Forget about the weights - this 10-move bodyweight workout will help you strengthen your core in just 10 minutes

Abs workouts can be deceptively intense. Even a short session can fatigue your muscles quickly, making the exercises feel challenging in just a few minutes. The upside? You can achieve a highly effective core workout in a brief amount of time without any equipment.

This 10-minute routine, created by fitness trainer Maddie Lymburner, known as MadFit on YouTube, targets your abs and obliques and can be done anywhere with enough space to lie down. While no equipment is required, using a yoga mat can make the exercises more comfortable on hard surfaces.

The session includes 10 different exercises. Each move is performed for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest. All exercises are done lying down, so you wont need to switch positions for planks or other floor transitions. Each exercise is performed only once during the session, keeping the flow continuous and simple.

Lymburner demonstrates the moves and shares tips on maintaining proper form. Watching and listening to her guidance, including during rest periods when she explains upcoming exercises, helps you get the most out of the workout. You can also follow her rhythm to maintain a controlled pace and maximize repetitions within each 45-second interval.

If the pace feels too fast, you can adjust the rest and work intervals to suit your fitness level. Beginners might try 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest, or 40/20 for a slightly more intense option. The workout is challenging but adaptable, making it suitable for most fitness levels.

The routine combines crunches for the upper abs, leg raises for the lower abs, and twisting movements for the obliques. While it doesnt emphasize deep core stabilization as much as plank-heavy sessions, it still engages the entire core and supports strength gains for other exercises. Once comfortable with this routine, you can progress to a 15-minute Pilates abs session to target deeper core muscles. Pilates ball crunches are another alternative if traditional sit-ups cause discomfort.

Author: Benjamin Carter