Dumbbell Exercises for Abs: 16 to Try (2024)

You can use easily incorporate dumbbell exercises into your routine to build strength in your core muscles. This includes your low back, abdominal, and pelvic muscles.

Strengthening these muscles helps to tone this area of your body and improve its overall appearance. You’ll gain more stability in your body, which helps with overall function and movement. You’ll also have better balance, coordination, and posture.

You can do abdominal dumbbell exercises at your home, the gym, or the office. They’re the perfect way to sneak in a short workout, or you can include them in a longer workout routine.

Read on to learn some key dumbbell exercises to try, their benefits, and the importance of working your whole body.

For each exercise, do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.

Master your form and technique for each exercise by doing a few rounds without weights. Once you’ve got it down, start with a light weight and gradually increase the load.

1. Russian twist

1. Sit with your legs in front of you.
2. Bend your knees, flex your feet, and place your heels on the ground.
3. Hold a dumbbell in front of your chest.
4. Hinge at your hips, engage your core, and lean your upper body back at an angle.
5. Slowly twist your upper body to the right.
6. Return to the starting position.
7. Repeat on the left side.
8. This is 1 repetition.

2. Dumbbell rowboat

1. Sit with your legs in front of you.
2. Hold a dumbbell in front of your chest.
3. Lift your feet off the floor.
4. Engage your core muscles as you twist to the right.
5. Slowly return to center.
6. Repeat on the left side.
7. This is 1 repetition.

3. Suitcase crunch

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For this exercise, keep your feet off the ground the entire time.

1. Lie on your back and hold a dumbbell overhead.
2. Lift your feet a few inches off the floor.
3. Raise your legs to a 90-degree angle.
4. At the same time, lift the dumbbell toward your feet as you lift your upper body.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

4. Alternating overhead press

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For this exercise, engage your core and keep your low back straight.

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, bending your elbows to position your hands at shoulder-height with your palms facing forward.
3. Straighten your left arm to raise the weight overhead.
4. Slowly lower your arm back to the starting position.
5. Repeat on the right side.
6. This is 1 repetition.

5. Side plank raise

1. Lie on your left side with your legs extended.
2. Use your left forearm for support.
3. Stack your feet and place a dumbbell on your right hip.
4. Lift your hips and legs as high as possible.
5. Hold this position for a few seconds.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.
7. Repeat on the right side.

6. Long arm dumbbell crunch

1. Lie on a mat with bent knees.
2. Press the soles of your feet firmly into the ground.
3. Use both hands to hold a dumbbell behind you.
4. Engage your core as you raise the weight overhead and do a situp or crunch.
5. Slowly lower your body back to the starting position.

7. Weighted situps

To make this exercise easier, you can do crunches instead of situps.

1. Lie on your back with bent knees and your feet on the floor near your hips.
2. Hold a dumbbell against your chest.
3. Engage your core as you lift your upper body toward your knees.
4. Pause in this position for a few seconds.
5. Slowly lower back to the starting position.

8. Squat to overhead press

1. Come into a standing position.
2. Hold two dumbbells in toward your chest with your palms facing your body.
3. Lower into a squat.
4. Stand up straight.
5. At the same time, extend your arms overhead with your palms facing away from your body.
6. Return to the starting position.

9. Dumbbell burpee

1. Use both hands to hold a dumbbell horizontally.
2. Squat down, placing the weight on the floor.
3. Jump back into a pushup position.
4. Do one pushup.
5. Pick up the dumbbell.
6. Jump your feet forward, landing in a low squat.
7. Return to standing.

10. V-sits

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1. Lie on your back and hold a dumbbell behind your head.
2. Raise your upper body and legs at the same time to form a V-shape.
3. Slowly lower to the starting position.

11. Overhead side bend

1. Use your right hand to hold a dumbbell overhead.
2. Place your left hand on your hip or alongside your body.
3. Bend over to the left side.
4. Hold this position for a few seconds.
5. Return to the starting position.
6. Then do the opposite side.

12. Leg raises

1. Lie on your back with a dumbbell between your ankles.
2. Raise your legs to a 45-degree angle.
3. Slowly lower them to the starting position.

13. Standing weighted twist

To make this exercise more challenging, do it with straight arms.

1. Stand and hold a dumbbell in at your chest.
2. Rotate your torso to the right.
3. Return to center.
4. Rotate your torso to the left.
5. This is one repetition.

14. Reverse lunge with twist

1. Stand and hold a dumbbell with outstretched arms.
2. Step your left foot back and lower into a lunge position.
3. Twist your torso to the right.
4. Twist back to center.
5. Straighten your legs to return to the starting position.
6. Do the opposite side.
7. This is one repetition.

15. Lying overhead reach

1. Lie on your back.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand above your chest.
3. Position your knees above your hips with your calves parallel to the floor.
4. Slowly lower your arms to the floor behind your head.
5. Return your arms to the starting position.

16. Dumbbell swing

1. Stand and use both hands to hold the top of a dumbbell.
2. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees as you swing the weight behind your hips.
3. Return to standing and swing the weight up to shoulder height.
4. Slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

Strong core muscles are an essential part of a healthy body. These muscles support your spine, stabilize your body, and promote proper posture. You use your core for all types of movements, including twisting to the side, reaching overhead, and lifting heavy objects. You also use these muscles while sitting and standing.

A healthy core prevents and relieves low back pain, enhances flexibility, and builds muscle mass.

Ab workouts on their own aren’t enough to achieve washboard abs or lose belly fat. Even if you strengthen your abdominals, the muscle tone won’t be visible if it’s covered in a layer of fat. It’s also important to note that exercising and feeling healthy is a good goal, but achieving visible abs may not be possible for everyone. Try to focus on how exercise makes you feel rather than how it makes you look.

If fat loss is important to you, you’ll need to do abdominal exercises as part of a fitness routine that targets your whole body to lower your body fat percentage. This should include walking and cardio workouts.

To get a toned stomach and fuel your body, follow a healthy diet that includes fiber, probiotics, and protein. Avoid sugary drinks such as soda, fruit juice, and alcohol. Instead, drink plenty of water and consider adding a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Unsweetened coffee and teas are also great beverage options. Balance out your exercise plan with activities that help you to relax and unwind, and allow plenty of time for sleep.

Ab exercises are an amazing addition to your workout plan, but they shouldn’t make up your entire routine. Because these exercises target your abdominals, you’ll want to do other types of exercises that work your entire body.

A balanced fitness routine must include strength training along with cardio, balance, and flexibility exercises. Doing a wide range of exercises also helps to prevent boredom, which may make it easier to stick to a routine. Plus, you’ll be challenging yourself in different ways.

Consult a personal trainer if you’d like a professional hand in creating your core workouts. This is ideal if you are new to fitness, have an injury or medical condition that affects your routine, or simply want to take your existing workouts to the next level.

A fitness pro can take a look at your current fitness level, goals, and needs to devise an individualized plan. They will ensure safety by teaching you the correct form and technique, as well as the weight loads for your level.

A personal trainer can give you motivation and feedback as you progress, and will modify your routine if necessary. They will encourage you to rise to meet new challenges or reduce the intensity of your workouts depending on your development.

If you want to achieve a strong core, go ahead and add these dumbbell exercises to your fitness program. After you master the proper form without weights, start with a low weight load. As you progress, continue to build upon your skills by increasing the weight and difficulty of the abdominal exercises.

If you find yourself tired or in pain, take a step back and rest for a few days. Remember to keep your routine well-rounded by doing cardio, balance, and flexibility activities. This ensures you’ll achieve full-body fitness, which enhances all of your movements and activities while allowing you to feel better overall.