10 Lower Ab Exercises to Add to Your Fitness Routine

Mountain climbers, leg drops, and hip lifts are excellent movements for activating the lower abdominal region. Building strength in the core can enhance balance, range of motion, and spinal wellness.

According to a , a robust core may also contribute to improved posture, reduced injury risk, and relief from back discomfort.

Training your core with planks, crunches, scissor kicks, and butterfly kicks helps develop strength, making everyday tasks and other exercises easier to perform.

Numerous exercises engage the lower abs. This article outlines ten that can be valuable additions to your fitness routine.

10 workouts to help lower abs

While doing these moves, concentrate on recruiting your lower abdominal muscles and challenge yourself without overexerting. If you have ongoing health issues, consult your physician before beginning any new exercise regimen.

Practice these exercises safely by using smooth, controlled motions and maintaining correct technique.

You might want to include a few gentle stretches between movements.

1. Ab contractions

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Press your lower back into the ground and pull your navel toward your spine with a small movement, tightening the core.
3. Hold this abdominal contraction for 30 seconds, then release.
4. Rest briefly and repeat 1 to 3 times.

Tips: Breathe slowly and deeply while performing this exercise. If 30 seconds feels too long at first, start with 10–15 seconds and gradually build up.

3. Hip lift

1. Lie on your back with your arms extended by your sides.
2. Raise your legs up so they are vertical.
3. Press your feet toward the ceiling to lift your hips off the floor.
4. Lower the hips back down and repeat.
5. Aim for 1 to 3 sets of 10–15 reps.

Tips: Use your lower abs to drive the motion rather than momentum. Control the descent of your hips and exhale as you lift.

4. Boat pose

1. Sit with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lean back onto your sit bones and lift your legs to a 45-degree angle, forming a “V.”
3. Extend your arms parallel to the ground with palms facing up.
4. Hold the posture for up to one minute.
5. Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.

Tips: Pull your lower belly toward your spine and lift your chest. For variations, try keeping knees bent and feet at knee height, or place your hands behind you for extra support.

5. Mountain climbers

1. Start in a high plank with hands beneath your shoulders.
2. Bring your right knee forward toward your chest.
3. Return the right knee to start and bring the left knee forward.
4. Continue alternating for up to one minute.
5. Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.

Tips: Move deliberately rather than quickly. Keep hips and shoulders aligned by bracing your core.

6. Rocking plank

How to perform

1. Assume a low forearm plank with elbows under your shoulders.
2. Shift your body forward and backward, rocking on your toes.
3. Continue the rocking for one minute.
4. Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.

Tips: Maintain a straight line from neck to hips. Concentrate on engaging the lower abs.

7. Scissor kicks

1. Lie on your back with arms at your sides and legs lifted straight up to the ceiling at a 90-degree angle from the torso.
2. Slowly lower your right leg while keeping your left leg elevated.
3. Raise the right leg back up as you lower the left leg.
4. Keep alternating the lowering and lifting of both legs.
5. Do 1 to 3 sets of 10–16 reps.

Tips: If your lower back begins to arch, avoid lowering your legs as far (aim for about 45 degrees instead).

8. The hundred

1. Lie on your back with knees drawn toward your chest.
2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor.
3. Hover your arms beside your body.
4. Extend your legs to a 45-degree angle.
5. Pump your arms up and down, inhaling for five pumps and exhaling for five pumps.
6. Complete 10 sets of 10 breaths (totaling 100 pumps).

Tips: Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. As a modification, bend the knees to 90 degrees and bring them closer to the chest.

9. Bicycle crunches

1. Lie on your back and interlace your fingers to support the base of your skull.
2. Bend your knees to 90 degrees.
3. Extend your right leg while twisting your right shoulder and elbow toward your left knee.
4. As you return the right leg to 90 degrees, extend the left leg and twist the left shoulder and elbow toward your right knee.
5. Continue alternating sides.
6. Perform 1 to 3 sets of 12–18 total reps.

Tips: Keep your core engaged by drawing the navel toward the spine. If you need a brief rest, hold both knees at 90 degrees for a few breaths.

10. Flutter kicks

1. Lie on your back with arms at your sides.
2. Lift your legs so your feet sit about 6 inches above the floor.
3. Lower your right leg a few inches while lifting your left leg a few inches.
4. Reverse the motion, lifting the right while lowering the left.
5. Continue this alternation for up to one minute.
6. Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.

Tips: Keep your lower back pressed into the floor. To support this, you can place your hands under your sit bones.

Lower ab workout safety considerations

When embarking on any exercise program, safety is important. Lower abdominal routines are no exception. Before you begin, consider these precautions:

1. Discuss with your healthcare provider before starting a new fitness plan if you have medical issues.
2. Warm up prior to exercising.
3. Prioritize proper technique.
4. Only perform as many reps as you can while keeping good form.
5. Stop immediately if you experience pain.

Frequently asked questions

Here are common questions related to lower abdominal training.

What exercise is best for lower abs?

Leg raises, scissor kicks, and mountain climbers are effective for targeting the lower abdominal area. The ideal choice depends on your flexibility and exercise skill level.

Are lower abs hard to get?

Everyone has abdominal muscles. If the goal is cosmetic visibility, focus on reducing overall body fat through sustainable diet and lifestyle changes.

The bottom line

With consistent practice of these exercises, you should notice gains in lower-ab strength and appearance. Ensure your routine also includes cardiovascular activity and full-body strength training.

Get sufficient rest, stay hydrated, and try to move daily, even if only for a short time. recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly plus two sessions of resistance training per week.

Consult your doctor before beginning any new workout plan, particularly if you have health concerns or take medications.

3 moves to strengthen abs