Trainers Recommend These Standing Core Workouts For Building Strong Abs (2025)

How to:

1. Stand tall with your hands positioned behind your head and your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart.
2. Twist your entire torso and lift your left knee to chest while pulling your right side towards it.
3. Engage your core, as you reach your opposite elbow to your knee.
4. Return to standing and repeat on the opposite side.
5. To incorporate your glutes, add a squat in between each crunch. That's one rep.

How to:

1. Stand tall with your arms extended in front of you and your feet little wider than hip-width apart with an optional band around feet.
2. Bring one knee up to your chest and then return it to the ground.
3. Repeat with the other side, alternating.

How to:

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and extend your right arm out to your side at a 45-degree angle from your body.
3. Slowly lift your left leg up until your knee is at hip height.
4. Then, with control, lower your leg down to the ground.
5. Repeat, alternating sides.

How to:

1. Stand tall with your feet planted a little wider than hip-width apart. You can hold weights for an additional challenge or keep your hands level with the center of your chest.
2. Squat down and push up quickly, extending your arms overhead and twisting to one side.
3. Lower back down to the low squat and repeat alternating sides.

Why it rocks: Woodchops may feel silly, but it’s an effective move to strengthen the lower back and core, while also working on power, says Kirner. And don’t be surprised if your obliques feel a little sore the next day, because you’ll be working your *entire* trunk to stabilize the spine and move the weight across your body. Plus, this move is especially great prep for golfing, shoveling, or lifting a child out of the car.

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and toes facing forward and slightly pointed out.
2. Hold a light dumbbell (Kirner suggests 2 to 5 pounds) in both hands down by your right quad/thigh.
3. Exhale and twist at the waist as you lift the dumbbell diagonally and out from the opposite shoulder. (Think of this like a golf swing!)
4. Bring the weight back to the right thigh with control. That’s 1 rep.
5. Complete 8 to 10 reps on one side, then switch sides and repeat.

How to:

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms straight and raised above head.
2. Bend to left side while engaging your abs and keeping your spine long. (Think about mimicking a side crunch with the bend.)
3. Return to center and repeat on the right side. Continue alternating.

How to:

1. Start in a wide squat position with knees over your ankles and hands clasped behind head. (Optional: Place a resistance band under the ball of your left foot and hold the end in the left hand with elbow straight.)
2. Bend to left side, hinging at the waist and engaging your abs while holding the low squat position. That's one rep.
3. Repeat on the same side, then switch to the right side.

How to:

1. Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart.
2. Bend left knee into a side lunge position and reach with your right hand to touch the floor outside the left leg.
3. While extending left leg, bend right knee and reach with your left to touch the floor outside the right leg.
4. Continue alternating sides.

How to:

1. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, holding the slam ball around thigh level with elbows slightly bent.
2. Hinge forward extending right leg straight behind you and lowering the ball close to the floor. Maintain a slight bend in left knee.
3. Squeeze your left glute and hamstring as you rise back up to the starting position. That's one rep.
4. Repeat the full number of reps on this side, then switch legs.

Pro tip: If you want an extra challenge, try extending your arms overhead.

How to:

1. Stand about a foot behind your chair with your left leg closest to the back of the chair.
2. Rest hands on the top of the chair
3. Raise your right leg out to the side as high as possible and hold.
4. Circle your leg clockwise, moving from the hip. That's one rep.
5. Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

How to:

1. Start standing with feet wider than hip-width apart and rest hands behind your head.
2. Bend left knee as you lift the leg up and circle across your body.
3. Place foot back on the floor and repeat with the right leg.
4. Continue alternating sides.

How to:

1. Start standing with feet staggered wider than hips width apart, left food forward. (Optional: For an added challenge, hold a weight in right hand.)
2. Slowly hinge at the hips while reaching the right hand down the left shin
3. Return to stand upright. That's one rep.
4. Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

How to:

1. Start in a standing position, with feet wider than hip-width apart. Bend your arms, placing your hands behind your head.
2. Lift one leg up toward your body, bending your knee as you do, as if you were trying to touch your rip cage with your knee. Keep your upper body still.
3. Return to standing and repeat on the other side. That's one rep.

How to:

1. Start standing with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, with arms raised overhead and elbows bent so biceps are framing face.
2. Engage arm muscles and, with control, swing arms forward and down, stopping when they reach chest level.
3. Return to start with control. That's one rep.

How to:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a medicine ball in front of right hip.
2. Rise up on balls of feet while lifting weight overhead and pivoting on right foot to turn body toward left side as you swing medicine ball in arc with force to bounce off ground outside left foot.
3. Catch it on the bounce and return to start. That's one rep.
4. Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

Note: This exercise is a great one for targeting the obliques.

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your left hand.
2. Extend right arm out to your side at a 45-degree angle from your body and rack the dumbbell on left shoulder.
3. Brace your core and begin to raise the weight overhead, keeping your bicep close to your ear and palm facing toward you.
4. Lower back to shoulder with control. That's one rep.
5. Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.