)

Remember these from middle school gym class? The mountain climber is a tried-and-true workout that busts the lower ab region into shape, making it one of the best ab workouts for women.

1. Start in the high plank position with your core engaged. Keep your core engaged throughout the entire workout to get the maximum effect.
2. Lift your right knee to your chest.
3. Bring your right knee back to the original position and repeat with the left knee.
4. Continue to alternate knees quickly back and forth. The key is to keep the correct position and maintain the form.

11. Crab Toe Touch (Lower Abs)

1. Start with your feet on the floor and your hands on the floor behind you, with your fingers facing you.
2. Lift your hips off of the floor as you lift one leg towards the ceiling.
3. Lift the alternate hand to touch your toes as you lift your hips. So, if you lift your left leg, then touch your right hand as you lift yourself.
4. Repeat on the other side after lowering your leg and hand to the ground.
5. Do multiple reps, alternating sides.

10. Roll-Up (Core)

You may have heard of Pilates, but you may not realize how effective it is at building core stability. Inner IDEA says Pilates ab exercises are some of the best ab workouts for women and are more effective than the boring crunches you’ve probably been doing. One of the best is the roll-up, which works through a fuller range of motion than many ab exercises.

1. Lie on the floor with your arms overhead and your legs extended with heels on the floor.
2. Simultaneously raise your arms and lift your torso, rolling your body to a sitting position without letting your heels come off the floor.
3. Reach your hands toward your toes, then reverse the motion by rolling back.
4. Move slowly and avoid using momentum to come up.
5. Roll up eight to ten times.

9. Plank (Core)

Planks look easy enough, but they provide a lot of muscle burn for the buck. Plus, there are so many variations that you’ll never get bored. The basic plank is a pushup position that you hold for 15 to 60 seconds. The key is to keep your back and hips straight. If your belly drops or your behind pokes up, you’re doing it wrong.

Another popular variation is to have your forearms on the floor instead of your hands. If these positions are difficult, modify them by dropping your knees to the floor, but don’t allow a bend in the hips.

8. The Breast Stroke (Core)

They say you can’t have flexion without extension. Often, we forget that doing back exercises is a huge part of strengthening our core.

1. Lie on your stomach, hover your nose above the mat, and have your hands bent next to your head.
2. Exhale the arms off the mat, lengthening above your head.
3. On an inhale, circle the arms out to the side, reaching for your feet by your hips as your upper body extends up through the head.

Think longer, not higher, as you engage the glutes and hamstrings to keep the feet on the floor and strain out of the lower back. Do 5-8 repetitions. This is commonly the weaker side of the body.

7. The Hundred (Core)

This exercise is dreaded by some, yet loved by those who love the burn. The rectus abdominis work in all directions, concentrically, isometrically, and eccentrically, making this one of the best ab workouts for women.

1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and shorten the obliques to the ribs to engage the core.
2. Bring one leg to the tabletop and add the other, zipping up the inner thighs, knees, and ankles together.
3. Nod the head slightly, then lift the shoulders off the floor while reaching the arms to the heels and extending the legs straight out on a diagonal, only lowering as far as you can maintain stabilization.
4. Start a small pulse of the arms, inhaling for 5 pulses and exhaling for 5 pulses.
5. Keep your gaze at the knees and pump the arms 100 times while maintaining the 5-count breath.
6. Once you reach 100, hold the position and reach one inch higher as you return the legs to the tabletop and lower the head and shoulders down to the mat.

You might want to give up at 60, but push on, my friends. The benefits are worth it.

6. Body Saws (core)

This exercise looks simple, but it’s one of the best ab workouts for women to build their core. It targets both the abdominals and the back, building ultimate core strength.

