If you want to sculpt your core and get flat abs, you don’t need to spend hours crunching away or doing endless sit-ups. In fact, with the right moves, you can achieve a solid ab workout in just 15 minutes. Enter the EMOM ab workout—a quick but intense routine that keeps your heart rate up while targeting your core muscles from every angle. This 15-minute ab workout is perfect for busy schedules or as an add-on to your regular fitness routine when you’re short on time but want big results.
An EMOM workout (Every Minute on the Minute) is about efficiency. You’ll rotate through three core-focused exercises every minute, pushing yourself to complete the reps with just enough time to catch your breath before moving on to the next. This combination of strength and cardio work revs up your metabolism while building core stability, strength, and definition. Plus, all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a little space—no fancy equipment or gym membership required.
This simple yet powerful 15-minute ab workout will have you sweating and strengthening your midsection in no time.
15-Minute EMOM Ab Workout
What you need: A pair of dumbbells (for the standing dumbbell high to low chops). This 15-minute EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) ab workout will challenge your core strength and stability while keeping your heart rate up.
Time: 15 minutes
The Routine:
- Standing Dumbbell High to Low Chops (10 reps per side)
- Plank + Hip Dips (10 reps per side)
- Anchored Leg Lifts (10 reps)
Directions:
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Every minute on the minute (EMOM), perform one of the three exercises, cycling through them for five rounds. Start each minute with the designated exercise and complete the reps. Any remaining time in that minute is your rest period. Move directly to the next exercise when the next minute begins. Repeat this cycle until the 15 minutes are up.
1. Standing Dumbbell High to Low Chops
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands above one shoulder.
- Engage your core and twist your torso to bring the dumbbell diagonally across your body to the opposite hip, performing a chopping motion.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
- Complete 12 reps on one side, then switch to the other.
2. Plank + Hip Dips
How to do it:
- Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
- Rotate your hips to one side, lowering them toward the floor without touching it.
- Return to the center, then dip your hips to the opposite side.
- Alternate sides for a total of 20 reps.
3. Anchored Leg Lifts
How to do it:
- Lie flat on your back with your hands under your lower back or gripping a sturdy anchor, such as a piece of furniture, for support.
- Keeping your legs straight, lift them toward the ceiling until they are perpendicular to the floor.
- Slowly lower your legs back down without letting them touch the ground.
- Complete 15 reps.
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Jarrod Nobbe, MA, CSCS
Jarrod Nobbe is a USAW National Coach, Sports Performance Coach, Personal Trainer, and writer, and has been involved in health and fitness for the past 12 years. Read more about Jarrod
