The Best Weighted Ab Workouts and Why They Should Be Part of Your Fitness Routine

A lot of people who go to the gym are aiming for those six-pack ab muscles. Some are trying to develop their core strength, while others want to get rid of stubborn belly fat.

Whatever the case, weighted ab workouts should get you there quickly. The problem is that not many people know how to do them properly.

Some are even unaware that you can incorporate weights into your abdominal exercises. Well, that’s what we’re here for.

We’ll show you the best weighted ab exercises and why you should ensure they’re part of your fitness routine.

Best Weighted Ab Workouts To Start Mastering

Here comes the fun and challenging part. We’ve prepared a detailed list of some of the best weighted abs exercises you can do with limited equipment.

Some are fairly easy, while a few can be challenging exercises. Nonetheless, all of them will efficiently build muscle groups in your abdomen.

Before discuss each of the exercises, here’s a table of summary that you can use as a quick reference when deciding which among them to combine:

Exercise	Level	Targeted Ab Muscle
Renegade Row	Beginner	Core, Obliques
Low-to-High Wood Chops	Beginner	Upper, Obliques
Russian Twist	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced	Complete Abdominals
Overhead Reach with Leg Extension	Beginner	Upper, Lower
Plank and Rotate	Intermediate, Advanced	Six-Pack, Obliques
Weighted Twist	Beginner	Obliques
Overhead Circle	Beginner, Intermediate	Six-Pack
Leaning Camel	Beginner, Intermediate	Complete Abdominals
Side Plank Row	Beginner, Intermediate	Obliques
Weighted Hanging Leg Raise	Intermediate, Advanced	Complete Abdominals
Barbell Rollouts	Beginner	Six-Pack, Obliques
Weighted Straight Leg Situps	Intermediate, Advanced	Complete Abdominals
Double Crunch	Intermediate	Six-Pack, Core
Dumbbell Crossover Punch	Beginner, Intermediate	Complete Abdominals

Renegade Row

The renegade row is perhaps the easiest and most popular weighted ab workout you can try.

Aside from developing your core, this exercise also targets the back muscles. It’s a great way to challenge your stability while activating certain muscles you don’t normally do.

What You Need:

• One pair of dumbbells

How To:

1. Place the dumbbells on the floor at shoulder width apart.
2. Start in a plank position, with each hand holding the dumbbells.
3. Assume a wider stance with your feet to improve balance.
4. Pull one of your elbows back while lifting the dumbbells from the floor and to your chest.
5. Return to the plank position and repeat the process with the other side.

Low-to-High Wood Chop

The low-to-high wood chop is a beginner-level exercise that develops your upper abs and obliques. It also raises your heart rate, which can help reduce body fat.

Despite involving your entire body, this exercise will only take a little space, mostly just the area you’re standing on.

What You Need:

• Five- to 10-pound dumbbell or a medicine ball

How To:

1. Start by placing your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend your knees to assume a squat pose.
3. Hold the dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands to the outside of your right leg. This will serve as your starting position.
4. While exhaling, lift the dumbbell or medicine ball across your body in a diagonal direction and raise it above your head.
5. Hold the position for a couple of seconds before slowly bringing it back to the starting position.
6. Repeat as you deem necessary and do the other side as well.
7. Remember to control the weight and not let the momentum of the dumbbell swing your body.

Russian Twist

The Russian twist is a rather popular workout for developing the abdominal muscles. It’s a seated exercise that utilizes your own body weight for resistance.

This ab exercise is quite versatile and efficient that even gym buffs still use it to develop their core. That’s because you can increase or decrease its intensity according to the weight plate you use.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell or a medicine ball
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

• Start by sitting on the floor or a yoga mat if you want some form of cushioning.
• Bend your knees and hold the dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands.
• Let the dumbbell or medicine ball rest on your stomach in the meantime.
• Lift your feet from the floor and make sure they’re at least 12 inches away from your buttocks(they should not be resting on your legs).
• Lean backward but make sure that your spine is still straight.
• Twist slowly to one side while carrying the dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands.
• Only your ribs should rotate. Make sure not to extend or swing your arms.
• Take a breath before rotating to the other side while still carrying the dumbbell.

Overhead Reach With Leg Extension

The overhead reach with leg extension develops the upper and lower abs. It also increases the stability of your torso.

Since it involves lower and upper body movements, you also get to target muscles in your arms and legs.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

• Lay your back on the floor or mat with one knee bent while the other leg is pointed toward the ceiling.
• Hold the dumbbell with both of your hands and extend your arms straight toward the ceiling. This will serve as your starting position.
• Lower the extended leg towards the floor while doing the same with both hands. Your entire back should still be in contact with the floor.
• At this point, your arms should be extended over your head, parallel to the floor.
• Lift your arms and leg to return to the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise according to your desired repetition.
• Make sure that you do the same with your other leg.

Plank and Rotate

The plank and rotate involves twisting your body from a plank position to target your core muscles. It’s an efficient method to improve your overall balance and stability.

