30 Day Ab Challenges

This 12 Minute Ab Workout is perfect for the 30 Day Ab Challenge. You can get toned and defined abs before swimsuit season arrives!

How does this ab challenge work?

This is a great 30 Day Ab Challenge workout that will have you toned up quickly. To get a 12 minute ab workout with these exercises below, you’ll want to go through this cycle twice. You can go more than that if you have time, but for a quick and intense ab workout you should try for at least twice!

Beginner 30 Day Ab Challenge

This workout is great for beginners and intermediates, and if you’re more advanced and feel like you could be challenged more, you can definitely bump up the intensity and speed. This is a very versatile workout challenge.

Once you start to feel like you are not being challenged you have to bump up the intensity. That is the only thing about these at home challenges that is tricky. Try really hard not to let yourself fall into a routine where you just go with the flow. Take this short workout time and really push yourself.

Will a 30 Day Ab Challenge Work?

Absolutely, it will work. You’ll be feeling this one before you realize it! Luckily the time goes pretty quickly, and if you get sore from working out you can try these five things!

Like I mentioned above, I recommend keeping track of your time and reps so that you can see your progress. Keeping track of your progress will also make it easier to push yourself. If you did the less reps than the day before you will know that you are slacking and need to push harder tomorrow!

Working out is not always fun but in this case it can be quick–just 12 minutes! You don’t have to spend hours in the gym to see results.

Squeeze this sucker in whenever you can and you’ll see results! You don’t have to limit yourself to just 30 days of an ab challenge either! You can continue with this core challenge program as long as you like. If you keep giving it your all, day after day, you will continue to see results long past 30 days.

30-Day Ab Challenge

Do each of these 6 exercises for 1 minute each, then repeat. I like to set my stop watch on my Apple Watch or on my phone. As the minutes tick by I switch exercises. Once you have the routine down you won’t have to think about it.

As the days go by and you get used to the routine you will be able to just watch the clock and when the minutes switch you can go to the next exercise. If you start to see your results slowing down and adding in some extra rounds or intensity doesn’t do the trick…switch up the order!

Challenge your body and your mind by putting the exercises in a different order. Sometimes that simple switch can give your body a new challenge, enough to boost your results. These ab exercises will get you started on your journey to six pack abs.

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Sit Ups: Start with crunches if you need to, and work your way up to a sit up. Sit on the floor and give it your all! Don’t forget to write down your starting point and your progress!

Plank: Again, there is no shame in working up to this. Start on your knees if you must, work your way to a traditional plank position, and do side planks if you’re needing more of a burn.

High Knees: Start as high as you can and make a note of it–work your way up to powerful and higher knee raises while running in place.

Side Leg Lifts / Oblique Leg Lifts: If you need a more advanced option, use weights or do these while in a side plank–it’ll burn!

Hand Walkouts: Back and forth, back and forth. Starting on your toes (or knees if you must) walk your hands away from you as far as you can, then walk them back.

V-Ups: Try for a straight V-it’s difficult!! If you can’t do it at first, write it down and do the best you can. You will get stronger, and you’ll be able to do it eventually! Focus on keeping your legs straight and your arms straight. Proper form is important! This is hard on pretty much all your abs from your upper abs to the lower ones!

Continue alternating through these exercises for as long as you can. Again, 12 minutes will be two rounds but do as many as you can!

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Do I need Equipment for this?

No, you don’t need any equipment for this ab challenge program. No extra equipment is needed for this challenge, so you can do it at home, at work, or even in the hotel while traveling!

Good sneakers for working out indoors or outdoors is always recommended, and a yoga mat can make a big difference for these ab workout cycles. Whenever you are doing ground work it is nice to have one in case you have hard floors!

30 Day Crunch Challenge!

30 Day Flat Ab Challenge to Sculpt!

30-Day Ab Challenge Week 1: 2-Minute Blast

On Days 1 and 2 of this 30-day ab challenge, do 30 seconds of each exercise (lemon crushers, toe reaches, mountain climber holds, and plank up/downs). On Day 3, you'll perform three 40-second sets of high knees with 20 seconds of rest in between. For Days 4 and 5, you'll do two sets of those abs exercises. On Day 6, you'll do six sets of 30-second sprints with 75 seconds of recovery. Give yourself a rest from the 30-day ab challenge on Day 7.

Lemon Crushers A. Lie flat on back and lift toes and hands, reaching away from each other. B. Sit up as you pull knees into chest and extend arms forward, then lie back again in extension and reset. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Toe Reaches

A. Lie flat on back and lift toes and hands, reaching away from each other. B. Sit up as you pull knees into chest and extend arms forward, then lie back again in extension and reset. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Mountain Climbers

A. Get in a straight-arm plank position, stacking shoulders over wrists. Bring one knee in toward chest, making sure to keep hips level and in line with shoulders. B. Switch feet and hold for a few seconds. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Plank Up/Downs

A. Get into a forearm plank position; stay tight in core. B. Push up with one arm at a time into a straight-arm plank, and then return to forearms. Repeat for 30 seconds.

