19 Easy ABS WORKOUT FOR WOMEN at Home (20-Minute Routine)

Nineteen exercises might not sound like an easy ab workout at first. But the whole routine wraps up in just 20 minutes, cooldown included.

Along the way, this abs workout for women targets your upper abs, lower abs, and obliques with moves like leg raises and bicycle crunches.

Plus, you’ll find simple fixes if your neck or lower back starts to complain. So grab a mat, and let’s get this at home ab workout started!

This abs workout for women opens with a crunch variation that targets the rectus abdominis (your “six-pack” muscle).

Since your arms stay extended, there’s no pulling on your neck.

That keeps the work in your upper abs, where it belongs.

Toe taps combine an isometric crunch with leg work, so your upper and lower abs share the load.

That constant tension makes the move highly effective, though your neck may tire first.

If it does, rest your head on the mat and continue tapping.

Now the focus shifts to your lower abs, which are notoriously hard to target.

Plus, the swing at the top deepens the contraction, as long as it’s controlled rather than rushed.

If your lower back arches near the bottom, shorten the range of motion.

Dead bugs train the transverse abdominis (your deepest ab muscle) to keep your spine stable while your limbs move.

Opposite limbs work together, too, building coordination that may take a few reps to click.

Above all, keep your lower back flat against the mat.

This builds on the leg raise and swing with a pause at the top.

That brief hold removes momentum, so your lower abs handle the entire lift.

And you’ll likely feel it most on the way down, as your abs work eccentrically (while lengthening).

Toe reaches shift the focus back to your upper abs through short, controlled spinal flexion.

Touching your toes isn’t the goal, though, since lifting your shoulder blades matters far more.

And if tight hamstrings make vertical legs uncomfortable, a slight knee bend is fine.

Bicycle crunches combine flexion and rotation, making them a staple in any quick abs routine.

Speed tends to creep in, though, and a slower tempo keeps the tension on.

To really target the obliques, rotate through your ribcage rather than just your elbows.

Staying on the obliques, this side-lying crunch works lateral flexion (side bending) from both ends.

Because both legs lift together (hence DL, for double leg), it’s more demanding than a standard side crunch.

Balance can be tricky at first, so start with smaller lifts.

Coming up onto one knee means your core also has to keep you balanced.

Meanwhile, the side bend and twist target your obliques through both lateral flexion and rotation.

Keep your hips stacked over your knee so the movement comes from your waist.

The bear plank hold keeps your entire core and shoulders engaged from start to finish.

Plus, driving each knee across adds rotation, which brings your obliques into play.

To keep your abs doing the work, avoid letting your hips rise.

This scissor variation targets your lower abs, which work harder as your legs drop.

That’s because a longer lever means more load, so only lower as far as you can control.

Keeping your chest open also stops you from sinking into your shoulders.

Curious about the name? In strength training, a deadstop means pausing at the bottom of each rep.

That pause eliminates bounce, so rebuilding the plank every rep is the real challenge.

Keep each touch light, though, so your core stays switched on.

Bird dogs are a go-to core exercise for spinal stability, and this version adds a crunch.

The reach also recruits your glutes and back muscles, and the two-point balance is harder than it looks.

So keep the reps slow and your hips square.

Shoulder taps may seem like easy abs work, but the hovering bear position changes that quickly.

Each time a hand lifts, your core resists rotation while the supporting shoulder works to stabilize you.

For a gentler option, keep your knees on the mat.

Borrowed from gymnastics, the hollow hold builds total core strength in a single position.

As the final strength move, it uses 5-second holds to keep your form sharp.

If your lower back lifts, raise your legs slightly to reduce the load.

With the toughest part of this at home ab workout behind you, it’s time to cool down.

This seated stretch lengthens the obliques and upper back after all that twisting and bracing.

Keep it gentle, since the goal now is recovery rather than intensity.

Cat and cow alternates between spinal flexion and extension, which restores mobility through your whole back.

It’s a classic yoga pairing, and it works best when synced with your breath.

Simply exhale as you round into cat, then inhale as you arch into cow.

After so much spinal flexion, the cobra reverses the pattern with a gentle backbend.

As a result, it stretches your abs while opening up your chest and shoulders.

If you feel pinching in your lower back, bend your elbows and stay lower.

To close out this easy ab workout, a supine twist releases your lower back and glutes.

Twists like this also restore rotational mobility, which is why they’re a cooldown favorite.

So take your time here and let gravity do most of the work.