There are different ab workouts for women than for men. It makes sense because our bodies are so different. Mens’ bodies are much simpler than ours. Unfortunately, we have a bunch of hormones that we need to consider when exercising. 

The workouts that I have listed below are to get long, lean abs, giving that snatched look. 

Everyone’s bodies are different. When I started exercising, I would do ab exercises that would cause my waist to get wider, instead of narrower. It was just a bulkier look than I wanted. & I learned that it was caused from doing heavy oblique exercises. 

Obliques are what most call side abs. They are the muscles on the sides of your stomach. These muscles are a part of your core. 

When I was growing my obliques (unintentionally), it was making my waist wider. There is nothing wrong with this, but it wasn’t the look I was going for. 

Also, as you are reading this list, note the breathing techniques that go with each one. Breathing correctly helps define your abs. 

No matter how many crunches you do, if you don’t breathe correctly, you will never get defined abs. 

Here is the list of ab workouts for women that will give you the long, lean abs that you have been dreaming about. 

1. Plank

The #1 most effective ab workout. 

How do you properly do a plank?

→ Start by laying on the floor on your stomach

→ Keep your elbows directly under your shoulders and your forearms flat on the floor (this can also be done on your hands, where your palms are flat against the floor and your arms are straight, directly under your shoulders).

→ Lift your knees off the ground and raise your body until it is in a straight line.

→ Hold this position

Why is the plank the most effective ab workout?

The plank is the most effective ab workout because it strengthens all of your ab muscles. Your ab muscles consist of the deepest muscle layer, called the transversus abdominis, the six pack muscles, called the rectus abdominis, the internal oblique muscles, and the external oblique muscles, which are the side abs. 

If you only do one ab workout, make sure it is a plank. They are hard but abs don’t show when you do easy exercises. 

Make sure to breath in and out while holding your plank, as that will help make it easier AND it will help your muscles become more defined. 

2. Reverse plank

Do not underestimate the power of a reverse plank.

How it’s done:

→ Sit on the floor with your legs straight out and your palms on the floor. 

→ Press your weight into your palms and lift your body up until it is in a straight diagonal line 

→ Hold, tightening your lower back muscles. 

When you’re doing a reverse plank, it doesn’t always feel like you are working abs. You will probably feel it more in your lower back and arms. We love a good arm workout too, but make sure to take note of your lower back muscles tightening. This is great for your abs, as the back is part of the core. Tightening your back pulls your “love handles” or sides tighter, allowing your ab muscles to be visibly seen without causing your waist to look wider. 

Our muscles depend on each other. When you strengthen them all, that’s when you actually start seeing your muscles. 

That being said, start incorporating a reverse plank into your ab routine.

I personally do a 1 minute reverse plank and a 1 minute regular plank every night before bed and my abs are noticeably stronger. 

While performing the reverse plank, breathe normally, in through the nose, out through the mouth. 

3. Bicycles

The ol’ classic bicycles are perfect for getting a snatched waist. However, I put a modification on them to ensure that they will give me the long, lean abs I am looking for. 

Here’s how I do them:

→ Start laying down on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

→ Gently put your hands behind your head. 

→ Lift your upper body off the ground, engaging your upper abs.

→ Next, lift your legs into a table top, creating a 90 degree angle.

→ Slowly, straighten one leg and bring it back, alternating.

The reason I don’t bring my elbows to my knees is because I feel like it engages my obliques too much (I might just be going psycho on this one so if you prefer to twist with the elbow touch, you can. I don’t think it will give you a wide waist.). I also think that only moving my legs helps to work my lower abs more and I can concentrate on going slower. 

Breathing wise, exhale when pushing your leg out and inhale when pulling your leg back in. Make sure you go nice and slow so that you can focus on breathing correctly.  

4. Single leg crunches

I love a good single leg crunch. These are perfect for strengthening your lower abs and it is a good isolation move to add to your ab workout routine.

How it’s done:

→ Start laying down on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

→ Gently put your hands behind your head. 

→ Lift your upper body off the ground, engaging your upper abs.

→ Take one leg and straighten it on the floor.

→ Slowly lift your leg up until your foot is pointed towards the ceiling. 

→ Do one leg and then the other. 

This is one of the easier ab workouts for women that are also so effective.

5. Sit ups

Sit ups are a classic and will keep your waist snatched. Is it the best workout to strengthen and visibly see your abs? No. But they are still a good workout.

How it’s done

→ Start laying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

→ Put your hands either gently behind your head or crossed over your chest.

→ Using your core muscles, lift your upper body until it is completely off the floor.

→ Lower back down and repeat. 

When you are raising your upper body up off the floor, exhale, and when you are lowering your body, inhale. 

It does seem like it would be the other way around, but you always exhale during the harder part and inhale during the easy part. 

6. Diaphragmatic breathing 

Now, this one is not technically an ab exercise. However, it helps to strengthen your innermost ab muscles, which would be the transverse abdominis by lengthening and shortening them. It will also help you practice the proper breathing technique of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. 

How it’s done:

→ Lay on your back on the floor, couch, or bed.

→ Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. 

→ Inhale through your nose for about 4 seconds, allowing the air to expand your stomach. Your hand on your stomach should raise with your abdomen.

→ Hold the air there for 2 seconds.

→ Slowly exhale through your mouth for about 6 seconds. Your hand on your stomach should lower with your abdomen. 

→ Repeat for 5 to 10 minutes. 

You will visibly see your abs become more toned looking and your stomach more flat. 

Diaphragmatic breathing can easily be done while watching tv, meditating, or at the end of your workout. 

Definitely give it a try.  

Ab workouts for women to avoid 

These exercises will work your obliques, making your waist wider. 

If you are looking for a snatched waist and more of an hourglass figure, you will want to avoid doing these ab workouts.

These include:

→ Heel taps

→ Side planks

→ Russian twists

→ Oblique crunches

Remember, everyone’s body is different, and some people can do these exercises and not have their waist become wider and bulkier. I personally just noticed that that would happen to me, and I know I am not alone on this one.

Cardio and Nutrition

I want to touch on cardio and nutrition because you need them both to show your abs. If you are looking to get that six pack and you do the ab workouts but still aren’t seeing them, it’s because you have some fat covering them. We have all been there and it is just a part of life. You need to do cardio to release the fat and see those beautiful abs. I recommend walking, high intensity interval training, or swimming. 

Nutrition wise, you need to eat. Starving yourself is not the way to gain muscle, especially abs. But you can’t overeat either. My recommendation is to follow the 80/20 rule where you eat healthy 80% of the time and eat not so healthy 20% of the time. Also, eat slower and stop eating when you are full. Once you’re full, save the leftovers for later. 

Conclusion

It’s hard to come by ab workouts for women that don’t have heavy oblique exercises. And just because these are not oblique focused exercises, it doesn’t mean that the exercises don’t work the obliques. They do work the obliques, but they work in a way that they stay flat and keep the waist snatched.

Try these exercises in your next ab workout and email [email protected] and let us know if these helped to give you long, lean abs.