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30-Day Ab Challenge Week 2: 3-Minute Crush

On Days 8 and 9 of the 30-day ab challenge, do 45 seconds each of dead bugs, leg drops, alternating toe touches, and scissors for a three-minute lower-ab blast. Similar to last week's 30-day ab challenge rotation, we've added a cardio burst on Day 10: 40 seconds of HIIT tuck jumps, followed by 20 seconds of rest. On Days 11 and 12, you're back to doing two sets of those abs moves. It's time for sprints again on Day 13: 30 seconds of all-out sprints with 75 seconds of recovery. Take a breather on Day 14 of the 30-day ab challenge.

Dead Bugs

A. Lie on back with legs in tabletop, calves parallel to the ground, arms extended up toward the ceiling. B. Extend one arm back and the opposite leg down, hovering an inch off the ground, then return and switch sides. Alternate repeatedly for 45 seconds.

Leg Drops

A. Support back by placing hands underneath butt, and extend legs straight up toward the ceiling. B. Lower legs together, keeping them straight and stopping a few inches above the floor, then raise back to starting position. Keep the core connected and be sure not to arch back. Repeat for 45 seconds.

Alternating Toe Touches

A. Lie flat on back, arms by sides and legs straight. B. Reach up arm and lift opposite leg to touch fingertips to toes. Lie back down and switch sides. Repeat for 45 seconds.

Scissors

A. Start on back, hands under butt for support and legs extended straight on the floor. Lift the right leg up to point toward the ceiling. B. As you lower right leg, raise left leg to point to the ceiling. Alternate for 45 seconds.

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30-Day Ab Challenge Week 3: 4-Minute Burn

As in the previous weeks of the 30-day ab challenge, Days 15, 16, 18, and 19 are your ab exercise days. (Don't forget to do two sets on Days 18 and 19!) You'll complete one minute of Russian twists, side plank rotations, opposite arm/leg lifts, and banana rolls. Day 17 and Day 20 are your cardio days with HIIT froggers (six rounds, 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off) and sprints (six rounds of 30 seconds on, 75 seconds off). Rest on Day 21 of the 30-day ab challenge.

Russian Twists

A. Sit with sacrum on the floor, legs up in tabletop position and back off the ground, hands in prayer. Twist to the right, tapping right elbow to the floor. B. Twist to the left, tapping left elbow to the floor. Repeat for 1 minute.

Side Plank Rotations

A. Come into a side plank, elbow on the floor below shoulder and feet stacked. B. Turn downwards into an elbow plank on both elbows. C. Turn to come back up into a side plank on the opposite side. Alternate and repeat for 1 minute.

Opposite Arm/Leg Lifts

A. Lift and extend left arm and right leg up, then alternate with the opposite side. Repeat for 1 minute.

Banana Rolls

A. Lie on back in a hollow hold, arms overhead and legs extended off the ground. B. Roll over onto stomach while keeping arms and legs off the floor. Hold in superman pose, then roll back. Repeat for 1 minute.

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30-Day Ab Challenge Week 4: 5-Minute Meltdown

The final week of this 30-day ab challenge is a little different (and longer!): You'll do ab exercises on Days 22 and 23 (one set), 25 and 26 (two sets). They include kneeling medicine ball chops, kneeling medicine ball slams, resistance band bicycle presses, resistance band plank jacks, side plank leg lifts, and bicycles. For the cardio days of the 30-day ab challenge, we've added burpees to the mix (yay, Day 24!), followed by your standby sprints on Day 27. On Day 28, you'll get some well-deserved rest. Day 29, you'll repeat the same ab sequence you did at the beginning of the week (one or two sets—your call). Then, on Day 30, you'll do every core exercise in the 30-Day Ab Challenge for 30 seconds.

Kneeling Medicine Ball Chops

A. Come into a tall kneeling position, squeezing glutes. Hold a medicine ball down by right hip. B. Lift the ball across and up over left shoulder. Repeat for 50 seconds.

Kneeling Medicine Ball Slams

A. Start in tall kneeling position, with the medicine ball on the floor on one side. B. Bring the ball up and overhead. C. Slam the ball down on the opposite side. Alternate sides. Repeat for 50 seconds.

Resistance Band Bicycle Press A. Flip onto back in a tabletop position and wrap the resistance band around feet. Rest back with hands behind head, elbows out. Begin to reach each elbow toward the opposite knee, extending the other leg out and alternating in bicycle style. Press the band to push feet away from you. B. Switch, driving the opposite knee in and rotating shoulders. Repeat for 50 seconds.

Resistance Band Plank Jacks A. Come into a straight-arm plank position, hands below shoulders and a resistance band wrapped around ankles. B. Bring the feet closer together, then jump out to a wide stance and back in again. Repeat for 50 seconds.

Side Plank Leg Lifts A. Start in a side plank position with one arm straight underneath your shoulder, the other on your top hip, legs straight and feet stacked. B. Lift your top leg slowly up and down. Repeat for 50 seconds.

Bicycles A. Start in bicycle position on back in tabletop. Twist to bring left elbow to right knee. B. Twist to bring right elbow to left knee. Repeat for 50 seconds

VICTORY!