To get a well-sculpted and strong six-pack abs, it is important to put in the time and effort. You have to work hard and be patient to see results.

However, it is not necessary to spend hours working out. A 15-minute ab workout routine can also give very good results. The main thing is to know what you are doing, be disciplined and think long term.

Be wary of programs that promise results in just 15 days, as these are often dubious marketing tactics. The key to success lies in discipline and consistency.

In order to properly develop your training program, even for short workouts, it is good to start with the basics and understand the role of all these muscles that make up the human body, and their impact on our daily activities. In summary, the base of our body, the core muscles, are essential for good posture. And not just posture, the core muscles and abs support the back and the entire upper body. Hence the importance of understanding the common role of the core and abs, some exercises will be more beneficial than others.

Let’s break down some important information about your core and torso, the movements that are essential for training your core and abs, and how to put together an effective 15-minute workout.

What is the trunk?

Don’t just train your abs because they’re only part of the battle. Instead, focus on training your entire body as a unit. We’re talking abs, obliques, spinal extensors, and glutes because they all work together. That’s how the core works in real life, and that’s how you’ll apply it in this workout.

In order to train your core in a very short period of time, you need to understand what it is capable of. It is suggested to divide core training into four different categories. A well-rounded core program addresses all of these ideas in one way or another. You can do this quickly, especially since these ideas often intersect with each other.

REINFORCEMENT

Your entire core, including your abs, lower back muscles, obliques, and glutes, support your spine, keeping it strong, healthy, and still. Supporting your spine prevents you from rounding your lower back, but also from arching it excessively. Recommended exercises for strengthening include the plank and the hollow hold. In these movements, your core muscles contract to hold your spine in a fixed position.

ROTATION

The core is also responsible for torso rotation. Stand up straight and twist from side to side while keeping your legs facing forward; your abs, obliques, lower back and hip muscles drive this movement. Rotation is a movement that is too often underestimated in our daily activities. The training is worth it. Recommended exercises for rotation: “Wood Chops” or “Russian twists”.

COUNTER ROTATION

Your core is also responsible for preventing torso rotation, a concept known as “counter-rotation.” Consider this: If someone pushes your right shoulder while you’re standing up straight, you’ll resist that push, which is why you need to have a lot of core strength. This strength is developed by counteracting rotation in core exercises. Recommended exercises for counter-rotation include the plank and the hollow hold.

FLEXION OF THE SPINAL COLUMN

It is important to recognize and acknowledge that the abdominals play an extremely important role when it comes to spinal flexion. The latter is often the cause of all back pain. It is therefore necessary for the abdominals to be strong enough to allow and dose the rotation required by our daily activities. Recommended exercise for flexion: the basic sit-up. This exercise is an example of a movement that integrates spinal flexion.

YOUR 15-MINUTE ABS WORKOUT

Incorporate all of the above ideas into this 15-minute core workout. You can do these exercises every day. This workout works well on your own at home or at the gym, or you can add it to the end of your strength or cardio workout to further develop your abs.

It’s not important to count reps in this workout; instead, focus on the precision of your movements. For the first two exercises, perform each move for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Follow the repetition instructions for the last move.

Rest for one minute between each exercise.

Mountain Climber

Get your heart rate up and work on strengthening your core with the “Mountain Climber.” Do two sets of 45 seconds.

Step Core Getup

The spinal flexion and counter-rotation work is more than you might expect with the basic three-step Getup. Do two sets of 45 seconds per side. Finish with a Superman. Supermans work your abs, but also your lower back and glutes. Each set lasts about a minute; rest for a minute between sets.

Hollow Rock and Superman Series

Finish with this countdown series of Hollow Rock followed by Superman. Five repetitions of Hollow Rock then roll to do five repetitions of Superman. You then continue with four Hollow Rocks followed by four Supermans, and follow this progression until you are doing one Hollow Rock and one Superman. Each set takes about a minute; rest for a minute between each set.

In summary, your “15 Minute Abs Workout” can vary from day to day by alternating between different exercises: