By this point, most of us know the importance of a strong core. Also referred to as the body’s trunk, your core is a group of muscles that wraps around your midsection like a corset, supporting almost every movement you make. It helps to stabilise your spine and joints, protect your internal organs, and is key to everything from good posture to better balance.
The chances are you’re familiar with many of the most popular (and often brutal) core movements – think planks, V-sits, Pilates Hundreds and crunches. But in the last year, you may have noticed an increasing number of your favourite Pilates teachers and fitness influencers taking their ab routines up a notch with added resistance, from dumbbells and ankle weights to resistance balls and weighted vests.
Weighted ab workouts are growing in popularity, and for good reason. They promise to build stronger, more defined abs than bodyweight training alone, and crucially, the science backs this up. Studies show that adding load to your core exercises increases muscle activation, particularly when compared with static or dynamic bodyweight moves.
With that in mind, we set out to find the best weighted ab workouts to help you boost core strength and stability. Below, we asked top UK personal trainers to share their expert tips, from how to safely add load to your workouts, to the exact moves they rate for visible results and functional strength.
Keen to know more? Keep scrolling. And for more core training inspiration, don’t miss our guides to the best standing ab workouts, the best deep core exercises, and the best static core exercises to try ASAP.
Weighted Ab Workouts Promise to Transform Your Ab Strength – 5 Workouts That Top PT’s Recommend
What constitutes a weighted ab workout?
Put simply, a weighted ab workout is any series of abdominal movements which uses weights. “Adding any kind of external resistance makes the exercise more difficult,” says personal trainer and nutrition coach, Harry Rowley, “which is why we use it to build muscle, strength and control.”
”The resistance could come from dumbbells, small hand weights, ankle or wrist weights, or even a weighted vest,” adds Personal Trainer, Fiona Kavanagh. “Typically for ab workouts, we use no more than 10 to 15kg and aim for around 10 reps per set, but this all depends on age, fitness level and experience. I always say the weight should feel comfortably uncomfortable, meaning you want to feel challenged, whilst still being achievable.”
What are the benefits of adding weights to your ab workouts?
So, what’s the point of adding weight to your ab workouts? Well, according to personal trainer and founder of TC Coaching, Tom Chandler, it all comes down to something called progressive overload, which essentially means gradually increasing the stress on your muscles over time. It’s a staple training principle, which studies show helps to increase our work capacity, strength and conditioning by forcing our muscles out of their comfort zone.
“Your abdominals should be trained like any other muscle,” says Chandler. “In order for the muscles to grow, we need to either increase time under tension or add more weight. By adding weights to an ab circuit, you can keep your reps and sets the same whilst still seeing progress.”
Both Kavanagh and Rowley agree, with Rowley pointing out that adding resistance to your ab workouts also helps to increase core stability. “Your core muscles are forced to work harder to resist the weight, improving your control and balance,” he says. “This helps to protect your spine and ensures your muscles work evenly during exercise, reducing strain on any single area and reducing your risk of injury.”
For Kavanagh, the activation of the deep core is another benefit of adding weights to your ab workout. “Adding weights to your ab circuits helps to engage the transverse abdominus, the deepest of the core muscles, which acts like a corset to support your spine and internal organs. Strengthening this muscle will lead to improvements in posture and a reduced risk of back pain.”
Who are weighted ab workouts best for?
All three experts are clear that beginners should start out with bodyweight ab workouts before attempting to add weight. “Focus on mastering the movement with good form first,” says Rowley, who says you should be able to do ten to twenty repetitions with ease before you increase resistance.
“Quality is more important than pushing the load,” confirms Chandler. “Make sure that you don’t have any delayed muscular soreness for the four days after a bodyweight workout before you consider adding weight.”
But for those who have mastered some of the trickier bodyweight moves, such as hollow holds, leg raises and planks, weighted ab workouts are a natural next step, says Kavanagh. “If you’re an intermediate or advanced exerciser looking to keep progressing and build visible, toned abs, then adding weights will help you build the strength you need to see results.”
