The 5 Best Standing Ab Exercises You Need to Lose Belly Fat and Build Core Strength
You don’t need to get on the floor for ab exercises to tighten up your midsection and get a stronger core.
You can strengthen your core, lose belly fat, and shape up your abs with standing exercises. Whether you are looking for exercises to do while at work or in the hotel, these standing ab exercises deliver intense workouts for the abs and more.
When exercises are done in an upright position, they engage more muscles and add challenges like balance and stability. They are also more functional and practical as they mimic daily movements like walking and stepping in.
If you are looking to maintain a great posture, standing abs workouts are a great way to engage back and spine-stabilizing muscles.
Ready to start? Grab a pair of lightweight dumbbells and let’s get started.
Here are 5 ab standing abs exercises to add to your routine.
1. Standing Bicycle Crunches
Traditional bicycle crunches are known to be the most effective moves to activate the abs, obliques, and the entire core.
For different reasons, if you don’t want to get on the floor, you can perform this intense ab exercise standing.
This ab workout incorporates rotational movements and is dynamic in nature. What’s more, you can do this without any equipment.
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bring your hands to your head
- Touch your right elbow to your left knee at the belly button height, twisting your upper body and crunching down
- Return to the starting position. Now perform on the opposite side, touching your left knee to your right elbow.
2. Dumbbell Wood Chop
If you are looking to hit the side abs, the dumbbell wood chop is the one to do. While the primary target muscle is your abdomen including the lower abs, it’s a full-body workout that involves your legs and glutes.
You only need one dumbbell for this workout.
How to:
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands.
- Set your feet about shoulder-width apart and stand straight with your abs engaged.
- Hinge your hips back and squat down as you bring the dumbbell diagonally down to the left knee level. Don’t arch your back. Be sure to get down low using your lower body.
- From the low point, slowly reverse the movement and bring your dumbbell up diagonally over your right shoulder. Keep your arms straight throughout.
- Repeat 8-10 repetitions. Repeat the exercise on your opposite side.
3. Dumbbell Windmill
The windmill exercise is often performed with a kettlebell, but if you don’t have one, you can easily use a dumbbell instead.
This exercise not only engages the side abdominals but also challenges your balance and stability.
How to:
- Hold a dumbbell with your right hand. Bring the dumbbell overhead with your arm straight. Turn your left foot slightly out.
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Turn your left foot outward while keeping the right leg as is.
- Hinge back from the hips and lean forward slightly with your left hand reaching the floor.
- Keep your eyes on the dumbbell as you lean down to touch the floor to keep your arm locked and stabilized with the weight.
- Complete 10 reps and switch sides.
4. Lunge with Twist
This is a full-body exercise with a lot of core activation. It’s a great functional move for beginners and anyone advanced.
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and abs engaged. Hold a dumbbell out in front of you.
- Step into a lunge with your right leg, keeping your upper body straight. After holding the position for a second, rotate your torso and arms to your left.
- Come back to start and repeat with the left leg.
5. Oblique Lateral Raise
This ab exercise effectively isolates the obliques.
How to:
- Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell with your right hand and hold it at your side
- Bend to the right, bringing the dumbbell down to the floor in a straight line
- Using your obliques, pull yourself back to the starting position
- Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch sides
To turn it up a notch, stand with your feet crisscrossed. This will allow you to increase the range of motion.