Fitness

A Dumbbell Ab Workout With Some Surprising Core-Challenging Moves

The key to a strong core is not the crunch.
A Dumbbell Ab Workout With Some Surprising CoreChallenging Moves
Kelsey McClellan

Many of us pick a couple of the same core exercises—crunches, anyone?—and end up doing them over and over again. But a dumbbell ab workout can shake things up because it’ll challenge you to incorporate some surprising core moves that you might not necessarily think of as abs exercises.

There are two main ways you work your abs: through movement and anti-movement, Sivan Fagan, C.P.T., owner of Strong with Sivan in Baltimore, tells SELF. Traditional abs work uses movement to challenge your core, often through flexion, like with crunches. But anti-movement can be a really effective way to work your core ?too.

With these kinds of abs exercises, you’re training your core to resist movement, which boosts core stability, she says. You do this through anti-flexion, where your spine resists folding forward under load (like with a deadlift), anti-extension, where you resist the extension of your lumbar spine to prevent your low back from hyperextending (like with a plank), anti-lateral flexion, where you resist bending from the side (like with a suitcase carry), and anti-rotation, where your core resists twisting (like with a single-leg deadlift).

While anti-movement abs exercises can look like traditional abs exercises—as the plank does—many of them play double duty as upper- and lower-body exercises too. And using dumbbells for added resistance can help kick them up a notch.

These exercises will challenge your entire core, which is important in helping you lift more weight in your workout as well as function better in everyday life, whether you’re twisting to the side to pick something up or lifting a heavy box over your head. Plus, a strong core can help prevent and reduce lower back pain.

Since these dumbbell moves are pretty varied, try picking three or four that you like to string together into a circuit for a simple dumbbell ab workout. Try doing 10–12 reps of each move and repeat the circuit three times. You can also choose one or two to swap for a similar exercise you're already doing but no longer feel pumped about.

Demo-ing the moves below is Amanda Wheeler (GIFs 1, 4, and 7), a certified strength and conditioning specialist and cofounder of Formation Strength; Cookie Janee (GIFs 2 and 5), a background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve; Rachel Denis (GIFs 3 and 6), a powerlifter who competes with USA Powerlifting and holds multiple New York state powerlifting records; Nathalie Huerta (GIFs 8 and 10), coach at The Queer Gym in Oakland, CA; Erica Jasmine Moon (GIFs 9 and 11), a personal trainer and graduate student becoming licensed as a marriage and family therapist; and Shauna Harrison(GIF 12); a Bay Area–based trainer, yogi, public health academic, advocate, and columnist for SELF.

  • renegade row with push up
    Katie Thompson
    1

    Renegade Row With Push-Up

    • Start in a high plank holding a dumbbell in each hand on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you wider than hip-width apart (it'll help with stability), and your core and glutes engaged. This is the starting position.
    • Pull your right elbow back to do a row, raising the dumbbell toward your chest and keeping your elbow close to your torso. Keep your abs and butt tight to prevent your hips from rocking.
    • Lower the weight back down to the starting position.
    • Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor to do a push-up.
    • Push back up to plank position.
    • Then, pull your left elbow back to do a row, raising the dumbbell toward your chest and keeping your elbow close to your torso. Keep your abs and butt tight to prevent your hips from rocking.
    • Lower the weight back down to the starting position.
    • Do another push-up. This is 1 rep.

    Targets the deltoids, pecs, latissimus dorsi, triceps, biceps, and core.

  • Katie Thompson
    2

    Single-Leg Reverse Fly

    • Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a weight in each hand with your arms resting along the sides of your legs, palms facing each other.

    • Hinge forward at the hips, lifting your right leg straight out behind you until your torso is parallel to the floor. (Depending on your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility, you may not be able to bend so far over.) Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your left foot to keep your neck in a comfortable position. The weights should be hanging down toward the floor.

    • With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lift the weights up and out to the sides until they're in line with your shoulders.

    • Then, lower them back down with control. This is 1 rep.

    Targets the deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius, and core.

  • Katie Thompson
    3

    Alternating Overhead Press

    • Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a weight in each hand and rest them at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward and your elbows bent. This is the starting position.
    • Press one dumbbell overhead, straightening your elbow completely. Make sure to keep your core engaged and hips tucked under to avoid arching your lower back as you lift your arm.
    • Slowly bend your elbow to lower the weight back down to the starting position.
    • Repeat this movement with the other arm. This is 1 rep.

    Targets the deltoids, trapezius, and triceps.

  • Katie Thompson
    4

    Russian Twist

    • Sit with your knees bent out in front of you, feet flexed, and heels on the floor.
    • Hold one dumbbell in front of your chest, and lean your torso back until you feel your abdominal muscles engage.
    • Slowly twist your torso from right to left. Remember to keep your core tight (and breathe!) throughout.

    Targets the core, specifically the obliques and rectus abdominis.