By adding weights to this core workout, you also get to engage muscles in your upper body. On the other hand, if you find it too difficult, reduce the weight plate load or do not use one at all.

What You Need:

• Two dumbbells

How To:

1. Start by placing the dumbbells on the floor shoulder-width apart.
2. Get down on all fours and grab each dumbbell with your hands.
3. Keep your legs straight and assume a wider stance with your feet.
4. Lift one dumbbell off the floor and extend it toward the ceiling while twisting your entire torso. Make sure not to do this abruptly.
5. Keep your wrist stiff so as not to injure your joints.
6. Slowly bring the dumbbell back to the floor and do the same with your other hand to the other side.

Weighted Twist

This is probably one of the easiest weighted abs workouts you can try, and you can even do it at home!

Even though it may look simple, it targets the abdominal muscles perfectly so that you’d feel the burn in a matter of minutes. If you want to increase the intensity of this abs exercise, you can do this with extended arms or a higher tempo.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell or medicine ball

How To:

1. Start by assuming a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. You can also try this with your knees bent in a squat position if you want to engage your lower body muscles.
3. Keep your lower body facing forward while holding the dumbbell a few inches in front of your chest.
4. Rotate your rib cage from left to right without moving your hips.
5. Repeat the exercise according to your desired repetition.

Overhead Circle

The overhead circle challenges your stability, which means it targets the muscle group in your stomach. This ab exercise also activates your biceps, triceps, and back muscles.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell or medicine ball or kettlebell

How To:

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly bent.
2. Keep your back straight and lift the dumbbell, medicine ball, or kettlebell above your head with your arms straight.
3. Slowly move the weight in a circle while it’s over your head. Try to keep your torso as stable as possible.
4. After one complete circle, reverse the direction of the movement to target the other side of your abdominal muscles.
5. Repeat according to your desired repetition.

Leaning Camel

You may want to pay attention if you frequently experience back pain, especially in your lower back.

The leaning camel is one of those ab exercises that stretches the spine while keeping your abs tight. It is also one of the best ab exercises that develop your quads at the same time.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

• Start by getting down on your knees with your thighs several inches apart. Use a yoga mat or a towel if the floor is too hard or rough.
• Hold the dumbbell with both of your hands and lift it in front of your chest.
• Take a deep breath.
• While letting the air out, lead back while engaging your glutes.
• Keep your back straight by engaging your abs.
• Be careful not to fall backward.
• On your next inhale, use your abs and torso to return to your starting position.

Side Plank Row

The side plank row is one of the most effective bodyweight ab exercises to target your lateral core stabilizers. It challenges your stability and uses your own body weight to increase the tension in your abdomen.

While the exercise can be done without movements, adding leg exercises will generate better results.

What You Need:

• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

1. Start in a side plank position by resting your right elbow and arm against the floor or mat.
2. Place your left hand on your hip, or you can also raise it to the ceiling.
3. Keep your legs straight, parallel to each other, with only your right foot touching the floor.
4. Raise your left leg toward the ceiling and bring it back to the starting position (think of it like a pair of scissors).
5. Repeat the exercise according to your desired repetition before moving to the other side and doing the same.

Weighted Hanging Leg Raise

The weighted hanging leg raise is one of the more difficult weighted abs exercises you can try.

This exercise is designed for intermediate to advanced bodybuilders, so you want to ensure that you’re ready for it.

Before trying this out, you should first try to master the hanging leg raise (without weights).

What You Need:

• A bar to hold onto to keep your body in midair
• Dumbbell

How To:

1. Start by gripping a dumbbell or a weight plate with your feet.
2. Grab onto the bar to lift your body off the ground.
3. While in midair, keep both legs straight and raise them up to your hip until they’re parallel to the floor.
4. Slowly move them back to their initial position before lifting them again.
5. Do this in three sets with eight repetitions each.
6. You can also adjust how much weight you want to carry to increase or decrease the intensity of this exercise.

Barbell Rollouts

The Barbell Rollouts is a rather easy ab exercise, making it a favorite choice of both beginners and even athletes. This exercise does not engage the lower back but can still put considerable pressure on the abs.

What You Need:

• Barbell

How To:

1. Start by placing the barbell on the floor.
2. Get down on your knees and grab the barbell with both of your hands.
3. Lift your feet a few inches above the floor and put your weight on your knees.
4. Roll the barbell further from you so that you drive your body toward the floor.
5. Once your face is one to two feet from the floor, roll the barbell to the initial position and lift your body back up.

Weighted Straight Leg Situps

The weighted straight leg situp upgrades the traditional situps by adding a barbell into the equation. It’s easy on the back and isolates your ab muscles, developing them rather quickly.

This weighted ab exercise is quite difficult for beginners. You want to make sure that you have someone assisting you if you haven’t done this before.

