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Aug 27, 2023

This abs workout for beginners sculpts a strong core in 4 moves and 20 minutes

Technogym and Barry’s Bootcamp trainer Harry Sellers reveals how to do it. If you need a beginner's guide to strengthening your core workouts, you’re in safe hands with Technogym talent trainer and

Technogym and Barry’s Bootcamp trainer Harry Sellers reveals how to do it.

If you need a beginner's guide to strengthening your core workouts, you’re in safe hands with Technogym talent trainer and Barry’s Bootcamp instructor Harry Sellers.

“When it comes to sculpting a strong and defined core, dumbbells can be your best friend,” he tells us. “While traditional ab exercises like crunches and planks are effective, adding dumbbells to your routine can take your ab workouts to the next level.”

This four-move beginner’s ab workout torches even the most developed ab muscles, but remember to scale up or down accordingly to suit your current fitness level. And if you experience pain, don’t be a soldier. Stop and listen to your body.

Exclusively for Tom’s Guide, Sellers put together his favorite ab exercises into a quick beginner-friendly core workout you can do from home or in the gym. Want to achieve those washboard abs you’ve always dreamed of? Here are Sellers' top exercises and tips.

Oblique twists are excellent for targeting the obliques, and adding dumbbells increases the intensity. Aim for 3 sets of 15-20 twists on each side. Learn how to do Russian twists here.

Here’s how to do it:

Progression: To make the exercise harder, bring your feet slightly off the floor or bench.

“Side bends are fantastic for working the oblique muscles,” Sellers explains. “Here’s how to perform them with dumbbells.”

Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each side.

A dumbbell sit-up is a great way to target your abdominal muscles and engage your hip flexors. Learn how to do sit-ups in more detail here. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each side.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Sellers explains: “The alternating leg extension in boat pose is a challenging yoga exercise that engages your core muscles and improves balance and stability.” Learn how to do leg raises in detail here. Aim for 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform it.

Starting position (boat pose):

Alternating leg extensions:

Sellers says: “Incorporating dumbbells into your ab workout routine can help you develop a stronger and more defined core. These exercises target various areas of your abdominal muscles, making them an excellent addition to your fitness regimen.”

Here are some tips to get the most bang for your buck.

“Correct form is crucial to prevent injury and ensure you’re targeting the right muscles,” Sellers says. “Whether you’re doing crunches, planks or any other ab exercise, focus on maintaining good posture and engaging your core muscles throughout the movement.”

According to Sellers, breathing “rhythmically” is crucial during your ab exercises. “Try to exhale as you contract your abdominal muscles (the hardest part of the exercise) and inhale as you release or relax,” he says. “This controlled breathing helps you maintain stability and prevents straining.”

If you’re a beginner to exercise, especially ab exercises, start with the basics and gradually progress as your strength improves. Going too hard too soon can lead to strain or injury, especially if you’re unused to contracting your core.

“It’s not about how many reps you can do, but how effectively you perform each rep,” says Sellers. “Ensure that you’re using the right muscles and that your form is correct. Once you can perform an exercise with perfect form, then consider increasing the number of reps or the resistance.”

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Sam Hopes is a level III fitness trainer, level II reiki practitioner, and resident fitness writer at Future PLC, the publisher of Tom's Guide. Having trained to work with mind and body, Sam is a big advocate of using mindfulness techniques in sport and fitness, and their impact on performance. She’s also passionate about the fundamentals of training and building sustainable training methods. When she's writing up her experiences with the latest fitness tech, you’ll find her writing about nutrition, sleep, recovery, and workouts.

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