- Kneel on the floor on all fours and place the ab roller in front of you.
- Grab hold of either end of the roller with each hand.
- Engage your abs and slowly roll the roller forward in a straight line until your body stretches in a straight position.
- Try to roll down as far as you can without touching the floor.
- Inhale in as you roll down.
- Pull yourself back to the starting position by exhaling and rolling back slowly. Maintain tight abs throughout the movement.
Core Control
40 min
·
9 exercises
Using your notes from 2 weeks ago, can you increase the weight on all weight-using exercises? You know that you can, so do it! For all other 'rep' exercises you'll find less time, and more reps! Abs are imminent!
If no ab roller is present, use a barbell!
1:00 rest
Get those knees up!
1:00 rest
Hit each side once per set!
1:00 rest
Hit each side once per set!
1:00 rest
Back and fourth, it's not that heavy!
1:00 rest
Increase the weight, now!
1:00 rest
12 reps per side per set!
1:00 rest
You're almost there, challenge yourself with heavier weight!
1:00 rest
This is the final exercise, give it all you've got!
About this workout
Core Control is a free 40 min workout plan with 9 illustrated exercises for your abs. Follow the workout online, save it to your WorkoutLabs Fit account or download it as a printable PDF.
Tap any exercise in the workout to see the muscles worked, clear exercise illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Each workout includes sets, reps, rest times and notes so you can follow the plan without guessing.
Workout details
- Duration: 40 min
- Exercises: 9
- Training focus: Abs
- Format: Interactive workout and printable PDF
For more ready-made training plans, try WorkoutLabs Fit. You can follow visual workouts, build your own routines, manage your training calendar and track your progress. Sign up today to claim your free week.
Questions about this workout
How long does the Core Control take?
The full workout takes about 40 minutes, covering 9 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your abs, obliques. Tap any exercise in the workout to see a muscle diagram showing exactly which primary and secondary muscles it activates.
How often should I do this workout?
For best results, do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day in between, and pair it with sessions that target other muscle groups.
Can I download or save this workout?
Yes – you can download this workout as a free printable PDF using the download button, or save it to a free WorkoutLabs Fit account to follow it on your phone, customize the exercises and track your progress.
Core Control
40 min
·
9 exercises
Using your notes from 2 weeks ago, can you increase the weight on all weight-using exercises? You know that you can, so do it! For all other 'rep' exercises you'll find less time, and more reps! Abs are imminent!
Ab Roller
If no ab roller is present, use a barbell!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Biceps, Shoulders
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Lower Back
Secondary:
Biceps, Calves, Chest, Forearms, Shoulders
- Stand tall with your legs extended straight.
- Bend over from the hips and touch the floor with your palms flat on the floor.
- Keep your legs straight as you walk your hands as far forward as you can. Don’t let your hips sag.
- Take small steps and walk your feet to your hands.
- Continue for the desired amount of repetitions and then straighten up to the starting position.
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.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
- Lie down on a padded surface. Have your arms extended above your head with your feet straight out in front of you. Point the toes down and forward.
- Begin the movement by contracting the core. Simultaneously, move the hands and feet up. Keep the legs and arms straight.
- With your gaze straight ahead, bring your chest and legs off of the ground, focusing all of the tension in your core. Hold this position for as long as you can. Afterward, slowly return to the starting position.
Captain's Chair Leg Raises
Get those knees up!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Lower Back
- Place your forearms are on the pads or bars of the apparatus you are using and grip the handles or bars. Your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and your upper arms in a straight line with your sides.
- Your torso should be straight and your lower back pressed against the pad of the bench if using one.
- Keep your legs extended and pointing down to the floor. This is the start position.
- Exhale and as you do so, lift your legs up in a smooth arc bending at the knees until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Hold for a count of one.
- Return to the start position in a smooth, controlled movement while inhaling.
- Repeat.
Do not use momentum or swing your legs to perform this exercise. As your strength increases, you can rotate your pelvis forward at the top of the movement to engage more of your lower abdominal muscles. You can also keep your legs fully extended throughout the movement to increase the resistance and difficulty of the exercise.
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.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Stand a dumbbell on one of its plates about 2 feet away from the edge of a bench and sit comfortably on the edge of that bench, using you hand-grip for support. Fully extend your legs towards the dumbbell.
- Using your amazing foot-eye coordination, pin each foot underneath the top plate of the standing dumbbell, on either side of its bar.
- Bring your knees in towards your chest, taking care not to drop the dumbbell in the process, and hold them as close as you can to your chest for 1 second.
- Extend the legs back down towards the floor to the starting position.
Upward Cable Wood Chops
Hit each side once per set!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Obliques
Secondary:
Shoulders
- Stand with your side to the cable machine. Grab the handle with the opposing hand first. Keep a flat back and tight core throughout the movement. Squat down by bending your knees and driving your hips back.
- Keeping your feet in position, rise and twist the weight to the opposite side of your body.
- Pause, contract the muscle and slowly return to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
- Adjust the pulley lever to be above you. Stand next to a pulley machine with your left side. Grab the handle with both hands. Brace your core and separate your feet to outside of shoulder width.
- Begin the movement by twisting with your obliques to pull the handle down and across your body.
- Once the handle is on the right side of your body, pause and slowly return the handle to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings, Obliques, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves, Hamstrings
- Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
- Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
- Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
- Stand with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart and hold the medicine ball with one hand at either side in front of your chest.
