abs workout with resistance band · resistance band workout · resistance bands · Resistance training · resistance tubes and bands · Nov 09, 2022

10 Super Effective Abs Workout With Resistance Bands

by Priya Samuel

Vacuuming your carpet. Typing on your computer. Hammering a nail. Standing still.

Did you know that the motions necessary for all such movements either start in your core or pass through it?

Yep, building core strength is not just about having abs like Hrithik Roshan or Katrina Kaif (although that is an awesome perk😉). A strong core translates to a better quality of life. A weak core, on the other hand, can even negatively impact the way your arms and legs function!

So how do you build a strong core? Resistance bands!!

Recent research shows that resistance band training significantly improves both core strength and shoulder strength.

In this blog, we’ll show you 10 effective abs workouts with resistance bands that’ll give you a rock-solid core. We will also answer a few frequently asked questions about abs workouts with resistance bands.

Before we jump into the exercises, let’s see why it is important to have a strong core.

Benefits of having a strong core

A strong core has a host of benefits including:

Helps you perform everyday tasks (think lifting, twisting, turning, etc.)
Promotes better posture
Prevents lower back pain
Improves balance and stability
Protects your organs such as the liver, kidney, spleen, etc.
Boosts your athletic performance in every sport, be it tennis, swimming, running, rowing, etc.

10 effective abs exercises with resistance bands

1. Standing Ab twist with resistance band

Muscles worked: Obliques

How to perform

Take a resistance band and anchor it to a door using a door anchor at chest height.
Grasp the other end of the band with both your hands.
Stand around 1-2 feet away from the door with the side of your body facing the door.
Keep your feet hip-width apart, your back and head straight and your core engaged.
Place your arms straight out in front of you. This is the starting position.
Now pull the band and rotate your body from your waist away from the door against the tension of the band.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Perform 10-15 reps.

Tip

Move only from your hips and mid-back. Keep your upper and lower body stiff.

2. Oblique Side Bend With Resistance Band

Muscles worked: Obliques

How to perform

Step into a resistance band with one foot.
Standing erect, hold the other end of the band with your left hand at knee height. This is the starting position.
Now pull the band upwards to hip height by crunching the right side. Your right hand should be reaching toward the floor.
Return to the starting position.
Perform 10-15 reps before switching sides.

Tips

Your knees and hips should remain extended and stable throughout the exercise.
Keep your arms straight throughout.

You might also like: Different Types Of Resistance Bands & The Best One For You

3. Banded mountain climbers

Muscles worked: Abs, quadriceps, hip flexors, lower back, and outer thighs.

How to perform

Loop a resistance band around the arches of your feet and get into a plank position on the ground.
Your body should be straight with your hands directly beneath your shoulders.
Now bring one knee forward towards your chest.
Squeeze your abs and then return to the plank position.
Repeat with the other knee.
Keep alternating between both legs for around 10-15 reps.

4. Banded bicycle crunches

Muscles worked: Obliques, rectus abdominis, hip flexors

How to perform

Loop a mini resistance band around your feet.
Lie on your back and lift your legs up with your thighs perpendicular to the floor. This is the starting position.
Place your hands by your ears with your elbows pointing forward.
Now touch your left knee with your right elbow, while extending your right leg completely.
Pause for a moment and then bring your right leg and your head back to the starting position.
Repeat this crunching movement with the other leg.
Alternate between both legs for 8-10 reps.

Tip

Keep your lower back firmly planted on the floor throughout the exercise.

5. Resistance Band Reverse Crunch

Muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, external obliques

How to perform

Anchor a resistance band at the base of a pole or any other anchor point.
With your feet facing your anchor point, loop the band around the front of your toes so that there is some tension in the band.
Lie down with your legs bent like an inverted “V” and your arms on the floor by your sides.
Lift your feet up so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. This is the starting position.
Now slowly bring your knees towards your chest, making an arch with your lower back.
Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
Perform 10-15 reps.

Tips

Focus on getting your lower back off the floor and getting a curve on your back.
Move in a controlled manner so that your abs are engaged throughout the exercise.

6. Horizontal scissors with resistance band

Muscles worked: Transverse abdominis

How to perform

Lie on the floor and elevate your upper body.
Place your arms close to your body to stabilize yourself.
Loop a mini resistance band around your ankles.
Raise your legs a few inches off the ground.
Now in a controlled manner, open and close your legs in a horizontal scissor-like cutting motion.
Perform 10-15 reps.

Check out our resistance band workouts for triceps and biceps here.

7. Banded bird dog

Muscles worked: Abdominal muscles, lower back, butt, and thighs.

