Last Updated on March 13, 2023


If you’re looking for abs exercises for women, you are in the right place. Below are some of the best abs exercises you can do. Choose three exercises from the list. Perform each for 30 to 60 seconds, then immediately continue to your next move. Once you’ve completed all three, rest for 15 to 30 seconds, and then repeat for 3 to 5 total rounds.
Table of Contents
1. Glute Bridge March – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Lie on your back with your legs bent, heels under knees, feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms over your chest, palms facing.
- Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Brace your abs and lift your right knee over your hip, maintaining 90-degree angle of that leg.
- Hold for a moment, then lower your right foot.
- Repeat with the left. That’s one rep.
- Continue alternating.
Good for: rectus abdominis, transverse abs
Why it rocks: Not only does this exercise fire up two sections of your abs, but it works your glutes, too, which will help with your overall stability.
2. Mountain Climbers – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start in a plank position.
- Drive right knee toward chest.
- Return to a plank.
- Quickly repeat with left knee. That’s one rep.
- Continue alternating.
Good for: rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: Yup, this workout makes your core seriously burn and gets your heart pumping, a combo that’s sure to help you up your fitness game.
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3. Plank With Knee Tap – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Get into a plank position, with your elbows stacked under your shoulders.
- Slowly and with control, lower both knees until they kiss the ground.
- Return to a plank position. That’s one rep.
Good for: rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: This slow movement helps you engage your core while also easing strain on your neck by allowing your knees to periodically touch the ground.
4. Shoulder Tap And Jack – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Get into a plank position, with your hands stacked directly under your shoulders.
- Keeping your core engaged, tap your right shoulder with your left hand as you jump your feet outward. Return to start.
- Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep.
Good for: obliques, transverse abs, rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: Not only does this work all aspects of your core, but the move also allows you to get your heart rate up for a boost of cardio.
5. Leg Lower – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start lying on back with arms on mat and hands under butt, palms down, legs raised at a 90-degree angle from the floor, feet flexed.
- Slowly lower one leg as far down as possible without back lifting off the ground.
- Return to start.
- Repeat with the other leg. That’s one rep.
Good for: transverse abs, rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: You’re able to fully engage your abs by moving slowly downward without the injury-risk associated with faster movements.
6. Deadbug – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start lying on back with arms extended toward ceiling in line with shoulders and legs bent to 90 degrees (knees above hips).
- Keep low back pressed into the floor, engage abs, and slowly extend and lower right leg until heel nearly touches floor and left arm until your hand nearly touches floor overhead at the same time.
- Pause, then return to start and repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep.
- Continue alternating.
Good for: rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abs
Why it rocks: This slow-and-controlled move strengthens and stabilizes (good for posture and easing low-back pain) without the threat of neck strain.
7. V-Up – Abs Exercises For Women
How to
- Start lying on back with legs extended and arms by sides, both on mat.
- In one movement, lift upper body, arms, and legs, coming to balance on tailbone, forming a “V” shape with body.
- Lower back down. That’s one rep.
Good for: rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: Because it involves lifting your arms and legs, this difficult move gets your heart rate up while pushing your core strength to its limit.
8. Side Plank – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start lying on side with right forearm flat on the floor, elbow under shoulder, and both legs extended. Body should form a straight line from head to feet, which are either stacked or staggered.
- Engage your core and lift hips up.
- Hold for 30 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Good for: obliques, transverse abs, rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: By working your core, hips, and shoulders one side at a time, side planks help you avoid strength imbalances.
9. Reverse Crunch – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start lying on back, legs lifted so thighs are perpendicular to ground and knees are bent.
- Press lower back into mat, then curl knees into chest to lift hips off the ground.
- Return to start with control. That’s one rep.
Good for: rectus abdominis
Why it rocks: The reverse crunch fires up your rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques without straining your neck and back.
10. Hollow Body Hold – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Sit on a mat with legs bent. (For an extra challenge, place a yoga block between knees.)
- Squeeze legs together and engage abs to lift bent legs so calves are parallel to the floor.
- Lift head, neck, and shoulders the floor.
- Pause and hold for 30 seconds or as long as possible with good form.
Good for: rectus abdominis, transverse abs, obliques
Why it rocks: This advanced move is a true test of core strength. You can up the challenge even more by adding ankle weights.
11. Lateral Bear Walk – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start in bear plank, with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips, hovering a few inches off of the floor.
- Keeping hips stable, head in line with tailbone, and knees lifted off of the floor, move hands and feet left for three steps. (Don’t let feet or hands cross.)
- Then, move hands and feet right for three steps. That’s one rep.
- Repeat on other side and continue alternating.
Good for: obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abs
Why it rocks: In addition to hitting your entire core, this more unusual movement pattern is great for coordination.
12. Bear Crawl – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start in bear plank, with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips, hovering a few inches off of the floor.
- Keeping hips stable, head in line with tailbone, and knees lifted off of the floor, slowly step opposite hand and foot forward, repeating with other hand and foot for four steps total.
- Then, reverse the movement to step backward and return to start. That’s one rep.
Good for: rectus abdominis, transverse abs
Why it rocks: The bear crawl fires up all of your major muscle groups to improve your muscular endurance. Speed it up and you’ll get some cardio perks, too.
13. Heel Taps – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start on back with knees bent and feet on floor, hands by hips.
- Lift chest toward the ceiling, keeping neck relaxed and bringing shoulder blades off the ground.
- Tap right hand to outside of right ankle, flexing right obliques in the process.
- Come back to center, keeping shoulders off ground.
- Tap left hand to outside of left ankle. That’s one rep.
Good for: obliques
Why it rocks: Easy-to-understand heel taps target your obliques in a big way. You’ll feel the burn instantly.
14. Beast Hold – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Start in bear plank, with shoulders over wrists and knees under hips, hovering a few inches off of the floor.
- Keeping hips stable, head in line with tailbone, and knees lifted off of the floor, squeeze core to remain still.
- For an extra challenge, lift one hand up off the floor for a few seconds, then repeat with the other hand.
Good for: rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abs
Why it rocks: This deceivingly difficult move gives you the perfect opportunity to really squeeze and engage those abs muscles.
15. Seated Rotation – Abs Exercises For Women
How to:
- Sit on the floor and lean upper body back until abs are engaged.
- Legs should be lifted and bent at 90 degrees, and arms should be bent, hands clasped, with elbows wide. This is your starting position.
- Rotate torso to right side so that right elbow is hovering just off mat.
- Keep lower body still while rotating upper body to left side until left elbow is just off mat.
- Return to start. Gaze follows hands as you move. That’s one rep.
Good for: obliques
Why it rocks: This classic obliques move is easy to modify. Make it easier by keeping feet planted, or up the intensity by hovering feet or holding a weight.