Last Updated on February 6, 2025
If you’re looking for a tight, toned tummy, standing ab exercises are an effective way to sculpt your core—without the strain of traditional crunches. This standing ab workout is one of my favorites because it delivers results quickly, strengthens your core, and burns calories at the same time.
The Best Standing Ab Exercises
Why Choose Standing Ab Exercises?
Standing ab exercises are perfect if:
- You want defined abs, core strength, and fat-burning benefits.
- You dislike crunches or find them uncomfortable.
- You experience neck or back pain.
- You prefer not to work out on the floor.
Unlike traditional crunches, standing ab exercises engage multiple muscle groups, increase calorie burn, and protect your spine from unnecessary strain. These functional movements help tighten your midsection like a corset, making them a must-add to your routine.
If you want a tight, toned tummy, standing ab exercises done together in my standing ab workout are perfect for you! This standing ab workout is my favorite ab routine of all time because it’s so incredibly effective.
Standing ab exercises are my go-to core exercises for beginners and advanced exercisers alike because they help you get results a LOT faster than traditional crunches. When done together in a complete standing ab workout, you’ll be able to get results faster than you could crunching on the floor.
The standing ab exercises I’m sharing will take you from this…
To this : )
Because feeling insecure about your midsection sucks. But don’t worry… standing ab exercises can get you feeling fab instead of fab asap compared to crunches.
See me explain more and demo the standing ab exercises for you in today’s episode of CCtv.
Benefits of Standing Ab Workouts
As I discussed in this post about the benefits of planks, crunches on the floor can strain the spine.
That’s why my go-to exercises to target the core are planks and standing movements. I’ve already shared my favorite plank exercises with you, so today I’m sharing 6 standing ab exercises for flat, toned abs, core strength, and maximum calorie burn.
Like planks, standing ab exercises won’t strain the back or neck like traditional crunches can. Standing movements don’t use your head as a counterweight (like crunches do). That means you’ll feel less strain on your neck and back as you’re moving.
Standing ab exercises use multidirectional movements moving the arms and legs. Doing so helps target more secondary muscle fibers than basic crunches, too. When you target primary and secondary muscles everything snatches in tight like a corset and that’s what we want!
Because you’re working more muscles during standing ab exercises, you burn more calories and fat, which means faster results compared to those you get from traditional crunches.
These exercises are great for your neck and back and also help strengthen the core which supports that back and helps reduce back pain, too.
Pin these ab exercises to Pinterest so you’ll have them forever
Standing Ab Workout Instructions
- Add 2 of these exercises onto any of my other program or blog workouts to boost calorie burn and target your abs more.
- To do all 6 exercises in a standing ab workout, first warm up with some light cardio for 5 – 10 minutes, followed by some core stretches. (Become a CC VIP and you’ll get a free stretch guide.)
- Do each exercise until you feel the burn. Once you ‘feel the burn’ do 5 more (on each side, if applicable) then stop. Max out at 25 reps.
- Once you finish one exercise move onto the next. Tip: Try not to take any breaks between exercises to increase heart rate and calorie burn.
- Finish one full round of all 6 exercises to complete 1 set. Do 4 full sets to complete this workout.
Ready to rock these exercises? When you’re done trying them please leave me a comment and let me know which one was your favorite.
Standing Ab Exercise Instructions
Overhead Pendulum
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Using both hands, lift a dumbbell overhead. This is your start position. Slowly dip the weight to one side. Hold for a count then rock the weight back up and over to the opposite side to complete one rep. Slowing ‘tick and tock’ the weight back and forth like a pendulum, until you complete your set.
Windmills
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with a dumbbell in both of your hands. Lift one arm straight up overhead and keep the opposite arm down by your side. This is your start position. Lower your bottom hand down towards your foot, far as you can, keeping your other arm extended overhead. Reverse the movement and return to the start position to complete one rep. Repeat the same number of reps on the other side to complete your set.
Dumbbell Side Dips
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, while holding dumbbells down by your sides. This is your start position. Lower the weight down to one side as far as you can. Exhale and squeeze your abs as you lift the weight back up to the start position to complete one rep. Repeat the movement on the same side for the prescribed number of reps. Repeat the same number of reps on the other side to complete your set. Tip: Protect your neck and look forward not down, while doing the movement.
Woodchop Exercise
Stand with your feet apart. While holding a weight with both hands, lift the weight up and across to one side. Your feet should pivot to help you extend the weight back and to the side. This is your start position. Pivot your feet as you rotate the weight down and across your body toward the opposite corner. Reverse the movement, lifting the weight back up and back across your body to the start position. One full ‘chopping’ movement counts as one rep. Do the same number of reps on the other side to complete your set.
