Standing workouts can be a more accessible option for many people, especially if you are new to training regularly. While staying standing means that you won’t do a lot of classic core exercises like the plank, crunches and sit-ups, you can still get an effective abs workout done while on two feet.
Most of these routines are bodyweight workouts, so don’t require any equipment at all, but rolling out one of the best yoga mats to stand on during the session can be helpful to protect your floor and give you more grip on slippery surfaces.
This four-move standing ab workout from NASM-certified fitness trainer Meredith Shirk shows that. It’s designed to get you moving so your heart rate is raised and you burn more calories while focusing on strengthening the abs and other core muscles.
The workout contains four moves that you do for 30 seconds each, and complete three rounds of all the exercises in total. There are actually five work intervals in a round because the third move — the high knee hold — is done on each leg in turn.
Watch Meredith Shirk’s four-move standing ab workout
During the first round you get a break between moves while Shirk explains what exercise is coming up, but in rounds two and three aim to take as little rest as possible in between the moves. You get a break at the end of each round to rest and grab a drink, so keep one of the best water bottles nearby.
The exercises are all low-impact and suitable for beginners. There’s no jumping involved, though you can adapt the moves to have jumps in them if you’re looking for a more challenging session. Otherwise the benefits to your abs come from twisting movements and lifting your knees up to target the lower abs.
This is a gentle workout that is ideal for those who are just starting their fitness journey, so if you’re after something a bit more challenging this 10-minute standing abs workout involves rattling through 10 moves in the time. Another good option for those who like to mix cardio with abs exercises is this 20-minute standing core workout which uses dance-style moves to get your heart pumping.
Whatever workout you opt to do, if burning belly fat is your goal the key is to train regularly and eat a healthy diet, so that you put yourself into a calorie deficit where you’re burning more than you consume. If you maintain this over time then you will start to lose weight all over your body, including around the stomach.
To do this you need to consider the principles of progressive overload in your training, because if you don’t continue to challenge yourself as you get fitter, you’ll start to plateau. Starting with a simple workout like the standing abs session above is great for beginners, but once you find the exercises easier then progress to a tougher session to keep the fitness gains coming.
More from Tom’s Guide
- Build a stronger core with this 10-minute standing abs workout
- Forget weights — I tried this 30-minute workout to get in shape
- 5 compound core exercises that sculpt strong obliques