- Rotate your body from the waist up to the left side and raise the medicine ball over your left shoulder, not quite fully extending your arms. Be sure to get extra reach by pointing your right toe.
- Using a chopping motion, bring the ball diagonally across the front of your body so that the ball ends on the outer side of your right shin.
- Bring the ball straight up the right side of your body and again move diagonally across your body once again to complete the motion.
Double Side Jackknifes
Hit each side once per set!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Obliques
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Bring yourself to the ground and lie on your left side. Be sure to stack your feet.
- Place your left hand on your side while raising your right arm above your head so that the elbow is pointing towards the sky.
- Focusing all of the tension and contraction in the obliques, bring your feet up while you raise your upper body. Lead with the right elbow.
- Hold the contraction and slowly return to the starting position. Do not allow your feet or shoulder to touch the ground.
- Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Lower Back
- Lie on an exercise mat and place your feet your under something that will not move or ask a spotter hold them down for you. Keep your knees bent.
- Raise your upper body from the mat to form V-shape with your thighs.
- Keep your arms fully extended in front of your chest, clasping your hands together.This is the start position.
- In a smooth motion, twist your upper body to the right until you feel a stretch in your back and sides. Keep your arms parallel to the floor and exhale as you do this. Hold for a count of one and inhale.
- Return to the start position while breathing out.
- Repeat the movement,this time to the left side of your body.
- Repeat.
As your strength increases, you can hold a weight plate or medicine ball in front of you to increase resistance and engage other muscle groups.
Swiss Ball Hand Off
Back and fourth, it's not that heavy!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Sitting on the ground, begin by placing a Swiss Ball between your feet. Lie back and extend your arms overhead.
- Contract your abdominals and your hip flexors, simultaneously bringing your upper and lower body together. Carefully pass the Swiss Ball to yourself and lower back to the starting position.
- Repeat the contraction and place the Swiss Ball between your feet again. Slowly descend to the starting position, alternating the back and forth motion.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Lie face up on with a medicine ball between your hands and your arms extended behind you. Keep your arms and legs straight and then raise your feet an inch off the floor.
- Raise your torso and legs up at the same time and touch the medicine call to your feet. Hold for a moment.
- Lower down to starting position with arms and ball behind your head.
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.
Cable Core Rotation
Increase the weight, now!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Obliques
- Adjust the pulley handle to chest height. Step out and away from the weight. Feet are shoulder-width. Stand with a tight core and flat back. Push the handle out in front of you. Keep elbows slightly bent.
- Twist from the hips. Move arms across the body, achieving a full extension.
- Return to starting position.
- Once complete, do the same amount of sets/reps on the other side.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings, Obliques, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves, Hamstrings
- Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
- Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
- Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Obliques
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Lower Back
- Sit on an exercise mat with your legs fully extended and your upper body upright.
- Grip a weight plate between both hands.
- Hold the plate out in front of your abdominals keeping your arms bent slightly.
- Cross your your ankles and raise them off the floor slightly.
- Bend your knees towards you slightly.
- Lean back about 15 degrees to balance your body. This is the start position.
- In a smooth motion,turn your torso to the left and touch the plate on the floor. Make sure you exhale as you do this.
- Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
- Repeat the same movement, this time to your right side, again exhaling as you do so.
- Return to start position and repeat.
When performing this exercise, use smooth controlled movements. Jerking or using momentum to swing the weight can cause serious lower back injury.
Plank Leg Lifts
12 reps per side per set!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Lie on a mat and position yourself in a plank position. Place your elbows on the floor beneath your shoulders. Your toes should touch the floor and your torso should be lifted in a straight line.
- Engage your core muscles and lift one foot off the floor. Keep the rest of your body as still as you can. Your heel should lift until it is in line with your buttocks.
- Slowly lower the leg to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
Weighted Russian Twists
You're almost there, challenge yourself with heavier weight!
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Obliques
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Lower Back
- Sit on an exercise mat with your legs fully extended and your upper body upright.
- Grip a weight plate between both hands.
- Hold the plate out in front of your abdominals keeping your arms bent slightly.
- Cross your your ankles and raise them off the floor slightly.
- Bend your knees towards you slightly.
- Lean back about 15 degrees to balance your body. This is the start position.
- In a smooth motion,turn your torso to the left and touch the plate on the floor. Make sure you exhale as you do this.
- Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
- Repeat the same movement, this time to your right side, again exhaling as you do so.
- Return to start position and repeat.
When performing this exercise, use smooth controlled movements. Jerking or using momentum to swing the weight can cause serious lower back injury.
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.
Downward Cable Wood Chops
This is the final exercise, give it all you've got!
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
- Adjust the pulley lever to be above you. Stand next to a pulley machine with your left side. Grab the handle with both hands. Brace your core and separate your feet to outside of shoulder width.
- Begin the movement by twisting with your obliques to pull the handle down and across your body.
- Once the handle is on the right side of your body, pause and slowly return the handle to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings, Obliques, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves, Hamstrings
- Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
- Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
- Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
- Stand with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart and hold the medicine ball with one hand at either side in front of your chest.
- Rotate your body from the waist up to the left side and raise the medicine ball over your left shoulder, not quite fully extending your arms. Be sure to get extra reach by pointing your right toe.
- Using a chopping motion, bring the ball diagonally across the front of your body so that the ball ends on the outer side of your right shin.
- Bring the ball straight up the right side of your body and again move diagonally across your body once again to complete the motion.
Workout done!
Exercises done
of 9
Total time
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