Lunge Twists
Lunge down and extend your arms straight out while holding a weight. This is your start position. Twist your torso to one side. Then rotate your torso back past the start position to the opposite side. Twisting to both sides to complete one rep. Repeat the same number of reps while lunging with your other leg to complete your set.
Knee Tuck Extensions
Stand, with one arm extended overhead holding a weight and the foot of the same side out slightly. Put all of your weight on your planted foot. This is your start position. Simultaneously crunch your elbow down, while lifting your knee up to meet each other while balancing on your planted foot. Only your elbow and knee should move during this exercise. Return back to the start position to complete one rep. Complete the same number of reps on the opposite side to complete your set.
Tips for Success
- Use light weights (no more than 10 pounds) to avoid strain. I don’t recommend using more than 10 pounds for these exercises, especially for the overhead pendulum, woodchop, and lunge twist exercises. (I used 8 pounds.)
- Modify reps as needed—If you burn out before 25 reps, no problem! Do as many as you can until you burn out and work your way up to 25. : )
- This is a piece of the puzzle—Remember, it’s best to do this workout only once a week to prevent adaptation. It’s best to rotate this workout into a part of a complete training routine to prevent adaptation and plateaus. Also, one workout isn’t going to do much…
- Abs are Made in the Kitchen – Your diet makes or breaks your ability to burn fat and get fit. To get the best results from your workouts, it’s essential to fuel your body according to your metabolic type. Eating the right foods for your metabolism can enhance fat loss, improve energy, support lean muscle development, prevent/reverse symptoms and aging, and more!
The Best Part? When you eat for your unique metabolic type you can get results 3 times faster.
➡️ Take the Metabolic Type Quiz & Free Training to discover your type, what meal plan I recommend to maximize your results!
What exercise did you feel the most? Let me know in the comments.
xxoo
Your Coach and Biggest Cheerleader
Pin this standing ab workout to Pinterest so you’ll have it forever
If you’re over feeling fatigued and fluffy and you’re ready to strut your stuff confidently, you need my Metabolic Meal Plans!
Do you want to burn fat and feel freakin’ fantastic in 4 weeks flat? You can! Take my Metabolic Type Quiz to Learn your Type & Get the Perfect plan for you.
If you liked this post you’ll love these ab workouts, too
Christina is a Functional Health Practitioner, Holistic Nutritionist, and Personal Trainer who transformed her own health—healing multiple issues, getting off seven medications, and losing 40 pounds for good. Now, she helps others get Happy, Healthy, & Fit—without any BS. With over 20,000 success stories, Christina empowers clients to slim down, tone up, and feel amazing – quickly and naturally – with easy-ish workouts and the most delicious food possible. Ready to start looking and feeling your best? Take my Program Style Quiz to discover the program that’s perfect for you.
Thank you! Love, love, love this video.
Awww yay! Thank you so much for letting me know, Paula. That makes me so happy. xoxo
Hi Christina,
Do you please have a workout for problematic bra fat?
Ps. Love your workouts for different parts of the body.
Yep! I have a few. Here’s the most popular one that targets bra strap area back fat. https://www.christinacarlyle.com/exercises-that-get-rid-of-back-fat-and-bra-overhang/
Starting the six Standing ab exercises today.
Awesome xo CC
I’m excited to try some of these exercises. I exercise regularly and at 65 have a boxy waist line, I’m starting with the standing abs today.
Awesome!! I know you’re going to love your results. xo
How many calories are burned during each exercise? I’d like to log these workouts in my daily fitness log.
it’s IMPOSSIBLE to tell without knowing your current weight, height, and gender. Just focus on finishing the workouts and you’ll get results.
I am 60 years old and can’t wait to try this. Crunches and such do bother my neck…anxious to see how this goes!
let me know how it goes xo
Did 4 out 6 first time I quit half way on the 5 the one lol but wow I didn’t expect to burn that quick. My question is can i alternate and do 3 exercise each day with the 25 reps ? or would I need to do like 3 sets 25 reps with only 3 exercise?
It’s best as is. Take a break if you need to or reduce your weights!
loved your ab exercies
thank you so much 🙂
As you suggested, I did the overhead pendulum and the windmill after my 30 minute workout…Love the standing ab workout exercise💕
Thank you
Awesome! You’re so welcome!
Awesome!! What a refreshing way to train the abs! I’m so not a fan of supine ab exercises that make me feel like a bug flipped onto my back dying in the sun!! >__< Thank you Christina! XXX
Claire, you are the BEST! haha I totally agree with you. The dying bug position is not fun!