Strengthen your core and improve performance with this 10-minute ab workout

Developing your abs doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym doing endless sit-ups and crunches. These moves are classics because they work, but you can add variety to your training with this 10-minute core-strengthening routine. 

There are 10 exercises designed to engage your mid-section and improve your stability, balance and posture in this short routine from personal trainers Juice & Toya (opens in new tab). Like with many core strengthening exercises (opens in new tab), you don’t need any equipment to get started — just find a bit of floor space at the gym or home. 

As you’ll spend most of the session on the ground, it’s worth rolling out a mat if you’ve got one. We recommend using one of the best yoga mats (opens in new tab) as these durable mats can pull double duty for your yoga and workout sessions. A large towel will do if you’ve not got one to hand. 

To fit 10 moves into 10 minutes, you’ll do each exercise for 40 seconds, take a 20-second rest, then start on the next. It’s essential to get the technique right to get the most from your training, so follow along with the duo’s demonstrations to perfect your form. 

Watch Juice & Toya’s 10-minute ab workout

This technique is known as high-intensity resistance training (opens in new tab) (HIRT), where the aim is to exercise intensely in short bursts with minimal rest. HIRT is much like HIIT (high-intensity interval training) but with a focus on strength-building moves rather than cardio-based exercise. 

It’s part of the reason that Juice & Toya’s workout only takes 10 minutes but can still be an effective way to train your abs. So, you can use it as a core-focused finisher for your regular routine or repeat the 10 exercises two or three times for an extended ab workout. 

You may have heard people use core and abs interchangeably, though there are a few differences. Your abdominal muscles, which include the rectus abdominis (or six-pack muscle), form a part of your core (opens in new tab), a mid-body muscle section connecting your upper and lower body. 

So, working your abs does build core strength, helping improve your balance, stability, circulation, and workout performance. If you want an alternative way to target more than just your abs, you can use this core workout for beginners (opens in new tab) to get started.

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