Ripped, chiseled abs are the holy grail of several fitness freaks. Men with visible, chiseled abs not only look great, but they also feel more confident in themselves. It’s no wonder why abs are the sexiest muscle on a man’s body, according to women, as stated by a study by Western Illinois University. Of course, you also cannot overlook the importance of a strong core. Abdominal exercises will not just get you sexy abs but will also improve your core strength, which largely benefits your exercise and day-to-day performance. If your abs are weak, a simple forward lean can stress your back. The right ab workout improves the endurance of back muscles and makes them less vulnerable to strain or injury.

Luckily, you can sculpt your abs right from the comfort of your home. For toned abs, begin by focusing on both upper abs and lower abs. An ideal abs workout will target all the muscles of the abdominal area, including the rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, and internal and external obliques. Beginners can get started with this 10-minute no-equipment abs workout to work your core and abs and reap strength-building benefits.

 

The Best No-Equipment 10-Minute Ab Workout for Men

 

According to the American Council on Exercise, some of the best ab exercises that benefit the core and rectus abdominis include crunches on an exercise ball, Captain’s Chair, and bicycle crunches. Here is an all-rounder best abs workout featuring exercises that are perfect for targeting the deep core and ab muscles at home, that you can dowithout any equipment.Your abs workout at home consists of 3 rounds of the following:

• 30-seconds plank
• 20 Standard crunches
• 20 heel taps (each side)
• 10 side planks (each side)
• 15 scissor kicks
• 20 bicycle crunches

 

Plank

Planks hit all your abs, obliques, legs, and arms effectively, making them an all-rounder body workout. Experts believe that they are the holy grail of core exercises. Beginners can start with a 30-second plank and move to a minute as they progress to hold the plank for longer.

Targeted muscles: core, back, shoulders, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to do it:

1. Begin by facing down and placing your toes and forearms on the floor.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles. Make sure your body is in a straight line from your ears to your toes.
3. Keep your torso straight and your heels over the balls of your feet.
4. Brace your body and hold this position for 30 seconds.
5. Do a total of 3 sets.

 

Standard Crunch

Crunches, whether performed solely or using equipment like a ball, are one of the best ab exercises. They involve a small range of motion but target the abdominal muscles and help build muscle effectively. The best part: there are so many variations to target a number of muscles in your torso.

Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis, obliques.

How to do it:

1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground, hip-width apart.
2. Place your arms across your chest or at the back of your head.
3. Contract your abs and inhale.
4. Exhale, squeeze your abs and raise your head and shoulders off the ground while keeping your neck relaxed.
5. Inhale and return to the starting position.
6. Do 3 sets of 20 reps each.

 

Heel Taps

Heel taps or touches work your obliques by activating the abdominal muscles along the sides of your body. This at-home signature isolation oblique exercise also involves abs.

Targeted muscles: obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis.

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on your back with your feet together and flat on the ground.
2. Keep your knees and feet together and ensure they are tucked close to the glutes.
3. Now, contract your right obliques and touch your right heel with your right hand.
4. Perform the same movement on the left side to complete a rep.
5. Do 20 heel taps on each side for a total of 3 sets.

 

Side Planks

Side planks can’t be overlooked when it comes to no-equipment abs workouts for men at home. The exercise primarily targets the obliques but also uses your gluteus and hip muscles to help stabilize the hips. Side planks strengthen the core without stressing the back muscles and even improve balance.

Targeted muscles: obliques.

How to do it:

1. Rest your elbow on the floor under your shoulder and your feet stacked on top of each other.
2. Make a fist with your forearm pointing away from you.
3. Engage your core and lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from head to toe. Support your weight on your elbow while doing so.
4. Hold this exact position for at least 30 seconds.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Do a total of 10 reps on each side.

 

Scissor Kicks

Scissor kicks are an effective exercise for building and maintaining core strength. They involve moving your legs in a scissoring motion, alternating them up and down. If you are looking for an ideal abs workout without equipment, rely on this bodyweight exercise since it also targets your lower abs.

Targeted muscles: core, glutes, quads, adductors.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you and your hands under your glutes.
2. Engage your core and make sure your pelvis is slightly tucked in.
3. Keeping your legs straight with knees slightly bent, lift one leg a few inches off the ground, and point your toes toward the ceiling.
4. Now cross your right foot over the left one and then quickly cross the left foot over the right.
5. Continue to alternate legs in this scissor fashion until you have completed 15 reps.
6. Rest for 30 seconds.
7. Do a total of 3 sets.

 

Bicycle Crunches

This dynamic variation of the crunch makes for an effective abs workout since it targets the upper torso, lower abs, and obliques.

Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis, external obliques.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Keep your knees bent while keeping your feet planted on the ground.
2. Bring your left knee towards your chest and lift your shoulder blades to touch your knee with your right elbow. Do this movement while keeping the other leg straight.
3. Lower your leg and arm at the same time and perform the same movement with the opposite limbs.
4. Keep alternating sides to complete 20 reps.

 

When to do an abs workout?

 

Instead of doing your abs workout first thing in the morning, save it for the evening. The best is to do it in the afternoon to keep a sufficient gap between your exercise and bedtime.

 

What to eat after an abs workout?

 

Make sure your post-workout meal is rich in carbohydrates that will rebuild your depleted glycogen stores. Your post-workout menu can include whole-grain pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

How many times a week you should do an abs workout?

Try training your abs 2-3 times a week. Include 5-6 exercises in your abs workout to maximize development without overdoing it.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Keeping the entire core strong is crucial to not only building ab muscles but also lowering the risk of back injuries. Men can easily perform no-equipment ab exercises, such as planks, crunches, heel touches, etc., at home to build sufficient abdominal strength and get a stronger core in no time.

Make sure that first you are not straining any existing injuries, and ensure that if you are training for the first time, you focus on your technique rather than speed and reps.