Forget crunches, sit-ups, and planks: This 10-minute standing ab workout blasts your core while building functional strength

Woman outdoors in sunshine in a sports bra with her abs on show — (Image credit: Getty/jacoblund)

Forget everything you know about ab workouts — you don’t need to spend hours lying on an exercise mat doing crunches and sit-ups to build a rock-solid core. In fact, some of the best exercises for building the functional fitness you need to carry a heavy bag of groceries or lift a toddler from a car seat actually come from standing ab exercises.

Yet if you’re new to standing ab workouts, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, if you’re looking for inspiration, you’ve landed in the right place. Below, I’ve shared my go-to standing ab workout from my favorite trainer, Courteney Fisher, the yoga and Pilates instructor behind Fit With Coco.

As a reminder, if you’re returning to fitness following an injury or pregnancy, it’s always best to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional.

What is the workout?

The workout, designed by Fisher, only takes 10 minutes and consists of six different exercises. You’ll need a set of dumbbells to get the most out of this workout — check out the best adjustable dumbbells for working out at home.

As a reminder, the right weight for you will feel challenging, but not impossible, by the final few reps. If at any time you feel like the weight is compromising your form, it’s too heavy. To avoid the risk of injury, it’s better to move with good form using a lighter weight.

Here are the exercises:

@justtcocoo
Standing ab workout!! Grab dumbbells and save this workout
♬ som original - Vibesovibes

Deep core marches: Think about really squeezing your core as you march one leg, then the other, up towards your torso. Suck your belly button into your spine and keep your arms straight, raising the dumbbell toward the ceiling.
Elbow to knee crunches: Complete all of your reps on one side, then switch to the other side. Think about moving slowly and with control, touching your elbow to your knee, pausing, then returning to your starting position.
Overhead press with march: This exercise is effectively a standing deadbug. As you raise your knee towards your torso, extend the dumbbell in the opposite hand toward the ceiling. Keep your core engaged throughout, switching sides to complete 10 reps on each side.
Sumo squat with oblique crunch: Complete a sumo squat, holding a dumbbell in one hand. At the bottom of the squat, use your obliques to lower into an oblique crunch on the same side. The movement should be coming from your core, so squeeze your abs. Complete all your reps on one side, then switch to the other.
Wood chops: This exercise works the internal and external obliques, as well as the deep transverse abdominis muscles that stabilize the spine. Remember to pivot your back foot as you turn, and keep your chest and eyes tracking the dumbbell.
Squat to standing bicycle: For this variation, hold the dumbbell with both hands behind your neck. As you rise from your squat, squeeze your core and complete a standing bicycle, bringing your elbow to your knee across your body.

What are the benefits?

As mentioned above, all of the exercises in this workout help you develop the functional fitness you’ll need in your everyday life, whether you’re swinging a golf club or carrying two heavy bags of groceries. The exercises in this workout are training your core to stabilize your spine while your limbs move.

Because you’re standing, you’re likely to be working harder and burning more calories doing these exercises than you would typically on the mat. All of these exercises are working more than just your core, but your midsection will be working hard to stabilize your body and work against gravity to keep you upright. You’re also less likely to strain your neck or lower back during standing ab exercises.

Finally, if you find it difficult to get down onto the floor due to an injury, mobility issues, or pregnancy, standing ab exercises are an excellent alternative. If you’re a beginner, you can do all of these exercises using just your bodyweight, and you’ll still be getting a great workout.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness Managing 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 ten 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.