Fifteen minutes and zero equipment. That’s all you need to hit every part of your core — upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.
This abs and core workout doesn’t repeat a single exercise. So you won’t get bored, and your muscles won’t get too comfortable either.
It’s easily one of the best ab and core workout routines you can do from your living room floor. Just grab a mat and follow along!
Tabletop Crunches
We’re starting things off nice and simple with a classic abs exercise at home.
For this one, you’ll lay on your back, get your legs into tabletop, and crunch up. The key here? Press that lower back into the floor and keep your neck long—don’t strain it!
How to perform:
- Lay down on your back with your legs in a tabletop position.
- Lift your shoulder blades up off the floor to perform a crunch.
- Touch your fingertips to each other every single time you come up.
- Squeeze your abs and press your lower back into the floor.
- Keep your neck nice and long, with your gaze looking upward.
Crunch Elbow to Knee, Finger to Toes
This core exercise is a two-in-one deal. You’ll crunch your elbow to your knee, then reach your fingers for your toes—all on the same side.
It takes a bit of coordination, so don’t rush it. Make sure everything meets in the center each time, and you’ll really feel your abs working.
How to perform:
- Lay down on your back and extend your legs out nice and long.
- Perform a crunch by bringing your knee to your elbow, making sure you meet everything in the center.
- Next, reach your fingers for your toes, continuing to meet everything in the center.
- Continue alternating between the elbow-to-knee and finger-to-toe motions on the same side for 45 seconds.
- Take a quick 15-second rest, then switch to the other side of your body.
Crunch Leg Drop Hold
If you want one of the best core workouts for your lower abs, this is it.
You’ll lower your legs down, hold, then tuck your knees back in. Here’s the thing, though—only drop your legs as far as your lower back can stay flat on the floor.
If that means your legs don’t go very far, that’s totally fine.
How to perform:
- Lay on your back with your head down and fingertips underneath your bum, or hold a crunch to increase intensity.
- Drop your legs downward and hold them at the bottom.
- Only lower your legs to the point where your lower back can still be pressed into the floor.
- Bring your knees in, then bring your legs back up.
- Make sure to engage your lower abs as you repeat this sequence.
Plank Opposite Toe Tap
Time to flip over! For this abs and core workout move, you’ll hold a plank and reach back for your opposite toes.
Think of your lower abs as the tip of a triangle—that’s what’s driving the movement. Keep your booty down and your body in a straight line the whole time.
How to perform:
- Flip over and get into a plank position on your hands.
- Keep your body in a nice straight line with your booty down.
- Think about your lower abs as the top of a triangle, and lead with those abs as you reach back for your opposite toes.
- Come back to the center plank position.
- Reach back for the other opposite toes, and return to center.
Plank Hip Dips
Your core workout routine wouldn’t be complete without some oblique work. So, let’s get into a forearm plank and drop those hips side to side.
One thing to watch out for—don’t swing through the motion. You want to drop, come back to a tight center, then drop to the other side.
Controlled reps are what make this one count.
How to perform:
- Come down into a plank position on your elbows to work your obliques.
- Keep your body in a nice straight line with your booty down.
- Drop your hips to one side, then bring your body back to a tight center position.
- Make sure you are not swinging through the motion.
- Drop your hips to the other side, and return to center.
Russian Twists
Here’s one you’ve probably seen in just about every ab workout routine out there. And there’s a good reason for that—it works!
You’ll sit up, twist, and tap beside your hip each time. Want to make it harder? Lift your feet off the floor.
Prefer to keep it more beginner-friendly? Keep them planted.
How to perform:
- Sit on your booty with your legs on the floor, or keep your legs up to increase the intensity.
- Twist your body to one side.
- Make sure to touch beside your hip every time you twist.
- Twist to the other side and touch beside that hip.
Straight Leg Dead Bugs
Don’t let the name fool you—this is one of the best ab and core workout moves for building real stability.
You’ll lay on your back with your arms and legs straight up, then lower the opposite arm and leg at the same time. The biggest thing to focus on is pressing your lower back into the floor as you go.
If you want more of a challenge, hold a crunch while you do it.
How to perform:
- Lay down on your back with your legs and arms straight up.
- To increase the intensity, you can hold a crunch position as you do this.
- Drop your opposite arm and opposite leg downward at the same time.
- Press your lower back into the floor as you lower that leg.
- Come back up to the center.
Oblique Crunches
Time to zero in on those side obliques. For this core exercise, you’ll lay on one side and crunch up, bringing your elbow as close to your leg as you can.
Think about the mind-to-muscle connection here—really squeeze at the top. And don’t forget to exhale as you come up. You’ll do one side at a time, so make every rep count!
How to perform:
- Come onto one side.
- You can either do an oblique crunch and lift your leg at the same time, or keep your leg lifted and just crunch.
- Bring your elbow as close as you can to your leg.
- Think about the mind-to-muscle connection, squeezing that side oblique and holding at the top every time.
- Exhale as you come up, then switch to the other side.
MT. Climber Knee Variation
Fair warning—this one’s a burner! You’ll hold a plank and bring one knee in toward your chest, then over to the opposite elbow, all with the same leg for a full 45 seconds.
It sounds tough, and it is. But since you’re only doing it once per side in this abs workout routine at home, give it everything you’ve got.
How to perform:
- Flip over into a plank position on your hands.
- Bring one leg in toward the center, bringing that knee as close to your chest as you can.
- Bring that same leg to the opposite elbow.
- Return the leg back to the center, then back to the starting plank position.
- Continue using this same leg for the full 45 seconds, then switch sides.
Heel Taps
If you haven’t done enough oblique work yet (just kidding, you definitely have), here’s one more.
You’ll lay on your back, lift your upper body, and reach side to side to tap your heels. Keep your neck long and reach as far as you can.
Take deep breaths—this woman ab workout move sneaks up on you!
How to perform:
- Come onto your back to prepare for more oblique work.
- Lift your upper body up, making sure to keep your neck nice and long.
- Reach as far as you can to tap your heels.
- Take a deep breath as you perform the movement.
- Continue this movement for 45 seconds.
Half to Full Crunch
Almost there! This one is straightforward but don’t underestimate it.
You’ll crunch halfway up, then go all the way up and hold. The trick is controlling the way back down—no flopping! Press your lower back into the floor a little more with each rep.
How to perform:
- Flip over onto your back.
- Come halfway up into a crunch.
- Come all the way up and hold it.
- Control your body as you lower back down.
- Press your lower back into the floor more and more each time you come up.
Plank Hand Walkouts
Last exercise—you’ve got this!
For this final core workout for beginners and pros alike, you’ll hold a plank and walk your hands out past your shoulders, then hold. You’ll feel the tension fire up through your entire core. Walk your hands back in and repeat.
Simple? Yes. Easy? Not even close.
How to perform:
- Flip over and hold a plank position on your hands.
- Walk your hands out past your shoulders.
- Hold this position to really feel the tension on your core.
- Walk your hands back into the starting plank position.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
