Ab - Tabata

11 min

6 exercises

It's Ab Tabata time! Only 4 minutes per exercise! If you feel as if you need more work, go all the way round again!

Sit-ups

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Tabata 1 - If necessary, place your feet under something to help you along!

Reverse Crunch

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Tabata 2 - Keep your arms grounded and pull your body back using those abs!

Windshield Wipers

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Tabata 3 - Left to right = one complete rep!

Double Crunches

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Tabata 4 - Almost there! Push through the burn.

Cross Body Mountain Climbers

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Tabata 5 - The final hurdle, can you got through this again?

Corpse Pose

Annnnnnnd zone out.

This Ab - Tabata 11 min gym workout plan effectively targets your abs. Easily follow this workout with confidence on your phone or printable exercise program with our clear exercise demonstrations. You can also look up step-by-step instructions for each of the 6 exercises and see which muscle groups they target. Enjoy!

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Ab - Tabata

11 min

6 exercises

It's Ab Tabata time! Only 4 minutes per exercise! If you feel as if you need more work, go all the way round again!

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Sit-ups

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Set 1 of 4

Rest before next set

Get ready

321GO

Tabata 1 - If necessary, place your feet under something to help you along!

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. You can have someone hold your feet or place them under something to keep them steady.
Place your hands behind your head, elbows pointing out.
Engage your abs and lift your head, neck and shoulders up. Pretend you are holding a small ball under your chin.
Hold and then return to starting position.

Reverse Crunch

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Set 1 of 4

Rest before next set

Get ready

321GO

Tabata 2 - Keep your arms grounded and pull your body back using those abs!

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Lie flat on an exercise mat on the floor.
Extend your legs fully and place your hands palms down, flat on the floor beside you.
Keeping your feet together, draw your knees up towards your chest, until your thighs are at 90 degrees to the floor and your calves are parallel to it. This is the start position.
As you inhale, curl your hips up off the floor while bringing your knees further towards your chest.
Continue the movement until your knees are touching your chest, or as far as comfortable.
Hold for a count of one.
In a controlled movement, return your legs to the start position, exhaling as you do so.
Repeat.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Obliques

Secondary:

Glutes & Hip Flexors

Lie on your back on a flat bench.
Reach overhead and grab the top of the bench with both hands.
Brace your abdominal muscles.
Straighten your legs and lift them up. Stop when they are above parallel.
Contract your abdominals as you bend your knees and bring your legs up and towards the top of the bench.
Pause then slowly release your legs to the starting position, making sure to keep the contraction in your abdominals.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Secondary:

Lower Back

Lie on your back on a mat with hands under your lower buttocks on either side to support your pelvis.
Legs straight out in front of you, ankles together and feet slightly off the floor.
Keep your knees straight and raise your legs by flexing the hips until they are completely flexed.
Return to starting position.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Secondary:

Lower Back

Lie flat with hands under your buttocks.
Keep your knees together and pull them in towards you while moving your torso towards them (lift your head, neck and shoulders up).
Hold and then slowly return to starting position.

Windshield Wipers

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Set 1 of 4

Rest before next set

Get ready

321GO

Tabata 3 - Left to right = one complete rep!

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Obliques

Lie on an exercise mat, keeping your back flat with no arching of the spine.
Extend your arms out beside you at shoulder level, with your palms pressed firmly to the floor. Your upper body should form a “T” shape.
Raise your feet off the floor by bending your hips and knees to 90 degree angles. This is the start position.
As you exhale, rotate both your thighs to one side until the outer thigh touches the ground or until you feel a stretch in your abs and lower back.
Pause briefly, then rotate to the other side without pausing in the start position.
When you have rotated to both sides, that is one repetition.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

This exercise has 3 levels of difficulty: Beginner – with the knees and hip bent as described above; intermediate – feet up with knees at 90 degrees but the hips remaining in a neutral position; advanced –legs straight and hips bent at 90 degrees so your body forms an “L”.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Secondary:

Lower Back

Lie on your back on a mat with hands under your lower buttocks on either side to support your pelvis.
Legs straight out in front of you, ankles together and feet slightly off the floor.
Keep your knees straight and raise your legs by flexing the hips until they are completely flexed.
Return to starting position.

Double Crunches

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Set 1 of 4

Rest before next set

Get ready

321GO

Tabata 4 - Almost there! Push through the burn.

