5 Ways To Tone Your Abs Without Equipment: Quick & easy ways to build up that six-pack
Too often, when looking for ways to tone our abs or get rid of those love handles we are directed to exercises that require a pull-up bar, or a medicine ball, or dumbbells. The list of ab equipment goes on. If you are not one to accumulate and spend on gym equipment, here are five ways to tone your abs without using any equipment.
The simple fact is, you don’t need equipment to develop that six-pack. There are plenty of ab exercises and variations that will help you achieve your toning goals from the comfort (I use comfort lightly because no ab exercise is comfortable) of your living room.
To prove this, we’ve compiled 5 of our favorite ab exercises, along with a step-by-step guide and coaching tips to help you perform them perfectly and achieve those impeccable abs quicker than you thought possible.
1. Crunches
The undisputed go-to exercise for most ab enthusiasts, crunches have been the foundation of ab workouts for decades. Beginner-friendly and capable of producing impressive results, crunches are the best place to start our mini-tour of our favorite ab exercises.
Muscles Worked
Crunches target one of the major core muscles, the rectus abdominus, which is why they are so beneficial.
It’s popular too. The rectus abdominus is a long muscle, running the length of your abdomen to form the six-pack.
Other muscles that are less activated but still worked by crunches include:
- Transversus abdominus
- Internal oblique
- External oblique
Step-by-step guide to crunches
Step 1: Lie flat on your back. Then, bend your knees.
Step 2: Pull your belly button towards your spine to prep the movement. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades off the ground by 1-2 inches.
Step 3: Once your shoulder blades are off the ground, hold for a moment and then slowly return to the start position.
Step 4: Repeat for recommended number of reps.
Coaching Tips
Don’t go too high
It can be tempting to keep going beyond the recommended 1 or 2 inches. Doing this can be detrimental though, straining your back and reducing the effectiveness of the exercise. Once you go beyond 2 inches you start to engage other muscles, relieving the pressure on the rectus abdominus.
Neutral Spine
As you rise don’t lock your spine, let it stay neutral and relaxed, focusing the tension on the abs. by staying neutral your spine is in the strongest position to support you.
2. Toe Touches
These are a painful variation of ab crunches that use spinal flexion to work your abdominals. The added range of motion can help with your flexibility too so there’s an added bonus with these.
There are several variations of the toe touch, so once you master the original you can progress to lifting your legs or off-to-the-side to touches to really work the obliques.
Muscles worked
- Rectus abdominus
- Obliques
Step-by-step guide to toe touches
Step 1: Lie on your back with your legs straight and pointing upwards. Your back and feet should be at a 90-degree angle. Straighten your arms and raise them above your shoulders.
Step 2: Brace your core and slowly bring your shoulder blades off the ground reaching for your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, it is okay.
Step 3: Once you go as high as you can reach, hold for a moment and then lower yourself to the starting position.
Step 4: Repeat for recommended number of reps.
Coaching tips
Make it easier
If you struggle at first, try doing the exercise with just one leg raised. Once you master this movement you can progress to the two-leg version.
Lower the upper body slowly
Once you reach the top of the rep, slowly lower yourself to the ground. Once your upper body reaches the ground don’t rest it completely. This increases the activation time of your abdominals, working them harder.
3. Russian Twists
This simple and effective ab exercise is popular amongst athletes and gym-goers alike thanks to its twisting motion and ability to improve balance.
Working the obliques hard, Russian twists will tone your abs and eliminate those unwanted love handles.
It’s a big favorite of mine, supporting improved posture, balance, and movement. It also gives your legs and shoulders a bit of a workout too.
Muscles worked
Russian twists can activate all of your core muscles which is why they’re such a favorite among six-pack searchers. Primarily they activate:
- External obliques
- Internal obliques
- Transverse abdominus
Secondary activation is in:
- Rectus abdominus
- Hip flexors
- Erector spinae
- Scapular
- Latissimus dorsi
Step-by-step guide to Russian twists
Step 1: Sit down on a flat surface with your knees bent, back elongated at a 45-degree angle, and feet flat. Lift your feet off the ground and stabilize yourself.
Step 2: Once stable and in a nice V-shape between your torso and thighs, clap your hands just in front of you and slowly rotate to one side.
Step 3: Once fully rotated, hold for a moment and slowly rotate to the other side.
Step 4: Repeat for recommended number of reps.
Coaching tips
Maintain straight back
Throughout the exercise try to keep your torso and legs as engaged and stable as possible. For more stability, you can cross your lower legs but avoid slouching or arching of the spine as you work.
Follow your hands
Allowing your gaze to follow the movement of your hands can help perfect your form, avoid slouching, and maintain balance.
4. Reverse Crunches
Another crunch variation. Plenty of gym buffs swear by the reverse crunch, preferring the lower abdominal burn it provides compared to standard crunches.
As well as targeting a range of ab muscles, it has mobility benefits too, taking you through a full range of motion as you complete each rep.
Muscles worked
- Rectus abdominus
- Transverse abdominus
- External obliques
- Internal obliques
Step-by-step guide to reverse crunches
Step 1: Lying on your back, lift your legs and bend your knees to a 90-degree angle.
Step 2: Press your palms into the ground keeping your hands by your side. Bring your belly button towards your spine to engage your abs and then slowly pull your knees towards your chest, lifting your hips off the floor as you do. Hold for a moment at the top of the rep.
Step 3: Keeping your core engaged, slowly return to the starting position. Don’t let your feet touch the ground and hold for a moment.
Step 4: Repeat the move for recommended number of reps.
Coaching tips
Avoid rocking
As you perform the exercise it can be tempting to rock back and forth as your knees go to and fro. To avoid this engage your core against the momentum and brace your torso so it remains still. Breathing in as you crunch and out as you extend will help too.
Make it harder
For a more advanced version straighten your legs at the top and bottom of every rep.
5. Ankle Taps
For total agony but huge benefits, consider making ankle taps your go-to ab exercise. Engaging the obliques, you can work away those unwanted love handles with this exercise.
It’s a simple exercise to complete, recommended for all fitness levels.
Muscles worked
- External obliques
- Internal obliques
- Transverse abdominus
Step-by-step guide to ankle taps
Step 1: Lie flat on your back. this time with your knees bent. Makes sure your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor slightly and your hands by your side.
Step 2: Reach towards the outside of one ankle, twisting your torso keeping your head and shoulders off the floor.
Step 3: Alternate touching each ankle with your hands by moving side-to-side.
Step 4: Repeat for recommended number of reps.
Coaching tips
Stay flat
Keep your back flat to the floor. It can be tempting to arch as you reach for your ankle but doing this can relieve pressure and activation of your obliques, limiting the benefits that can be gained from the exercise.
Final Thoughts
There we have it. Five ab exercises that don’t require equipment but will no doubt help you achieve that six-pack and obliterate those love handles.
Remember that all these exercises are most beneficial alongside a decent helping of cardio exercise and good nutrition too.
How to use this guide? You can choose one of the five exercise listed here and work on this for a week. Then, come back again and switch to a different one for the second week and so on. Once you have completed all five different exercises here, start over again or go with one that works best for you.