They’re also a great idea for anyone who spends most of their day sitting down, she adds. “Sitting down for long periods weakens our back, neck and shoulders, and weighted ab exercises can play a huge part in counteracting this.”
If you’re pregnant or recovering from injury, then weighted ab workouts aren’t entirely off the cards, either, says Rowley. “Weighted core exercises can still be hugely beneficial, but they need to be performed safely, and it may be helpful to have the guidance of a trainer. When done well, they can help to build up weaker muscles, improve flexibility, enhance spinal control, and increase stability.”
5 best weighted ab workouts under 15 minutes, chosen by top personal trainers
1. Tom Chandler 5 Mins Weighted Core
What? Personal trainer, Tom Chandler, leads a quick, six-exercise ab finisher.
Why? “This should be used at the end of a workout as it takes the muscle to near complete fatigue and you won’t want to do anything else after it,” says Chandler. “Start with it unweighted and once you can complete each exercise comfortably for 30s, look to try adding a 2kg weight, repeating this two to three times per week until this weight feels comfortable.”
How long? 5 minutes.
2. Fit by Mik 10-Minute Weighted Ab Workout
What? A 10-minute plank-free ab workout, made up of ten different moves.
Why? “This is a great workout because it’s simple, effective and requires very little space or equipment,” says Kavanagh. “All you’ll need is a set of dumbbells and a mat.”
How long? 10 minutes.
3. MadFit 10 Min Intense Six Pack Workout
What? An all-levels at-home ab workout, with optional weights.
Why? “This is a great video with clear instructions and a trainer who works out with you,” says Kavanagh. “It’s a great choice because your setup position varies, and you have the option to do the exact same exercise with or without weights, should you need to take it down a notch.”
How long? 10 minutes.
4. Harry Rowley PT Quick Three Movement Ab Circuit
What? A simple yet challenging three-movement weighted ab circuit.
Why? “Combining holds, crunch and twist movements, this workout targets the deep core and obliques,” says Rowley.
How long? 15 minutes.
5. MadFit 15-Minute Standing Abs
What? A standing core series is ideal for those with lower back pain.
Why? “I highly recommend this workout because the standing position helps to engage the deep core muscles, whilst also protecting your back,” says Kavanagh. “Lots of people find the supine (lying down) position uncomfortable for their lower back and neck flexors. By standing, you remove any of that discomfort whilst still working hard.”
How long? 15 minutes.
Shop MC-UK Approved Ab Weights Now:
Physical Company Neo-Hex Dumbbells
Invest in a set of dumbbells and you’re well on your way to your strength training goals, without ever having to set foot in a gym.
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Gravity Fitness Weighted Vest
If holding onto your weights isn’t your thing, then a weighted vest could be the answer. Particularly good for standing or walking exercises, it’s a great way to increase the load without having to worry about grip strength.
How heavy should my dumbbells feel during weighted ab workouts?
When you’re standing in the gym, staring at a row of dumbbells, it can be tricky to know where to start. It’s why Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, Harry Rowley, uses the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale with his clients.
“Ranging from one, representing very light effort, to 10, representing maximum exertion, I generally recommend working in the seven to nine range for abdominal training,” he says. “At this level, the exercise feels uncomfortable and challenging, with laboured breathing, but you are still able to complete at least 10-15 repetitions or sustain 30 to 45 seconds of continuous, hard effort.”
“It should feel challenging, but achievable,” adds Personal Trainer, Fiona Kavanagh. “A good way to know straight off the bat if a weight is too heavy is to try an easy exercise like a sit-up first, just using your body weight. Execute a couple of reps and then try adding a weight. If you have tension through your neck, you can’t keep your feet securely on the ground, or you physically cannot sit up holding the weight, you know it’s too heavy.”
For Personal Trainer, Tom Chandler, the most important thing is that form isn’t compromised. “Quality is what we’re aiming for,” he says. “Only go up when you don’t feel muscular soreness in the days after your session, and remember, if you want to build muscle, then three to five sets of eight to twelve repetitions is enough. You’ll find that this will allow you to increase the weights more frequently.”