Give me five minutes of your time, and I'll give you a beginner-friendly workout you can do standing up to strengthen your core and improve posture. That means no pesky sit-ups, Russian twists, or planks on your radar...for the next five minutes, at least.
By day, I'm a fitness editor at Tom's Guide, but I'm also a personal trainer, and I've been teaching clients to work with (not against) their bodies for years. I know that getting down on the ground isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean you don't want to build a strong core, especially if you sit for long periods and your posture takes a hit.
Follow this short, five-minute standing abs workout below, and let me know what you think. I recommend a set of light dumbbells, even the best adjustable dumbbells if you want to save money, and an exercise mat.
Watch: 5-minute standing workout for your core
You'll perform five movements once through, and it's as simple as that. You work for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds to transition to the next exercise. Call it exercise snacking, if you will. This can be done as a quick blitz before work, or during your lunch break, or just before bed, if you prefer to wind down by torching your abs.
If you have time for a longer workout, you can add as many rounds as you like. Alternatively, add it as a finisher, or as an addition to other strength workouts, running routines, or sports you enjoy. The choice is yours.
You'll perform five movements once through, and it's as simple as that. You work for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds to transition.
Best of all, you don't need to get down on the mat at any point, as all five exercises target various core muscles without kneeling or sitting. That means many beginners or those with limited mobility should be able to try it. That said, if you're currently working with a health condition or injury, I recommend speaking with a qualified medical professional or trainer before trying this routine alone.
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- Low squat hold x Arnold press: Take a wide stance with your toes pointed slightly outward, then sit your hips back and lower into a deep squat hold while bracing your stomach. Your chest should be proud and your back straight. Hold your weights at shoulder height, palms facing you, elbows bent. Perform the press by pushing the weights overhead while rotating your arms to face away from you at the top. Reverse the movement back to the starting position. Try to stay in the squat hold throughout.
- Standing bicycle crunch: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Rotate your right elbow and left knee to touch in front of your body, then return to standing. Repeat on the other side. Keep your core engaged and squeeze your abs as you draw your elbow and knee together.
- Standing crunches: Hold a dumbbell in each hand overhead and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core. Bend your elbows and draw them down as you lift one knee to meet them. Return to standing and repeat, this time lifting the opposite leg. Focus on curling your body in and moving slowly.
- Overhead marches: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and weights extended overhead. Engage your core. Lift one knee to hip-height slowly, then return to standing. Change sides. Continue marching while keeping your back straight and spine long. Keep your gaze ahead and biceps close to your ears.
- Windmills: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width and hold a weight in your right hand. Extend your right arm overhead and brace your core. Slowly hinge sideways at your waist and slide your left hand down the outside of your left leg toward your foot. Keep your right arm punched overhead and your gaze on your right hand. You should feel a crunch in your left side body and a stretch through your right. Remember to switch sides.
The benefits
Here are some of the benefits you could expect
Rather than just targeting your abs using crunches or sit-ups, you can target more muscles through sideways motion, bending, extending and rotating. Your obliques (internal and external), transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, abs (including lower abs) and the muscles surrounding your spine will be working to support your torso, as will your hip flexors as you lift and lower your legs.
Low impact
While exercises performed on your back can be more supportive for your spine, standing core exercises are especially useful for people with mobility issues or pregnant women who might struggle to get down on a mat. While not all of these exercises may suit those with existing injuries, pain, or those who are pregnant, standing exercises as a whole are more accessible overall.
Teaching your body to withstand tension under load while standing is also improving functional strength, as many of the daily activities we perform are done while standing. This means you learn to elongate your spine, brace your stomach and keep an upright torso position without relying on the ground.
Boost posture
Performed with good form, plenty of core engagement and a long, straight spine, these moves can strengthen many of the stabilizer muscle groups that support your back, which could also aid posture. You'd also need to pair this with back-strengthening exercises that target the deeper back muscles in the mid-upper back and rear shoulders for all-round posture benefits, though.
Repeatable
This short routine can be slipped into workouts several times per week, and you can progressively load each move as you get stronger. Play around with your reps, sets, or working/rest times to find challenges in unexpected places, and don't play it too safe with your load.
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