Obliques on fleek. Cheesey but had to say it. To add to your 2021 workout rotation, we’re sharing five more moves that focus on your abs—the sides of your abs, to be exact. You can do the full series at home, and the only equipment you need is a dumbbell at your preferred weight.
If you want to take it to the next level, you can schedule this routine plus a round of these moves for your lower abs to really feel the burn and see quicker results.
Learn the exercises that will tighten and strengthen your core below.
The Routine:
Standing Oblique Crunch with Dumbbell
Standing DB Twist
Weighted Mermaid Lift
Plank Hip Taps
Plank Knee Cross and Open
The Move: Standing Oblique Crunch with Dumbbell
How to: Grab a light dumbbell and start with one leg as your balance leg. Tap the other leg out to the side as you extend the same side arm over your head. Keeping your balance, drive your knee toward your elbow and exhale as you engage your obliques. Imagine getting your ribs closer to your hips. To modify this exercise, remove the dumbbell.
The Move: Standing DB Twist
How to: Start with one dumbbell in your right hand with your arm extended up beside your head. Exhale and pull that elbow toward the opposite knee as you drive that knee upward toward your chest. With control, return back to start and slowly repeat with your abs controlling the movement, not your speed. To modify this exercise, you can also remove the dumbbell.
The Move: Weighted Mermaid Lift
How to: Lie on your side with your bottom arm extended out in front of you and your weight between your thighs. Cross your feet and keep your legs tight as you lift your legs upward by crunching your core and controlling your legs. Lower back to the ground and lower your upper body at the same time to make sure your core is controlling everything. Continue to lift your legs and upper body upward over your hips and lower with control. To modify this exercise, remove the dumbbell, or remove the dumbbell and just lift your top leg while using your bottom leg to balance.
The Move: Plank Hip Taps
How to: Start in the forearm plank position with a dumbbell under your hips. Lower your hips to each side and engage your core to pull your hips back up and over the dumbbell to tap to the other side. To modify this exercise, remove the dumbbell and start in a high plank on your knee, and stack your knees on top of each other as you lower to either side.
The Move: Plank Knee Cross and Open
How to: Start this exercise in a high plank and bend one knee to bring it under your body. Bring this knee toward the opposite elbow and then rotate it externally to lift it away from your body. Continue to rotate your hips as you cross your knee under your body and externally to the side as you control this transverse rotation. To modify this exercise, simply bring your knee up toward your opposite elbow then return your foot back to the starting position.
A former Division 1 high jumper and record holder at West Virginia University, Sydney is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sydney and her fiancé Dustin created the Royal Change digital media company and post a new, completely free workout every day. They have a quickly growing audience with over 53,000,000 views since they started their YouTube channel. Royal Change’s mission is to always provide high-quality fitness to everyone, everywhere, at any time.
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