If you’re looking for a quick ab burner to add to the end of your next strength session, stop the search, as I’ve found exactly what you’re looking for. I love nothing more than adding a set of dumbbells to my Pilates workouts to really up the intensity, and sculpt strong, lean muscles, and this 10-minute ab routine ticks all the boxes.
The workout is designed by Lilly Sabri, a Pilates instructor and physiotherapist with over 15 years of experience. All you’ll need for this workout is your bodyweight and, if you have them, a set of light dumbbells. Sabri uses a set of 3kg dumbbells during the workout. I opted for a set of 1kg weights, as I’m still rebuilding my core strength after the birth of my first baby. If you're working out from home, investing in a set of the best adjustable dumbbells can increase the intensity of your workouts.
As a reminder, if you’re a complete beginner, you’re pregnant or recently postpartum, or you’re recovering from an injury, it’s always a good idea to seek personalized advice from a qualified professional before trying a new workout.
What is the workout?
This workout involves ten different Pilates exercises. You’ll do each move for 50 seconds, followed by a 10 second rest to reset. If you don’t have weights, you could use two water bottles, or books, or just complete the workout using your bodyweight.
Here’s the exercises involved:
- Pilates roll down
- Toe taps
- Toe taps and single leg stretch
- Weighted deadbugs
- Toe tap and press/ single leg stretch and fly (right side)
- Toe tap and press/ single leg stretch and fly (left side)
- Sit up and press
- Tabletop hold
- Double leg crunch
- Boat hold knee hovers
I just tried this 10-minute Pilates dumbbell workout, and my core is on still shaking
You can file this workout as one that is far, far harder than it looks. I grabbed a set of dumbbells and was naively tricked by the first couple of moves; however, as soon as we got to the weighted deadbugs, I realized this was a slow burner, and my core was on fire.
This workout targets the deepest core muscles and pelvic floor, which act like a corset, wrapping around your torso. These muscles help protect your lower back and support proper bowel and bladder function, which is particularly important after childbirth.
The key here, as with all ab exercises, is to move slowly and with control. As my core quivered, I focused on my breath and kept my lower back pressed down into the floor. Sabri makes it look easy, but this workout really challenges your abdominal muscles in just ten minutes.
Of course, my abs looked the same once I finished (sadly, building a six pack takes a lot longer), but I could feel the burn in my midsection as I sat at my desk throughout the day. This is a great workout to tag on to the end of a strength session, or squeeze in between meetings to break up the time sitting down at your desk. What are you waiting for? Grab those dumbbells and give this a try.
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