What You Need:

• Barbell
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

1. Lie on the floor with your back touching the ground. You can also use a mat if the floor is too hard or rough.
2. Hold the barbell and lift it above your chest with your arms straight. Make sure you keep your legs straight and against the floor.
3. While your arms are fully extended, lift your body using your abdomen to assume a seated position.
4. At this point, the barbell should be above your head.
5. Lower the barbell slowly to the ground before laying your back against the floor again.
6. Repeat the exercise according to your desired reps.

Double Crunch

The double crunch is a slow ab workout that engages your core. While you can do this with no equipment, adding weights to the routine increases its intensity.

This weighted ab exercise also requires you to keep your arms and legs in the air. It means that you also get to develop certain muscle groups in the upper and lower body.

What You Need:

• Weight plate, medicine ball, or dumbbell
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

1. Start by lying on the floor or mat while holding the weight plate with both of your hands against your chest.
2. Extend your legs and lift them up with your feet toward the ceiling.
3. Lift the weight plate above your chest and aim it toward your ankles.
4. With your arms and legs fully extended, begin lifting your head and upper back from the floor.
5. Make sure that you exhale while simultaneously lifting your head and back.
6. As you inhale, lower your upper back and pelvis toward the floor.
7. Continue doing this according to your desired reps.

Dumbbell Crossover Punch

The dumbbell crossover punch is a form of situp exercise that includes a few additional steps and a weighted tool. It targets the entire muscle group in your abdomen, allowing you to develop not just your lower and upper abs but also your obliques.

You can increase or decrease the intensity of the exercise by adjusting the weight of the dumbbell.

What You Need:

• Dumbbell
• Yoga mat (optional)

How To:

1. Start by lying on your back.
2. Bend your knees to a 45-degree angle while keeping your feet flat against the floor.
3. Hold one dumbbell in each of your hands while your elbows are against the floor.
4. Roll your body up to assume a sitting position.
5. Once seated, twist your torso to one side while punching with the opposite hand toward the outside of your knee.
6. Bring your hand back while untwisting your torso before lying back on the floor and repeating the process to the opposite side.

What Are Weighted Ab Workouts?

In the simplest terms, weighted ab workouts are exercises that involve the use of weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, and other equipment to target your core muscles.

The primary purpose of this type of training is to intensify regular ab exercises and achieve your desired results in the shortest time possible.

However, your weighted ab workout routine depends on your fitness goals and overall fitness level. Ergo, the time it takes to benefit from weighted ab exercises varies from one person to another.

What Are the Benefits of Weighted Ab Workouts?

Aside from getting those six pack ab muscles, there are numerous reasons why you should engage in weighted ab exercises.

From improved balance to an overall boost in your strength, the advantages of a strong core are undeniable.

Strong Core

A strong core is one of the most important benefits of weighted ab exercises. If you’re unaware, having strong muscles leads to multiple other fitness benefits.

First, it allows you to easily conduct daily activities like running, walking, and lifting. Developed abdominal muscles also improve your posture, and because of this, you are at a lesser risk of suffering from chronic back pain.

Increased Muscle Mass

Another great benefit of weighted abs exercises is that they increase muscle mass not just in your abdomen but also in different areas of your body.

The best part is that there are different ways to go about it. You can use a lighter-weight plate and increase the repetitions of your exercises. Alternatively, you can use a heavier-weight plate with fewer repetitions.

Either way, these methods will significantly boost the development of your ab muscles. It’s just about choosing which one you can conduct at the moment.

Improved Balance and Stability

Think of your upper body as a spinning top. If the bottom to mid-section is weak, it’ll wobble from one side to the other.

That’s why developing your core will tremendously improve your balance and stability.

You might think that balance is not that big of a deal because even non-gym goers can stay upright without developing their core. However, balance and stability are everything when you’re conducting physically demanding tasks. It goes without saying that they allow you to conduct different exercises safely and with ease.

Reduced Risk of Injury

Because of how much weighted abdominal exercises develop your balance, stability, and flexibility, it’s also inevitable that they reduce the risk of injury.

When your body is well-developed, your core muscles are also strong, so the pressure you receive from different physical activities is distributed evenly. This significantly decreases the likelihood that one side or body part will receive more pressure than the other, which leads to injury.

Better Flexibility

Some of the most challenging exercises out there are those that include yoga poses. If you’ve ever done this before, you know how much it engages your abdominal muscles.

That’s because the flexibility involved in yoga training also requires a strong core. By adding weights to your abdominal exercises, you can quickly develop your core and improve your flexibility.

Boost in Athletic Performance

It doesn’t matter what type of physical activities or sports you engage in; cyclists, swimmers, runners, weightlifters, and even team sports players benefit from a well-developed core.

Aside from the immediate benefits, you get to apply to your field of expertise, developing your abs also makes it easier to develop other muscle groups in your body.

It means that a strong core is almost always the first step towards building muscles necessary for other forms of exercise and sport-specific training.

To Six Packs and Beyond!

A well-developed core is not just about being able to brag about your six-pack abs. It’s also about being holistically strong while improving your overall stability, balance, and mobility.

While there are plenty of exercises you can try to engage the abdominal muscle group, adding weights to your ab workouts guarantees that you develop them rapidly.