THE TRUE ROUTE to core strength—and to the hard, toned look many guys seek—has always been about more than crunches and hours of cardio. To shed belly fat and build brick-strong abs, you have to train your core using two key science-backed strategies.
First, you’ll need to work through unilateral exercises, moves that challenge each side of your body in different ways. These exercises activate your lower back and ab muscles, which stabilize your spine against unique forces, an approach championed by top PTs like Dr. Aaron Horschig, best known on Instagram as Squat University.
The workout also teaches you to move at different speeds, sometimes doing exercises very quickly and sometimes doing them super slowly. This keeps your abs (and other muscles) off-balance and is a tactic often utilized by top pro-athlete trainers. Doing this not only engages a host of important but often ignored core muscles, such as your abs, obliques, back extensors, and glutes, but it slingshots your calorie burn into the stratosphere.
You’ll blast your core with unilateral exercises and speed changes throughout this eight-week program, and there’s an added bonus too. You’ll improve the critical functions of your abs and lower back, mastering bracing, spinal flexion, rotation, anti-rotation, and anti-extension. You’ll also learn to progressively overload key exercises, which will help you fry fat as you build muscle. It’s not easy. To get results, you’ll have to push through four days of weight training a week, get in some cardio, and make some key nutrition tweaks.
Want to level up your training? You can take on more core-first workouts with the new Abs Redefined plan.
Your Weekly Schedule
You’ll train four days a week. Rest fully at least one day per week. Want to sneak in cardio? Aim for a relaxed 20-minute run or bike ride. During weeks 3, 5, and 7, try to add at least 5 pounds to the final 2 sets of any move marked with an asterisk.
- Sunday – Rest
- Monday – Total-Body Push
- Tuesday – Total-Body Pull
- Wednesday – Rest/Cardio
- Thursday – Total-Body Push
- Friday – Total-Body Pull
- Saturday – Rest/Cardio
TOTAL-BODY PUSH WORKOUT
BEFORE YOU START: For both workouts, warm up with 1 minute each of jumping jacks, bodyweight reverse lunges, and plank shoulder taps, then do the moves in order. Rest 90 seconds between each set.
1. PAUSED GOBLET SQUAT COUNT-UP*
Start standing, a dumbbell at your chest, then push your butt back and bend at the knees, lowering your body until thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second. Stand, then repeat, this time holding for 2 seconds. Repeat this pattern, adding 1 second to the hold on every rep. Do 8 to 10 reps. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Bracing—the ability to stabilize your spine
2. SINGLE-ARM PUSH PRESS*
Stand holding a dumbbell at your right shoulder, abs and glutes tight. Push your butt back slightly and bend your knees slightly, then explosively stand and squeeze your glutes. Drive the dumbbell overhead as you do this. Lower slowly to your shoulder. That’s 1 rep. Do 6 to 8. Do 3 sets per side.
CORE FUNCTION: Dynamic stability—the ability to control your spine while moving explosively.