1. Get into the plank position, but with your forearms on the ground where your hands normally would be.
2. Begin to rock and shift yourself forward while maintaining your muscle stability.
3. Return to the original position
4. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

5. Captain’s Chair (Obliques)

This is a great option for those who want a great ab workout when they go to the gym. The American Council of Exercise says this exercise is the No. 1 ab workout for women that targets the obliques. The obliques are the muscles running along your sides that are responsible for twisting and bending. It’s also No. 2 for the rectus abdominus, making the captain’s chair a great ab exercise. The captain’s chair is easy to use.

1. Start by standing on the footrests with your back pressed against the back pad.
2. Hold on to the handles with your hands, letting your forearms rest on the arm pads.
3. Take your feet off the footrests and hang by your forearms.
4. Slowly lift your knees up, hold for a beat, and lower them, but don’t put them on the footrests.
5. Do a set of 12 to 15 lifts, then rest.

If you like working with ab machines more, check out our reviews for the best ab machines for your home.

4. Forearm Side Plank With a Twist (Obliques)

This plank variation is guaranteed to set your obliques on fire. It’s also a common Pilates exercise for your obliques that will give the best results.

1. Start in a side plank position on the left side. Your left forearm should be on the ground, and your elbow should be directly above it. You can either stack your feet on top of each other or you can keep them in front.
2. Put your right hand behind your head as you bring your elbow to touch the ground in a crunch-twist motion.
3. Squeeze your glutes and inner thighs to stay stable.
4. Continue to rock your elbow back and forth for 30 seconds before switching to the right side.

3. Kickboard Exercises (Obliques)

Your ab exercises don’t all have to be about appearances. The kickboard exercise helps tighten your tummy and is a functional exercise for when you decide to hit the water. Practice in a pool or out past the waves, if you dare.

1. Hold onto a kickboard.
2. Start kicking your legs in an alternating up-and-down motion to move forward.
3. Keep your body closer to the surface.

You can also flip over onto your back and perform backstroke kicks.

2. Bicycle Maneuver (Obliques)

Your swimsuit shows off more than just the front of your abdomen, which is why it’s important to work on the obliques. The obliques are the ab muscles on the sides of the waist. The bicycle maneuver is one of the most effective exercises for the obliques and the other abdominal muscles.

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, knees bent at right angles, and thighs perpendicular to the ground.
2. Crunch your shoulders off the floor and start twisting your upper body side-to-side, as if to touch your elbow to your opposite knee, while extending the other leg straight.

To tone up the obliques, repeat 10 reps of 8.

1. T Rotation (Obliques)

Last but not least, the T rotation is a final oblique-targeted ab workout for women. It’s also one of the best ab workouts for women. This workout can be repeated multiple times every day for the most toned oblique muscles.

1. Begin in the push-up position and make sure you have your core tightened.
2. Shift all of your weight to one side as you lift up your hand of choice.
3. Hold the position for 5 seconds before returning your hand to the ground.
4. Repeat on the other side multiple times.

Conclusion

Building strong abs and a resilient core isn’t just about chasing that elusive six-pack—it’s about crafting a foundation that supports your body, much like the solid beams of an old, dependable house. Think back to gym class or those vintage fitness posters, where core strength was touted as the key to good posture and balance. It’s still true today. To strengthen your core, you need more than sit-ups; it’s about engaging every part of your body, from your lower leg to your shoulder, in perfect harmony.

Picture yourself mastering moves like the forearm side plank with a twist, dead bugs, or reverse crunches. These exercises, when done with care and focus, transform simple motions into tools for building stability and strength. Remember to feel the connection as opposite sides of your body work together—right shoulder, left leg—moving in a coordinated rhythm. This balanced approach not only sculpts a stronger core but also reduces back pain, improves everyday balance, and enhances how you move through life.

 

There’s something timeless about the effort it takes to create a solid foundation. Like a craftsman honing their skills, your dedication to these movements shapes your body from the inside out. With a mix of focus, consistency, and the right exercises, you’ll find yourself standing taller, moving with ease, and carrying the strength of your efforts into every part of your day. Stronger abs and a healthier core—these are the rewards that echo through time, benefiting both your present and your future self.