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9 Best Abs Exercises You’ve (Probably) Never Done

Shake up your abs routine with these excellent exercises.

Training your core can be more exciting than just performing sit-ups, so give these nine best abs exercises you’ve probably never done a try.

These exercises are unique and effective and will certainly add a new dimension to your training.

Developing a strong core is essential for sport and life. You use your midline for almost all activities you perform, whether that is lifting, carrying, throwing, pulling, or pushing, your core will help you transfer power better.

Crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises are all good exercises, but pick up new tricks with these best abs exercises you’ve – probably – never done.

9 Best Abs Exercises You’ve (Probably) Never Done

Instead of repeating the same abs workout over and over again, add these exercises to your training regime and improve your progress by adding new stressors through new exercises.  

1 – Decline Barbell Boat Row

Sit back on a decline bench and have a bar handy. Keep your elbows bent and bring the bar close to your chest. Lean back until your upper body is a little under your knees and mimic the arc-like rowing motion that you’d get when paddling a kayak.

Aim for a certain time under tension such as 30 to 60 seconds. This exercise is great for targeting your upper abs and oblique muscles.

2 – Raise Leg Ab Stack

Using some risers – or any other light weight – lay down on the ground and bring your legs up, bending your knees so your shins are parallel to the floor. Place the risers behind your head, grab one by bringing your hands above your head, and move it to your shins by performing a crunch.

Repeat until all risers are stacked on top of each other, then reverse the exercise, bringing the risers one at a time back behind your head. This is a similar methodology to drop sets.

3 – TRX Multiplanar Knee Tuck

Start by sitting facing the TRX with your feet under the straps, then cross the traps over each other and place your feet inside them. Turn around so your stomach faces the floor and get into a push-up position. Brace your core and ensure your head, hips, and heels are in a straight line at all time.

Tuck your knees into your chest by focusing on curling your hips into your chest. Return to the starting position and turn your hips over to one side, bringing both your knees towards one elbow. Do this once to each side. Repeat for 10 to 20 reps.

PLank-abs-exercisesSource: Photos courtesy of CrossFit Inc

4 – Hanging L-Sit Leg Lift

Hang off a pull-up bar with your legs extended in front of you at a 90-degree angle. Then, tilt your upper body back and raise your legs up to get your feet to touch the bar. Slowly lower your legs and bring your body back to that initial hanging L-shape. Repeat.

If this exercise is to hard, you can also start with your knees bent and curl your knees towards your chest as high as you can.

5 – Power Rope Medicine Ball Slams

This exercise requires a medicine ball with a rope attached to it as well as a sturdy wall. Start by standing close to a wide concrete wall, your back to it, and hold the rope with both hands. Turn your body with force and slam the ball with force on one side of the wall.

As it bounces off, explode into the other direction and slam it on the other side. Repeat and aim for a time between 30 and 60 seconds. It might look crazy but it’ll definitely get your oblique muscles burning.

6 – Incline Pulse Up

This exercise places great tension on your rectus abdominus. Start by laying back against the bench, grabbing something sturdy behind your head, and point your feet towards the ceiling. Drive your legs and hips straight up and bring them back down in a controlled manner.

7 – Landmine Russian Twist

This great abs exercise sees you start on the ground, facing a barbell with a landmine setup and your feet and upper ground off the floor. Perform a Russian Twist while holding on to the barbell, keeping your arms relatively straight and turning from side to side.

athlete does lower abs workout on pull-up barSource: Bastien Plu on Unsplash

8 – Resistance Band Pikes

You will need a resistance band and something that allows you to slide on the floor. Anchor the resistance band to something sturdy, step inside the band and place your feet over your sliders. Inch your feet forward until the slack is removed from the resistance band and bring your hands forward to get into a push-up position.

Slide your feet towards your hands while raising your butt towards the sky, then return to the original starting push-up position and repeat.

9 – Hollow Body Rock

This stable exercise is one of the most effective yet underused best abs exercises out there. Place yourself on the ground with your back flat against the floor, then bring your upper back and legs off the floor, ensuring your abs are engaged.

Rock back and forth keeping the tension on your midline at all times for anywhere between 30 to 90 seconds.

Final thoughts

Abs might be built through training but they are revealed in the kitchen. You will need to follow a sustainable and healthy nutrition plan to lose enough body fat to showcase your six-pack.

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