According to celeb trainer Gunnar Peterson, the secret to awesome abs is "working consistently, working in different planes of motion, and adding weights to your abdominal work." Take this advice to heart — here are a handful of exercises that put these principles into action using a set of dumbbells or a medicine ball. Incorporate a few of these exercises into your next workout to really kick your abs into action.
The slow and controlled pulse of this exercise keeps the abs engaged throughout the set, and adding the weight of a medicine ball kicks your abs into high gear and increases the burn. Choose a weight between two and four kilos.
Begin lying on your back with your legs in the air, toes toward the ceiling, holding the medicine ball over your chest with straight arms. Engage your abs to press your low back into the mat while lifting your head, neck, and upper back off the mat.
Exhale and round your low back so the bottom of the pelvis raises as you lift your upper body an inch higher off the mat. Aim the medicine ball toward your ankles as you perform this double crunch.
Inhale, and lower pelvis and upper back an inch toward the floor. Continue this slow pulsing motion for a total of 20 to 25 reps. Do three sets.
This dynamic exercise works the obliques and upper abs while keeping your heart rate up. Although this is a full-body move, it doesn't require a lot of space, so you can do it almost anywhere. Use a two to five kilo dumbbell or a medicine ball.
Squat, and twist left to hold the dumbbell on the outside of your left leg.
Exhale, and lift the weight diagonally across your body, ending twisted to the right with the dumbbell above your head. Pivot on your left foot as needed.
The move is a bit percussive, so focus on the rotation initiating in your torso.
Control the weight back up to the starting position to complete one rep.
Remember you are moving with force but also control. Don't give into the momentum of swinging the weight around. Do three sets of 15 reps on each side.
In yoga, Camel Pose increases the flexibility in your spine, but this challenging variation using a weight strengthens your abs while helping to create a lovely, lean torso. Besides working the entire abdominal wall, this move gives the quads an active stretch to boot!
Start on your knees. If this hurts your knees, fold up a mat or towel and kneel on that for a little cushioning. Your thighs should be parallel.
Hold a two to four kilo dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, lean back, squeezing your glutes, and use your abs to keep your spine straight. As you inhale, return your torso back to the starting position.
Repeat for a total of 15 times. Complete a total of three sets.
Some call this move the flashlight, and we love it for the intense focus on the abs. Straighten your arms to increase the difficulty. Once you master the move, try speeding up.
Stand with your knees slightly soft, holding a dumbbell at chest level.
Keep your pelvis stable as you rotate your ribcage right and left, to complete one rep. Be sure to keep your abs pulled toward your spine as you twist from side to side.
This classic move targets your obliques, and adding a dumbbell or medicine ball increases the challenge.
Holding a dumbbell in both hands, sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight.
Pull your navel to your spine, and twist slowly to the left, bringing the weight to your left side. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through centre, and rotate to the right. This completes one rep.
Do 16 full rotations.
You can also make the move more advanced by lifting your feet three or four inches off the floor, as pictured.
Twisting in a plank position fires up the core and works those love handles.
Begin in a plank position holding a two kilo dumbbell in each hand, keeping your wrists stiff to protect the joints. Open your feet a little wider than hip distance.
Lift your left hand to the ceiling, twisting through your entire torso — keep the motion smooth and controlled. Your pelvis will rotate, but keep it level without letting it raise or drop.
Bring your left hand back to the floor, and repeat this action on the other side to complete one rep.
Adding weights to the classic sit-up brings a whole new level of toning to your workout.
Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, about two feet from your butt. Hold weights, two to four kilo dumbbells, in both hands at your chest with your elbows on the floor.
Keeping your hands at your chest, roll up to a sitting position. Twist your ribs to the left as you "punch" your right hand to the outside of the left knee.
Bring the right hand back to your chest as you untwist, bringing your torso back to the centre, and roll down to the ground.
Repeat the sit-up, twisting to the right side to complete one rep.
The secret sauce in this exercise: use your abs to control your movement on the way down. Uncurl slowly instead of just letting gravity pull you down.
Lie on your back with a one to three kilo dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms straight up above your chest, with a slight bend at each elbow. Raise your legs up to tabletop, with knees and hips bent to 90-degree angles.
Inhale and open your arms to your side, with a slight bend at each elbow. Exhale as you bring your arms back up to starting position.
Once your arms are back straight, lift your upper back and curl up toward your legs, pushing your weights toward your shins. As you curl up, stretch your legs out in front of you.
Uncurl your spine slowly as you lower your upper body to the floor while bending your knees back to 90-degree angles. Once your head is back on the floor, release your arms to back out by your side, making sure not to let your upper arms touch the floor.
We love the woodchop, and this variation is one of celeb trainer Gunnar Peterson's favourites.
Holding a three to five kilo dumbbell overhead, twist to the left, pivoting your right foot as needed.
Exhale, and slice the dumbbell across your body to the right as you raise your right knee, bringing the weight to the outside of your right hip.
Raise the weight back to starting position, and lightly tap your right toes to the floor. This completes one rep. Do three sets of 15 reps on each side.
This lunge variation works the entire body, and adding the twist ensures that your abs get a little extra attention.
Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Hold a two to five kilo medicine ball with both hands with your arms outstretched in front of you.
Keep your core stable, and take a large step back with your right foot, planting your foot and then lowering your body until both legs are bent in right angles.
As you sink into the lunge, twist your torso to the left.
Bring your torso back to center, and exhale as you straighten your legs. Bring your feet back together, and then step back on your left leg, twisting to the right.
This completes one rep. Do 10 reps for a set, and do at least two sets.
In this variation, the abs work extra to maintain stability as you pull the dumbbell away from your centre.
Begin sitting with your heels planted about two feet from your butt, holding the weights at chest level with a slight bend in your elbows. Lean back a few inches, pulling your abs toward your spine to keep your spine long and straight.
The left arm remains still, as you open your right arm to the side, making sure the weight doesn't go beyond your shoulder.
Bring your right arm back to centre to complete one rep.
Complete 10 reps with the right arm, then switch sides for another 10 reps to complete a set. Do three sets total.
The standing side bend works your obliques, and celeb trainer Harley Pasternak recommends this move to keep the love-handle area tight. We like that it simultaneously stretches one side of your torso while working the other — it feels good.
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart holding a two to five kilo dumbbell over your head. Squeeze your head with your upper arms to fire up your core and protect your neck.
Bend sideways to the right, squeezing your waist on the right side. Keep your neck as neutral as possible, looking forward, not down.
Pull the left ribs down to return to standing upright. This focuses the work on the left obliques. Switch sides, and bend to the left to complete one rep.
This move works your abs in a lengthened position as the muscles stabilise your pelvis and ribcage against the weight, as it lowers to the floor. You may be lying on the ground, but this move is quite challenging.
Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles, using your low abs to press your lower back into the mat. Holding two to four kilo dumbbells, raise your arms toward the ceiling, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
Reach your arms overhead, tapping the dumbbells on the floor above your head. Do not let your back arch away from the floor as you lower the weights.
Raise your arms back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Do 15 reps to complete a set. Do two to three sets.
