Want to work on your waist and sculpt those side abs? You’re in the right place.
This hourglass abs workout focuses on your lower abs and obliques — the muscles that really shape your midsection.
No equipment needed. Just grab something soft to lie on and follow along.
Today’s routine has 9 simple abb workouts, each around 45 seconds with short rest breaks in between.
Ready? Let’s get into it.
Reverse Crunches
This one’s all about your lower abs — the area most people struggle to target.
You’ll crunch by sending your heels straight up toward the ceiling (not over your head).
If you want to make it harder, fully extend your legs between reps instead of tapping your heels down.
How to perform:
- Start on your back.
- Perform a crunch by bringing your legs in; you can place your heels down on the mat in between reps or extend the legs fully to make it more difficult.
- When you come in for the crunch, send your heels to the sky rather than over the top of your head.
- Focus on using your lower abs throughout the movement.
Elbow to Knee Crunch
Here’s where your side abs workout really kicks in.
You’ll do an elbow-to-knee crunch, then reach across your body toward the bottom corner of your mat.
The key? That working leg doesn’t touch the ground when you come down — it stays hovering the whole time.
You’ll feel this one in those obliques, which is exactly what you want for that hourglass stomach workout effect.
How to perform:
- Perform an elbow-to-knee crunch on one side; ensure the working leg does not touch the ground when coming down.
- After the crunch, reach across your body, trying to reach your fingertips toward the bottom corner of your mat.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the sequence: elbow to knee, then reach across.
- Press your lower back into the floor each time you crunch.
- Switch sides after 30 seconds.
Side Planks with a Dip
If you’re wondering how to get a small waist, this is one of the best hourglass workout moves to add.
You can modify by staying on your knees and just lifting and squeezing, or go full plank if you’re ready for more.
Just make sure your shoulder stays stacked right over your elbow — and keep that belly button pulled in tight.
How to perform:
- Roll over onto your side.
- You can modify this by staying on your knees, lifting and squeezing the side, or make it more intense by getting up into a regular plank.
- Ensure you stack your shoulder over the top of your elbow.
- Draw your belly button to your spine to keep your core engaged.
- Perform dips by lowering and lifting your hips.
- Switch sides immediately after finishing the first side.
Tabletop Leg Extensions
Don’t let the lying-down position fool you — this one sneaks up on you.
You’ll hold a crunch with your legs in tabletop, then extend them out to about 45 degrees and bring them back.
Here’s the thing: don’t extend all the way down. Your lower back needs to stay glued to the floor.
If your neck gets tired, just drop your head down and support your low back with your hands instead.
How to perform:
- Lie on your back in a crunch position with your upper body, using your fingertips to support your head without pulling on your neck.
- Place your legs in a tabletop position.
- Extend your legs out to about 45 degrees, then bring them back in.
- Do not extend the legs all the way down; keep your lower back pressed to the floor and lower abs engaged.
- To modify, you can keep your head down with hands supporting your low back and extend from there.
Three Bicycles with Leg Extension
This combo is a killer — fair warning.
You’ll do three bicycle crunches, hold on the third one, then extend that leg out nice and long before bringing it back in.
If keeping your lower back down feels impossible, try tapping that bottom heel to the floor or extending your legs a little higher.
This is one of those abb workouts that really challenges your coordination and your core at the same time.
How to perform:
- Perform three bicycle crunches (count one, two, three).
- On the third count, hold the position.
- Extend the leg out, stretch it, and then bring it back in.
- Repeat the pattern: one, two, three, hold, extend, and bring it in.
- Keep your lower back pressed down; if needed, you can modify by tapping the bottom heel to the floor or extending the legs higher.
High Plank Spider Crunch
Time to get into a high plank — booty down, core tight.
You’ll bring your knee to the same-side elbow (that’s the spider crunch), extend back, then sweep it across to the opposite side.
It’s a lot of moving parts, but once you get the rhythm, it flows nicely.
How to perform:
- Come into a high plank position on your hands with your booty down.
- Bring the same knee to the same elbow (spider crunch).
- Extend the leg back, then bring it across your body to the opposite side.
- Return to center and switch to the other side.
Seated Twist and Reach
By now your whole core is probably on fire — but this one’s worth it for those toned abs.
Sit back on your balance with heels planted, then bring elbow to knee and reach back with a twist.
Keep your back straight the whole time — no arching.
This move really targets those lower abs while hitting your obliques too.
How to perform:
- Sit back on your balance with heels planted into the floor and legs bent.
- Keep your back nice and straight without arching.
- Place fingertips by your ears and bring your elbow to your knee.
- Lean back slightly, stay on the same side, and reach and twist your arm.
- Return to the center and repeat the crunch and reach sequence.
Side Crunch to Front Knee Tuck
You’re hitting those side abs from two different angles here.
First, do a side crunch trying to bring your elbow to your hip.
Then bring your knee up in front of you and touch elbow to knee.
Really press your side into the mat and squeeze each time — that’s where the magic happens in this hourglass abs workout.
How to perform:
- Lie down on your side with legs straight.
- Perform a side crunch by trying to bring your elbow to your hip.
- Perform a second crunch by bringing your knee up in front of you and touching your elbow to your knee.
- Press your side into the mat and squeeze your side oblique each time you crunch.
- Switch sides immediately.
Low Plank Hip Dips
Last one — you’ve got 45 seconds, and you can do this.
Get into a forearm plank with your bum down and belly button pulled to your spine.
From here, drop your hip to one side, squeeze your core, and come back through center before going to the other side.
Just make sure you hit that center position each time before dropping to the other side.
This is one of the best hourglass workout finishers because it torches those obliques right at the end.
How to perform:
- Come into a low plank on your forearms.
- Keep your bum down and draw your belly button to your spine to engage the core.
- Drop your hip to the side, squeeze your core, and bring it back to the center.
- Ensure you hit the center position each time before dropping to the other side.

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.
