Forget weights and sit-ups — this 10-minute standing ab workout will blast your core

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As much as I love a good set of crunches and sit-ups, there are times when I’d prefer not to have to unroll my yoga mat and lie down on the floor. When I’m traveling, for example, or when there’s just no floor space left in a busy gym. This is where standing ab workouts come in handy. They’re also great if you have mobility issues that make getting down on an exercise mat difficult.

To mix things up, I rolled my best yoga mat away and tried this 10-minute standing ab workout, designed by YouTube trainers Juice and Toya. The result? I was surprised by how much my abs ached after just ten minutes of standing crunches and HIIT. The low-impact workout is perfect for those living in a shared apartment, or working out in a hotel room, as there’s no jumping involved. Your arms and legs will also get a workout during this routine, as well as your mid-section.

What is the workout?

The workout is made up of ten different exercises. You’ll do each exercise for 50 seconds, doing 25 seconds on each side, with a five-second break to re-set in between. You’ll get a 10-second break between each exercise, but can always press pause and take longer should you need. There are no repeats, and you don’t have long enough to get bored during the workout.

I tried the 10-minute standing abs HIIT workout — here’s what happened

It worked my abs harder than I expected

If you thought standing ab workouts were the easy alternative to Pilates-style crunches lying on your back, think again. I had to really engage my core during this workout to keep my body stable as I crunched in different directions. 25 seconds was more than enough for me on some of the exercises, and I found I was wobbling and re-setting far more than the instructors on screen.

I am a year postpartum, and spending a lot of time in the gym rebuilding my core and pelvic floor muscles following birth. This workout forced me to engage those deep core muscles as I moved my arms and legs.

As a runner, a strong core is essential when it comes to running with good form. I found a lot of these exercises mimicked the single-leg movements I use when running and felt my arms and leg muscles engage too.

It might not be suitable for all

As mentioned in the introduction, standing ab exercises are a good option during pregnancy, when it’s not advisable to spend a lot of time lying on your back. That said, if you are pregnant, this probably isn’t the workout for you, as it involves a lot of crunching. Crunches, in general, are not advised during pregnancy as they can make Diastasis recti, or the separation of your abdominal muscles, worse.

If in any doubt, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor or midwife before exercising during pregnancy. The same applies to postpartum, where it’s important to check your ab separation before returning to exercise.

It got my heart rate up between meetings

As a fitness editor, I spend more time than I’d like sitting (or standing) behind my desk (check out the best standing desks here). I love the opportunity to fit a quick workout into my day between meetings, and this was a great option, as I didn’t need to find my yoga mat or dig out a set of the best adjustable dumbbells. This was more high impact than a lot of standing ab workouts, and I found I worked up more of a sweat than I was expecting — although I was wearing a sweater! If you’re looking to blast your core between calls, why not add this to your work diary tomorrow?

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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.