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Jeff Cavaliere, MSPT, C.S.C.S. , and creator of Athlean-X , is a big proponent of home ab training. He urges that house-bound exercisers not abandon all of the principles they typically use in the gym once they're sweating in their living rooms. "One of the things people overlook in that pursuit is that they don't necessarily incorporate the gym tactics when they do [train at home]," he says in a recent YouTube video. "One of the easiest ways to do that is to just take a set of dumbbells, keep them in your house, and utilize them when you train your abs."
Don't have any dumbbells? Don't worry. You can use anything that you can easily grab and hold as a loada filled water jug or even canned foods can work. Just make sure you're working as hard as you would in any other setting and results will follow.
"Weighted ab exercises are one of the best options for developing the strength of your core and the look of your abs, especially when you are short on time," Cavaliere writes in the description of the video. So grab a timer, set it for 8 minutes, and get ready to get to work.
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Pause for 3 seconds to transition between exercises
Dumbbell Wipers - 1 minute Dumbbell Power-Ups - 1 minute Seated DB Twists - 1 minute Seated DB Overhead Hold - 30 seconds Rest 30 seconds Repeat for one more round
Dumbbell Wipers "I'm just targeting each dumbbell with my knees," he says. You'll hit your lower abs with this exercise.
Dumbbell Power-Ups "Legs out straight, bend them in as you come up and sit up," he says, clarifying that the exercise is a variation of an Otis-up. "This one's getting to me."
Seated DB Twists " Underhand grip, sit up nice and tall, get the dumbbells out wide to lengthen the effect of the dumbbell," he says. "As the momentum gets going in one direction, you have to control that. I'm trying to keep a tight twist at the torso."
Seated DB Overhead Hold "Sit up nice and tall. This is one of the most demanding exercises in the whole circuit. This is very difficult to maintain this position," he says. "This is not fun."
This circuit will get your core burning and help you to get cut. But as Cavaliere reminds us, the goal of a strong core isn't just for looks.
"Adaptation to physical stress is how muscles get developed to be stronger and more resilient. You want a strong core for more than just aesthetic reasons," he says. "Having strong abs and a rigid core are important for spinal stability and maintaining proper form when you attempt your heavier compound lifts in your main workouts."