This 20-minute abs workout is part of the Women's Health 30-Day Workout Challenge. For this part of the exercise program, all you need is yourself and a mat to strengthen and sculpt your core with 17 bodyweight exercises.
I've designed this to be an AMRAP workout, meaning that your goal is to do as many reps as possible (with proper form!) for each move in the time allotted, rest as indicated, and then continue on to the next exercise. It's intended to fire up all your abs muscles, from your upper abs to your obliques, so don't be surprised if you feel it the next day—but in a good way!
You can workout along with me by watching the video above, or keep scrolling for a breakdown of each move, including instructions and a visual exercise demo.
To access follow-along videos of each workout routine, download the All/Out Studio fitness app. Get your first month free with code FREE30 at checkout, or become a Women's Health+ member for 60 days free!
The Workout
Time: 20 minutes
- Warmup: 6 moves (30 seconds each)
- Round 1: 4 moves (45 seconds each, 10 seconds rest), repeat for two total rounds
- Round 2: 4 moves (45 seconds each, 10 seconds rest), repeat for two total rounds
- Round 3: 3 moves (30 seconds each), repeat for two total rounds
Equipment: Mat
Warmup
For each exercise, complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. Then, continue to the next move.
Cat Cow
How to: Start on hands and knees, knees under hips and shoulders over wrists. Tops of feet should be flat on the mat. Inhale, bringing gaze up to the ceiling and belly button toward the ground. At the same time, open chest and move tailbone toward the ceiling. Then exhale and curve back toward the ceiling, pushing shoulders and chest away from the mat. Draw belly button toward spine, and tuck tailbone under.
Bird Dog
How to: Start on hands and knees with toes tucked under, knees under hips, and shoulders over wrists. Reach left arm forward while reaching left leg straight back with foot flexed. Pause when foot and hand are in line. Return to center, and repeat with right arm and left leg. Keep back flat throughout.
Downward Dog Leg Kick
How to: Start in plank position, feet hip-distance apart, hands shoulder-width apart. Lift hips to move into downward-facing dog pose, pointing tailbone up and pressing heels into the floor. Lift right leg straight back and up, keeping right foot firmly flexed. Bring right leg back down to mat, then repeat the move on left leg. Continue alternating legs for 30 seconds.
Plank To Bear Plank
How to: Start in plank position. Maintaining stable hips, walk left foot in and then the right so that knees are directly below hips, keeping knees hovering a few inches above the ground. Walk feet back out to plank and repeat.
Alternating Knee To Chest
How to: Start standing with feet hip-distance apart. Lift right knee up, grabbing shin with both hands and hugging knee to chest. Keep left leg straight and torso tall. Release and repeat on opposite side. Continue alternating sides for 30 seconds.
Standing Obliques
How to: Start standing, with hands behind head and feet hip-distance apart. Lift right knee up and out to the side while bringing right elbow toward knee to "crunch" the side body. Repeat on opposite side. Continue alternating legs for 30 seconds.
Round 1
For each exercise, complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds, and then continue to the next move. Repeat for 2 total rounds.
In-Place Skips
How to: Start standing, feet hip-distance apart. Bring right knee up to hip height, keeping foot flexed, while bringing left elbow forward and right elbow back. Repeat on opposite side, adding a hop in between to turn the move into a skip.
Plank Jacks
How to: Start in plank position, feet together. Jump feet apart, slightly wider than mat. Jump feet back together, keeping hips stable and body in line. Repeat.
Crunches
How to: Start on back with knees bent and hands behind head. Keeping lower back pressed into the mat and belly button pulled in, lift chest toward the ceiling until shoulder blades come off the mat. Lower down and repeat.
Lateral Walking Plank
How to: Start in plank position, shoulders over wrists. Cross left hand over right hand as you step right foot a couple of feet to the right. Move right hand a couple of feet to the right while bringing left foot to right foot (your body should be back in plank). Switch directions and repeat on opposite side. Continue switching sides, and complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds.
Round 2
For each exercise, complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds, and then continue to the next move. Repeat for 2 total rounds.
Alternating Leg Lowers
How to: Start by lying on the back. Keep hands by hips with lower back pressed into the mat. Lift both legs up to the ceiling, legs at a 90º angle. With feet flexed, slowly lower right leg down. Bring right leg back up and repeat with left leg. Continue alternating legs, and complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds.
Quick tip: Only lower the leg as close to the ground as you can without arching your back to maintain proper form.
Bicycle Crunches
How to: Start on back with knees at a 90-degree angle and hands behind head. Bring right elbow to left knee while extending right leg straight, rotating torso, and bringing left elbow to touch the ground. Come back to start and repeat on opposite side.
Heel Taps
How to: Start on back with knees bent and feet on ground, hands by hips. Lift chest toward the ceiling, keeping neck relaxed and bringing shoulder blades off the ground. Tap right hand to outside of right ankle, flexing your right obliques in the process. Come back to center, keeping shoulders off ground, then tap left hand to outside of left ankle. Continue switching sides, and complete as many reps as possible in 45 seconds.
Eccentric Pushups
How to: Start in plank position, with shoulders directly over wrists and feet hip-distance apart. Slowly lower down to the ground on a three count. Come back to plank position (using knees is okay) and repeat.
Round 3
For each exercise, complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. Then, continue to the next move. Repeat for 2 total rounds.
Hip Dips
How to: Start in elbow plank, shoulders over elbows and feet hip-distance apart. Bring hips down and to the left, keeping core engaged, then arc them back up to start and down and to the right in one fluid motion. Continue alternating sides, and complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds.
Side Plank Crunch On Right Side
How to: Start on right side of body, elbow directly below shoulder and knees stacked and resting on ground. Crunch left elbow and left knee together in front of body, keeping hips stable and perpendicular to the floor.
Side Plank Crunch On Left Side
How to: Start on left side of body, elbow directly below shoulder and knees stacked and resting on ground. Crunch right elbow and right knee together in front of body, keeping hips stable and perpendicular to the floor.
But wait, there’s (lots) more! This is just one of the eight workouts in Women's Health's 30-day Fitness Challenge. Each week, you’ll tackle four different workouts: lower body, upper body, total body, and abs. They all follow a similar format and use minimal or no equipment. The only thing that will change throughout the month is the strength you feel—and the results you see!
Monday: Lower-Body Bodyweight Workout or Lower-Body Dumbbell Workout
Tuesday: Upper-Body Bodyweight Workout or Upper-Body Dumbbell Workout
Wednesday: Cross-Training (Find Options Here)
Thursday: Full-Body Bodyweight Workout or Full-Body Dumbbell Workout
Friday: Bodyweight Abs Workout or Dumbbell Abs Workout
Saturday: Cross-Training (Find Options Here)
Sunday: Rest
And if you want streaming video versions of all eight workouts, download our All/Out Studio app (it comes with a free seven-day trial).