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Lie on your back. Bring your knees up to a 90-degree angle. Shins should be parallel to the floor. Place your hands behind your head and bring your shoulders off the ground.
Exhale and contract your abdominals. Bring your head towards your knees while moving your knees toward your chest.
Pause and return to the starting position.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Obliques

Secondary:

Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps

Lie flat on an exercise mat on the floor keeping your lower back straight with no arching of your spine and with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands lightly on the sides of your head.
Curl your torso upwards so your shoulders are slightly raised off the floor..
Raise your knees until your thighs are at a right angle to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. This is the start position.
Slowly move your legs in a pedaling action as if you are riding a bicycle.
As you do so, exhale and bring your opposing elbow close to each knee by crunching to one side. Left elbow to right knee. Right elbow to left knee.
After each crunch, return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
Without pausing, repeat the movement to the other side.
Repeat without pausing for the desired number of repetitions to each side.

Do not use your hands to pull your head and neck up during this exercise. Doing so may cause injury. Concentrate on a slow rhythmic cycle from side to side with perfect form for each repetition.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs

Secondary:

Glutes & Hip Flexors

Lie flat on an exercise mat, extending your arms straight back behind your head.
Fully extend your legs also. This is the start position.
Bend at your waist and at the same time, raise your legs and arms to meet in a closed jackknife position. Exhale as you do this.
At this point, your legs should remain fully extended at between 35-45 degrees from the floor.
Your arms should be fully extended, parallel to your legs.
Your upper body should be raised off the floor.
Return to the start position by lowering your arms and legs back to the floor, exhaling as you do so.
Repeat.

Cross Body Mountain Climbers

4 sets

20 secs

10 sec rest

Set 1 of 4

Rest before next set

Get ready

321GO

Tabata 5 - The final hurdle, can you got through this again?

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Obliques

Secondary:

Abs

Assume a push-up position. Core is tight. Back is flat. Hands are underneath the shoulders. Head is in neutral position.
Bring one knee up towards your chest and twist towards the opposing elbow. (Ex: Right knee to left elbow.)
Contract the core and return the leg to the starting position.
Alternate between legs.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Glutes & Hip Flexors

Secondary:

Chest, Shoulders

Place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
Extend your torso and legs fully behind you with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.
Your body should be in a straight line, with your weight supported on your hands and toes only.
Starting with either leg, flex your knee and hip at the same time to bring your knee up and under your hip. Your other leg should remain fully extended. This is the start position.
Using an explosive movement, reverse the position of your legs, by extending the bent leg back and simultaneously flexing the straight leg until it is in the startposition.
Continue alternating in this manner for the desire amount of time.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Obliques

Secondary:

Hamstrings, Quadriceps

Standing up straight, bring your hands behind your head so that your elbows are pointed to the sides.
Twisting your body, bring your left elbow down and across your body. At the same time, raise your right knee up and across to meet the left elbow.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side and continue alternating.

Primary muscle group(s):

Abs, Obliques

Secondary:

Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps

Lie flat on an exercise mat on the floor keeping your lower back straight with no arching of your spine and with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands lightly on the sides of your head.
Curl your torso upwards so your shoulders are slightly raised off the floor..
Raise your knees until your thighs are at a right angle to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. This is the start position.
Slowly move your legs in a pedaling action as if you are riding a bicycle.
As you do so, exhale and bring your opposing elbow close to each knee by crunching to one side. Left elbow to right knee. Right elbow to left knee.
After each crunch, return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
Without pausing, repeat the movement to the other side.
Repeat without pausing for the desired number of repetitions to each side.

Do not use your hands to pull your head and neck up during this exercise. Doing so may cause injury. Concentrate on a slow rhythmic cycle from side to side with perfect form for each repetition.

Corpse Pose

No sets / reps / duration specified

Sets/Reps not set

Get ready

321GO

Annnnnnnd zone out.

Start

Primary muscle group(s):

Lower Back

Secondary:

Abs, Glutes & Hip Flexors

Place a towel or yoga pillow on a soft surface like a carpet or yoga mat. Lie on your back positioning your head on the towel or pillow.
Allow your legs to fully extend. Make sure your feet are shoulder distance apart with toes facing slightly outward.
Place your arms on the ground away from your body. You should be able to feel your lower back touching the ground. Close your eyes. Hold and maintain this position while taking deep breaths for the prescribed amount of time.

Workout done!

Exercises done

of 6

Total time

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