  • Katie Thompson
    5

    Reverse Lunge With Twist

    • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell at your chest with both hands, gripping it on each end. This is the starting position.
    • Step back (about 2 feet) with your right foot, landing on the ball of your right foot and keeping your heel off the floor.
    • Bend both knees to create two 90-degree angles with your legs. Your chest should be upright and your torso should be leaning slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded forward. Your right quad should be parallel to the floor and your right knee should be above your right foot. Your butt and core should be engaged.
    • Slowly rotate your torso to the left. You should feel a nice stretch in your midback.
    • Twist back to center, and then push through the heel of your left foot to return to the starting position.
    • Repeat on the other side, stepping back with your left foot, lowering into a lunge, and then slowly rotating your torso to the right.
    • Twist back to center, and then push through the heel of your right foot to return to the starting position. That's 1 rep.

    Targets the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, soleus (calf), and core, specifically the obliques.

  • Katie Thompson
    6

    Wood-Chop

    • Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, core engaged, holding a dumbbell by your left leg.
    • Raise your arms diagonally in front of your body to the upper right of your reach, allowing your torso and toes to naturally rotate to the right as you twist.
    • Now “chop” the weight down to the left, bringing it across the front of your body and aiming for your left ankle, allowing your torso and toes to naturally rotate in that direction. Focus on keeping your lower body stable and rotating from your core. This is 1 rep.
    • Do all your reps on one side, and then switch sides and repeat.

    Targets the core, specifically the obliques.

  • Katie Thompson
    7

    Single-Leg Deadlift

    • Stand with your feet together, holding a weight in each hand in front of your legs. This is the starting position.
    • Shift your weight to your left leg and while keeping a slight bend in your left knee, raise your right leg straight behind your body, hinging at the hips to bring your torso parallel to the floor, and lower the weight toward the floor.
    • Keep your back flat. At the bottom of the movement, your torso and right leg should be almost parallel to the floor, with the weight a few inches off the ground. (If your hamstrings are tight, you may not be able to lift your leg as high.)
    • Keeping your core tight, push through your left heel to stand up straight and pull the weight back up to the starting position. Bring your right leg back down to meet your left, but try to keep the majority of weight in your left foot.
    • Pause there and squeeze your butt. That's 1 rep.
    • Do all your reps on one leg, and then repeat with the other leg.

    Targets the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, and core.

  • Kelsey McClellan
    8

    Quadruped Single-Arm Rear Delt Raise

    • On a mat, start in an all-fours position with your knees underneath your hips and palms underneath your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
    • Raise your right arm to the side, feeling the work in the back of your shoulder. Brace your core, keep your back straight, and try not to twist to the side.
    • Lower your dumbbell back to the ground. That’s 1 rep.
    • Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

    Targets your rear delts as well as your core.

  • Kelsey McClellan
    9

    Single-Arm Chest Press

    • Lie face-up with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your legs and your elbows on the floor bent at 90 degrees so that the weights are in the air. This is the starting position.
    • Press the weight toward the ceiling, straightening your elbow completely and keeping your palm facing your legs. Pause here for a second.
    • Slowly bend your elbow and lower it back down to the floor and out so it is perpendicular to your torso. This is 1 rep.
    • Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

    Targets pectoral muscles (chest) and triceps as well as core.*

  • Kelsey McClellan
    10

    Single-Arm Row

    • Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in your right hand with your arm at your side. Step forward about two feet with your left foot, and rest your left hand on your left quad. This is the starting position.
    • With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, pushing your butt back, and bend your left knee, making sure you don’t round your shoulders. (Your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility will dictate how far you can bend over.)
    • Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
    • Pull the weight up toward your chest, keeping your elbows hugged close to your body, and squeezing your shoulder blade for two seconds at the top of the movement. Your elbow should go past your back as you bring the weight toward your chest.
    • Slowly lower the weight by extending your arms toward the floor. That's 1 rep. Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

    Targets your latissimus dorsi and biceps as well as your core.

  • Kelsey McClellan
    11

    Suitcase Carry

    • Place a single dumbbell next to one of your feet.
    • Squat to grab onto the weight with a neutral, palms-in grip. Keeping your chest up and core braced, stand up.
    • Walk forward, keeping an upright torso and resisting the urge to lean your torso to one side to counterbalance the weight.
    • When you're finished, squat to place the weight back on the floor. Repeat on the opposite side.

    Targets grip strength, lats, and shoulder stability, as well as your core.

Amy is a freelance writer who covers health, fitness, outdoors, and travel. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, a personal trainer certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and a CPR certification from the American Red Cross. You... Read more
Christa Sgobba is a writer and editor who joined SELF in November 2019. Previously, she held print and digital positions at Men’s Health, Runner’s World, and Bicycling, where she covered health, fitness, nutrition, and pro sports coverage. The gym is her happy place, and she’s committed to helping others discover... Read more

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