3. DUMBBELL ALTERNATING BENCH PRESS
Lie with your back on a bench, abs and glutes tight, dumbbells held directly above your shoulders, arms straight. Bend at the right elbow and shoulder, lowering the right dumbbell to within an inch of your chest; keep the left arm straight as you do this. Press back to the start. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep; do 8 to 10. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation—not letting your torso shift from one side to the other
4. HALF-KNEELING WINDMILL
Kneel on your left knee, holding a medium-weight dumbbell overhead in your right hand, eyes on the dumbbell. Push your butt back slightly and place your left hand on the floor just in front of your left knee, squeezing your shoulder blades and rotating your chest toward your right knee as you do this. (Too easy? Aim to touch your elbow to the floor instead of your hand.) Press back up. That’s 1 rep. Do 6 per side. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Rotation—moving hips in one direction and shoulders in the other
5. NORTH-SOUTH PLANK
Get in pushup position, feet wide, abs and glutes tight, a light dumbbell held in your right hand. Keeping your hips and shoulders square to the floor, reach the dumbbell out in front of you as far as possible, tapping the pinkie-side plate to the floor. Pull it back toward your right hip, tapping the thumb-side plate to the floor. Alternate for 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-extension—not letting your lower back arch
TOTAL-BODY PULL WORKOUT
1. SPLIT-STANCE RDL*
Stand holding a kettlebell at your right hip, right foot just behind your left, right heel off the floor. Tighten your abs, then push your butt back slightly, keeping the kettlebell close to your left leg. Lower until you feel your left hamstring tighten or your lower back starts to round, whichever comes first. Stand and squeeze your left glute. That’s 1 rep; do 8 to 10 per side. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation and bracing
2. FRONT RACK REVERSE LUNGE
Stand holding a kettlebell at your right shoulder, abs and glutes tight. Step back with your right leg, then bend at the knees and hips, lowering until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Stand and squeeze your glutes. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep; do 2 sets of 6 to 8 in each shoulder rack.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation and bracing
3. BENT-OVER DUMBBELL ROW*
Stand holding a dumbbell at your right hip, then push your butt back and lower your torso until your shoulders are just higher than your hips. Keeping your shoulders square, row the dumbbell to your right hip. Hold for a moment, then lower. That’s 1 rep; do 8 per side. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation
4. SINGLE-ARM SNATCH*
Stand with a kettlebell on the floor just in front of your shins, then push your butt back and bend your knees slightly. Grasp the kettlebell handle with your right hand. This is the start. Keeping your abs tight, explosively stand (you may rise onto your toes as you do this), pulling the kettlebell upward as you do. Keep the bell close to your body. As it reaches shoulder height, pull it toward your shoulder and punch upward, straightening your arm. Lower slowly to your shoulder, then place the bell on the floor. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep; do 6 to 8. Do 3 sets per side.
CORE FUNCTION: Dynamic stability
5. HALF-KNEELING PALLOF PRESS
Anchor a resistance band to a structure to your right, setting it at hip height, then kneel on your right knee at least 3 feet away. Grasp the band with both hands at your chest. Keeping your hips and shoulders square, straighten your arms in front of you. Hold for 3 seconds, then return to your chest. That’s 1 rep; do 10 to 12 per side. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation and bracing
6. SINGLE-ARM KETTLEBELL SWING
Stand 3 feet behind a kettlebell. Push your butt back and bend your hips just slightly. Keeping your core tight, grasp the bell with your right hand. Explosively pull the bell back between your legs, then stand and squeeze your glutes; this will drive the bell forward. As the bell reaches shoulder height, let it swing back between your legs, starting the next swing. Do reps for 30 seconds on each side, then rest 30 seconds. Do 3 sets.
CORE FUNCTION: Anti-rotation and anti-extension
HIGH-VOLUME FOODS TO HELP YOU FEEL FULL
The secret to feeling satiated as you work to reveal your abs: foods packed with water and fiber. These ultra-filling meals can help you curb hunger, a key to staying in the calorie deficit you need to get lean. Aim for one as your daily snack.—Dezi Abeyta, RD
OATMEAL
This classic high-volume carb is rich in soluble fiber and beta-glucan, which slows digestion. A half-cup is an ideal start to your day. Add a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds for some stealthy protein too.
GREEK YOGURT
The king of high-volume food, Greek yogurt is loaded with protein (100 grams can have 17 grams of protein) and probiotics, killing hunger while supporting digestion. Top it with berries or cinnamon for a flavor punch.
POTATOES
No, potatoes aren’t the enemy of your cut. Boiled or baked, they keep you fuller longer than most foods—and they’re loaded with potassium, key for muscle function. Bake them in bulk, then microwave as needed.
CAULIFLOWER RICE
With just 25 calories per 100 grams, this is a stealth way to sneak bulk into your late-night meal. You’ll also get glucosinolate compounds that support detoxification and digestion, helping you feel lighter and less bloated.
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.