How to perform

Get down on all fours in a tabletop position.
Take a resistance band and loop one end of it around your left hand and the other end around your right foot. This is the starting position.
Now in a slow and controlled manner, extend your left hand and your right foot simultaneously.
Pause for a moment and then slowly return to the starting position.
Perform 8-10 reps and then switch sides.

Tip

Keep your core activated and use your shoulder and hamstring muscles to move the band.
Do not arch your lower back. Maintain a neutral spine throughout.

8. Heel touch / Oblique heel tap with resistance band

Muscles worked: Transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and obliques

How to perform

Anchor a resistance tube at the base of a pole.
Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Your feet should be a few inches away from your hips.
Grasp one handle of the resistance tube in each hand and place them by your sides as shown in the video.
Squeezing your core and keeping your neck in line with your body, lift your head and shoulders off the ground. This is the starting position.
Now pull the band with your right hand as you try to reach your right heel.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat this motion on the left side.
Alternate between both sides for 10-15 reps.

Buy Burnlab’s resistance tube set here.

9. Side plank leg raise with resistance band

Muscles worked: Rectus abdominis and obliques

How to perform

Loop a resistance band around your ankles.
Get into a straight-arm side plank position with your right hand on the floor directly beneath your shoulder.
Keep your hips elevated, your feet stacked together, and your left hand on your hip. This is the starting position.
Squeezing your abs and glutes, raise your left foot until your feet are hip-width apart.
Hold this position for 30 seconds or more before you slowly return to the starting position.
Perform 8-10 reps and then switch sides.

Buy Burnlab’s Hip Band set here.

10. Kneeling ab crunch with resistance band

Muscles worked: Rectus abdominis

How to perform

Loop a resistance band around a pull-up bar directly above your head.
Grab the other end of the band with both hands and kneel down facing the pull-up bar.
Bend your elbows and position your hands in front of your face. This is the starting position.
Engage your abs and crunch your chest towards your pelvis while exhaling.
Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position, keeping your abs engaged the whole time.
Perform 10-15 reps.

Tip

While crunching, focus on using your abs to move the band and not your arms. Use your arms only to hold the band in place.

Buy Burnlab’s Pull-up Band set here.

Frequently asked questions

1. Are resistance bands good for abs?

Yes. Resistance bands are very effective for not just your abs, but your entire core.

Your core is made up of several muscles such as rectus abdominis (6-pack muscle), transversus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, iliopsoas, erector spinae, and more. Together these muscles surround the front, back, and sides of your mid and lower trunk.

Muscles including the transverse abdominis and iliopsoas perform critical functions and are super hard to train as they are few of the deepest core muscles.

When you exercise with resistance bands, you can target not just your abdominal muscles but also the larger group of core muscles extending into your thighs, glutes, hips, and even your upper back. Plus you have plenty of exercise options that help you target your core effectively through all three planes of motion. All this results in your core becoming stronger, more stable, more powerful, and injury-resilient.

2. Are bands better than weights for training abs?

While both free weights and resistance bands are great for training your abs, bands do have an added advantage.

With free weights, resistance is created by gravity. Hence you would have to position your body in particular ways to target specific core muscles.

But since resistance is created by elastic force in resistance bands, you can easily isolate and target various muscles without altering your body position much. Just by anchoring the band at different positions, you can create resistance from any angle and hence get a more effective workout.

For instance, if you are trying to train your core in the transverse plane (which is not easy to train with free weights), all you would have to do is anchor a resistance band to your side. This would create resistance through a twisting pattern.

To know more about how resistance bands differ from free weights, check out this post.

3. Is it OK to do resistance bands every day?

It is OK to use resistance bands daily as long as you are training a different muscle group every day. But in general, there is no need to practice resistance band training every day.

As per research, it is seen that training each muscle group twice a week is the most advantageous for muscle gain.

If you’re new to resistance band workouts, we recommend aiming for two 30-minute strength-training sessions per week. It is important to start with a band of lower resistance, at first. Once you get comfortable doing exercises with a light band, you can progress to a heavier band.

Looking for resistance band workouts for legs and shoulders? Check them here!

4. Is Abs Workout resistance training?

Yes, it is.

Your abs are just like any other muscle in the body and hence need to be trained just as you would your legs, arms, or chest. Practice the exercises mentioned in this article to target the different muscles of your core and build your core strength.

When it comes to abs, endurance is more critical than brute strength. So practice doing more reps with bands of lower resistance.

Final words

As you can see, a strong core is much more than just a flat tummy or ripped abs. So if you’ve been neglecting this crucial part of your body, now’s the time to grab a resistance band and start working out!

Which one’s your favorite abs workout with resistance bands? Let us know in the comments below!