Many people list the “visible six pack” as one of their most important fitness goals. But in addition to pure aesthetics, strong abs are essential to maintaining a healthy, injury-free body.
Your abdominal muscles (along with the other muscle groups that make up your core) are responsible for many important tasks: they support and protect your internal organs, help maintain your posture, facilitate bodily functions such as coughing or sneezing, and stabilize your pelvis and spine during any type of movement. . Lack of adequate abdominal strength can lead to a host of problems including recurrent lower back pain, misalignment and instability in the rest of the body, and overuse injuries of muscle groups trying to compensate for underlying weakness.
Strengthening your abdominal muscles should be part of any fitness program, no matter what your athletic endeavors tend to be. And as with any training regimen, adding extra weight to your exercises — through dumbbells, a barbell, or weight machines — forces your muscles to adapt and strengthen with the loads.
If you’re looking for a way to really challenge your core, pick up dumbbells (check out the best adjustable dumbbells for weight training at home here) and try out some of the best dumbbell ab exercises. Your whole body will thank you!
What are the muscles that make up the abdominal muscles?
The abdominal muscles are made up of several different muscles: the rectus abdominis muscles, which run down the middle of your torso from your ribs to your pelvis; the pyramidis, which is a small, triangular-shaped muscle located just below your pelvis; the internal and external obliques, which frame the rectus abdominis; and the transverse abdomen, located deep in your torso.
Here are 5 of the best dumbbell ab exercises
1. Likely dead bugs
The dead bug is an excellent exercise for all levels and is often given to beginners as a way to build stability and strength in the core before progressing to more difficult moves. However, just because it’s given to beginners doesn’t mean the dead bug can’t be a challenge for even advanced athletes – adding a dumbbell or two increases the difficulty exponentially!
To perform the weighted deadlift, hold two light dumbbells and lie on your back. Hold dumbbells in your hands and align your arms directly over your shoulders, with your knuckles pointing toward the wall behind you. Maintaining a neutral spine, lift both feet off the floor and bring your legs into a tabletop position with your knees aligned over your hips. Lower your right arm and extend your left leg to the ground at the same time, making sure to maintain a neutral spine.
When you reach the end of your range, return your arm and leg to the starting position. Repeat the same movement with your left arm and right leg. Make sure to keep the unmoving arm and leg still, directly aligned with your shoulder and hip. Alternate sides for a set of 10-15 repetitions each.
Progress in this exercise by grabbing a heavier dumbbell, holding it in your hands, and lowering it to the floor along with each alternating leg. You can also choose to perform this exercise in a straight-legged position, with your knees and ankles aligned over your hips at first.
If you feel your lower back arched excessively, dip the exercise by keeping the leg bent and heel pressed into the floor. If you still feel an arched back, drop the dumbbells and perform the exercise without weight.
Read more about how to do a dead bug and variations you can try, plus read what happened when our fitness editor did 100 dead bugs every day for a week.
2. Planck passes through
The plank is another basic yet basic abdominal exercise, and it gets more difficult with the addition of dumbbells.
To perform the plank move, hold a moderately heavy dumbbell and place it in front of you lying horizontally. Place your left hand slightly in front of the dumbbell and to the right of it. Place your right hand directly over your left side, aligning your shoulders directly over your wrists. Step back behind you and come to your toes, as if you were going to do a push-up. Draw in your belly button, squeeze your glutes and quads, and maintain a neutral spine.
Without moving your hips, lift your right hand off the floor, reach down and, pulling it with your right hand, pull it to the right side. Make sure to keep your hips aligned with the rest of your body – don’t allow them to lift or fall toward the floor. Repeat by lifting your left hand off the ground, extending your hand below you, and grabbing a dumbbell in your left hand, pulling it to the left side. Alternate sides for a set of 10-12 repetitions each.
Progress on this exercise using heavier dumbbells, but be sure to maintain optimal form.
If you feel your hips rising or falling out of alignment, modify this exercise by dropping your knees to the floor or using lighter dumbbells. If you feel your hips moving back and forth as you lift your hands off the floor, do this exercise without dumbbells.
Here’s how long you need to hold the plank in order to see results.
3. Weighted Russian Twist
The Russian Twist is known for targeting the internal and external obliques, but it actually works all of your abs!
To perform the weighted Russian curl, hold a moderately heavy dumbbell in your hands, and sit on the floor. Bend your knees and place your heels on the floor in front of you. Roll your shoulders back, engage to shoulder width apart, and lean back until you feel your abs engage. Keep the lower back neutral – avoid any friction.
Now slowly lift your heels off the floor, balancing on your tailbone. Twist from your torso and slowly lower the dumbbell to your left. Once you reach the end of your range, raise the dumbbells back to the starting position. Then twist from your torso to slowly lower the dumbbell to your right. Alternate sides, for a set of 10-12 repetitions each.
Progress on this exercise using heavier dumbbells, but be sure to maintain optimal form.
If you feel like your lower back is working more than your stomach, modify this exercise by lowering your heels back down to the floor. You can also choose to use lighter dumbbells, or choose to stay upright while keeping your abdomen engaged. If neither of these two options reduces the effort on your lower back, perform the exercise without dumbbells.
Here’s more on how to do Russian twists perfectly, plus read what happened when this fitness writer did Russian twists every day for a week.
4. V-Sit Weighted
The V-Sit is an advanced abdominal exercise, but there are ways to make it easier and more challenging.
To perform a weighted V-Sit, grab a moderately heavy dumbbell and hold it between your hands. Lie on the floor, with your legs extended and your heels on the floor. Lower the dumbbells towards the ground behind you. Squeeze your abs and lift the dumbbells along with your head, shoulders, ribs and legs off the floor, forming a “V” shape with your body. Reach dumbbells toward your toes. Slowly lower yourself back to the floor with control. Repeat for a set of 10-12 repetitions.
Progress on this exercise using heavier dumbbells, but be sure to maintain optimal form.
For a dip for this exercise, place both feet on the floor and bend your knees. Lift the head, shoulders, and heels off the floor simultaneously and point the dumbbells toward your knees. You can also opt for lighter dumbbells, or choose to leave the feet on the floor and perform a heavy deadlift instead.
Woodchops kneel
At first glance, the plank may seem like an upper body exercise. But when you try it, you will realize how hard your abs work!
To perform the plank kneeling, get a fairly heavy dumbbell. Place your right knee on the floor, along with your right hip. Place your left foot on the floor in front of you, forming a 90-degree angle with your left leg. Keeping your hips square and chest facing forward, lower the dumbbells to your right, targeting the outside of your right hip.
Draw your belly button in, maintaining a neutral spine, and lift the weight from your right hip toward your left shoulder, in a semicircle pattern. Don’t allow the ribs to bulge out or the back to arch, and keep the hips, torso, and chest square to the wall in front of you. Repeat the exercise 10 to 12 times, then switch sides.
Progress on this exercise using heavier dumbbells, but be sure to maintain optimal form.
If you feel your back is arching excessively, choose a lighter weight. If knee problems prevent you from kneeling, perform the exercise standing with both feet aligned under the hips.
Looking for more workout inspiration? Here are the best 10-minute abs exercises to try, plus read what happened when our fitness editor did 100 swings a day for a week.
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