If you want to build visible, sculpted six-pack abs, performing traditional ab exercises is just a small part of the equation. Compound exercises, which simultaneously engage multiple muscle groups, are crucial to achieving results. The most effective compound exercises directly utilize your core muscles to drive the motion and keep your torso stable throughout the exercise. With that in mind, we spoke with Domenic Angelino, CPT with the International Personal Trainer Academy (IPTA), who shares six essential compound exercises for six-pack abs.
“The first and most important thing [about] six-pack abs is that they will only be visible if you don’t carry a lot of excess fat on your body,” Angelino explains. “After all, your abs are muscles like any other on your body. Your muscles [will always] be buried beneath whatever fat you store in that region of your body … Similarly, it doesn’t matter how little fat you have if your muscles aren’t big enough to be clearly visible.” That’s why it’s key to have low body fat and big ab muscles if you aim to sculpt visible six-pack abs.
Now, let’s explore six essential compound exercises for six-pack abs. The exercises below train different parts of your abs in various ways for a more well-rounded ab workout.
Dumbbell Turkish Get-Up
“This exercise is a bit tricky to pull off but is extremely effective,” Angelino points out. “It places stress on your abs in a somewhat similar way to a weighted sit-up but simultaneously requires them to stabilize your body as you go through a complex motion. This results in the overall activation of your ab muscles being greater than in a traditional compound exercise or a weighted sit-up, making it easier to build ab muscle.”
- Lie down flat on your back with one knee bent.
- Fully extend the arm on the same side fully over your chest, holding a dumbbell.
- Utilizing your free arm for leverage, stand up while keeping the arm holding the weight fully extended.
- Continue to rise until you’re standing tall, and the weight is held overhead.
- Use your free arm to lie back down and return to the position you started in.
- Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
Dumbbell Suitcase Deadlift
“The way that this exercise works is that it forces the muscles on the sides of your abdomen to contract [to] stabilize your torso,” explains Angelino. “This can help build up the sides around your six-pack abs, which can help you frame your abdominal muscles in a way that’s visually appealing.”
- Position a dumbbell by your side just outside your foot.
- Squat down to grab the weight, keeping your back flat, as if you’re picking up a suitcase.
- Stand up tall.
- Lower the dumbbell to the start position and switch sides.
- Complete 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side.
Dumbbell One-Arm Overhead Press
“This exercise is a great way to train your shoulder muscles while also incidentally strengthening your abdominal muscles,” Angelino says. “The difficulty of stabilizing your torso during this exercise will also change at different points in the range of motion which can help you place more stress on core muscles than you otherwise would.”
- Stand tall while holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
- Press one dumbbell overhead until your arm is fully extended.
- Lower the dumbbell to the start position, then switch sides.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side.
Medicine Ball Slam
“This exercise helps you target your triceps and lats (back muscles) [while engaging] your abs,” Angelino tells us. “You simultaneously contract your abs to drive the motion while requiring other core muscles to stabilize your torso as you quickly drive it downward. This combination causes your ab muscles to be very engaged, which helps you build more muscle.”
- Stand up tall while holding a medicine ball overhead with both hands.
- Use force to throw the ball down in front of you as you bend your knees and press your torso forward.
- Pick the medicine ball up and return to the start position.
- Perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Battle Rope Slams
“This exercise is great for engaging your core muscles directly while also involving them in stabilization at the same time,” Angelino explains. “It is also easy to perform many back-to-back reps quickly, which can help with calorie burning.”
- Assume a squat position while holding each end of the battle rope.
- Quickly stand up tall as you raise your arms overhead.
- Use force to squat back down and slam the ropes down at the same time.
- Complete 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
Dumbbell Suitcase Carry
“This is similar to the dumbbell suitcase deadlift, except it also forces the muscles in the middle of your core to get more involved in helping to stabilize the exercise,” says Angelino. “This leads to a bit more of a holistic effect on your abs than a targeted one.”
- Stand up tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand at your side.
- Speed walk forward.
- Complete 3 sets of 30 to 45 seconds per side.
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