No, Not Planks — Personal Trainer Reveals 5 Essential Standing Ab Moves

a photo of a woman with strong abs holding dumbbells — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

When it comes to building a rock-solid core, your go-to exercises are probably planks, sit-ups, and crunches. But if you’re looking to mix things up, or you don’t have the space to unroll an exercise mat, standing ab workouts are the way to go.

Far from being the easy option, standing ab exercises force your core to work harder as you’re working against gravity, challenging your balance and stability as you move. You’ll also be working your lower body and upper body more than you would if you were lying on the floor.

Standing ab moves are also great for building functional fitness, as many standing ab exercises mimic twisting, lifting, and reaching movements you make in your day-to-day life. Most standing ab exercises will also be kind to your spine and neck, as you’re not lying on a mat in a crunch position. That said, as always, if you have suffered a back or neck injury, or you’re pregnant or postpartum, it’s always a good idea to check with a doctor before trying a new exercise routine.

What are the exercises?

Ready to get started? To increase the resistance, you’ll want to grab a set of the best adjustable dumbbells for this workout. The right weight will make the final few reps of each exercise feel challenging, but never impossible. If you find you’re hunching your back or struggling to complete the move with good form, the weight is too heavy.

The exercises are recommended by certified personal trainer Heather Robertson. She doesn’t go into detail about the number of reps, so I’d recommend starting with 5-10 reps of each exercise on each side, then repeating the circuit twice through to build a longer ab workout. To make it more challenging, increase the number of sets or use a heavier dumbbell.

Here are the exercises:

Standing twist
Side bends
Wood chop
Side drive
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Standing Abs Exercises - YouTube

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To ensure you’re moving with good form, keep your core engaged throughout the workout, thinking about sucking your belly button into your spine. Move slowly, and with control throughout.

What are the benefits?

As well as working your abdominal muscles, you’re challenging your balance and stability during this workout. Unlike planks, which are a great ab exercise, you’re working on your functional fitness, and training your body to safely execute these movements, reducing your risk of injury.

Compared to typical mat exercises, you’re also using all planes of motion during this workout. You’re asking your core to keep you balanced as you twist from side to side, move the dumbbell diagonally across your body, and stand on one leg. While your core probably won’t look any different, standing ab exercises like this help strengthen your deep core muscles, and when paired with a good diet and other strength and cardio workouts, can help sculpt visible abs.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.

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