Best Resistance Band Exercises for Abs with PDF

The resistance band is an excellent piece of equipment that allows you to do myriad abs workouts with and without an anchor. In this article, I’ll share as many as twenty resistance band abs exercises (with pdf) that you can do at home. Whether you’re a male or female, you can incorporate these exercises to strengthen your core, improve balance and flexibility, and thicken your rectus abdominish muscle over time.

Resistance Band Abs Workout List

First of all, let’s see a simple list of all core exercises that tell you what workouts you can do with and without an anchor.

Related:

Barbell Exercises List By Muscle Group

Push Pull Legs Exercises List With PDF

Best Resistance Band Ab Exercises (No Anchor)

As you can see in the list, you can do most resistance band abs exercises without an anchor. Now, let’s see how to do those exercises with step-by-step instructions, videos, and images.

Mini Band Flutter Kicks

The flutter kicks or scissors is one of the best exercises you can do with a resistance band to fortify your abs. It is suitable for all fitness levels, so you can give it a try.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs are straight in front of you.
2. Place the mini bands around your shin.
3. Lie down on your back and keep your arms straight on the floor beside your hips.
4. Slightly lift your feet and head off the floor.
5. Brace your core, and raise your legs alternatively (like scissors work).
6. Keep doing it until you feel the fatigue in your core.

You may also see: Isometric Ab Exercises To Build Strong Core

Mini Band Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch works simultaneously on the upper and lower abs. It will be challenging if you’re new to band workouts.

How to:

1. Place the band around your feet and lie on the floor.
2. Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees, so your feet are facing forward.
3. Bring your right knee and left elbow toward each other, as close as possible, and then return.
4. Repeat on your opposite side. And keep doing it until you feel the complete contraction in your core.

Resistance band Single-Leg Lift

1. Start with sitting on the floor with your legs are straight in front of you.
2. Place the band around your thighs and lie on your back.
3. Raise your right leg as high as possible, keeping your knee straight.
4. Return, and then raise your left leg.
5. Do 10 to 15 repetitions.

Standing Oblique Crunch

The standing resistance band oblique crunch strengthens love handles and builds a defined core.

1. Place the one end of the band under your feet and grab the other end with your right hand.
2. Keep your right arm straight at your side and the left one bend beside your ear.
3. Lower your shoulder at your sides alternatively until you feel the contraction in your oblique.
4. Repeat for the desired number of times.

Side Leg Raises with loop band

1. Place the band around your knees and lie on your right side.
2. Keep your legs stacked and your arms in a comfortable position.
3. Raise your left leg as high as possible, pause, and then return.
4. Do as many times as you like.

Loop Band Mountain Climber

1. Anchor the band around your feet and get into a high plank position with your arms are straight below your shoulders and legs are hip-width apart.
2. Pull your right knee inside your chest, and then return and switch.
3. Repeat until you feel the pain in your core.

Resistance Band Bird Dog

1. Place the band around your left foot and sit on all fours.
2. Grab the other end of the band with your right hand.
3. Lift your arms and legs simultaneously off the floor until they are parallel to the floor.
4. Hold in this position for up to 10 seconds and return to the start.
5. Repeat the same on your opposite side. Do two to three times.

Plank Leg Kickback

1. Place the band around your calves (slightly below).
2. Get into a plank or high plank position, whichever is suitable for you.
3. Raise your right leg as high as possible and then return.
4. Switch on the other side and repeat for the desired number of times.

Resistance Band Dead Bug 

1. Place the band around your feet and lie on the floor.
2. Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees, so your feet are facing forward.
3. Keep your arms straight toward the ceiling. That’s the start.
4. Stretch your right leg against you while keeping your left one bend. You can also bring your opposite arm behind you at the same time.
5. Do until you feel the pain.

Banded Hip Bridge

1. Place the mini bands around your hips.
2. Lie on the floor with your knees are bent in front of you.
3. Keep your feet flat and arms straight at your sides.
4. Lift your hips off the floor as high as possible.
5. Hold there for five to ten seconds, and then lower your hip back on the floor and repeat for the required times.

Russian Twist

1. Sit on the floor with your legs are straight in front of you.
2. Place the one end of the band around your feet, hold the other end with your hands, and pull it toward your stomach. That’s the start.
3. Twist your torso from side to side for the desired time.
4. Try to bring the band as close to the floor as possible.

Knee to outside elbow Crunch

1. Anchor the band around your feet and get into a high plank position with your arms are straight below your shoulders and legs are shoulder-width apart.
2. Pull your right knee toward the right elbow as close as possible.
3. Pause for a second and then return to the start.

V Leg Lifts

1. Sit on the floor and place the band around your shins.
2. Lie on your back and keep your legs straight.
3. Stretch the legs out to make a “V” shape. That’s the start.
4. Raise your legs together until they are in line with your hips.
5. You can hold for a couple of seconds at that point before your lower to the start.
6. Aim for two sets of eight to ten reps.

Resistance Band Abs Workouts with Anchor

You can do more exercises for abs with a resistance band if you have an anchor.

The anchor or attachment allows you to perform various ab workouts effectively with resistance bands, such as standing crunches, kneeling crunches, woodchop, and leg raises.

Below, I’ve shared all possible exercises that you can do with resistance bands for your core.

Resistance Band Kneeling Crunches

1. Attach the band to the door, sit on your knees, and grab the band firmly with your hands.
2. Pull the band and curl your torso until you feel the contraction in your abs.
3. Pause for a couple of seconds and then return to the start.
4. Do two sets of eight to ten reps.

Check out more cable abs workouts: Best Cable Machine Abs Workout

Resistance Band Leg raises

1. Anchor the band to something.
2. Place the band around your feet and lie on the floor with your straight legs.
3. Keep your arms straight under your glutes for support.
4. Brace your core and raise your legs off the floor until your feet face the floor.
5. Pause and then return to the start.

Resistance Band Reverse Crunches

1.  Attach the band to a firm object, place the band around your feet, and lie on the floor.
2. Keep your legs straight, arms straight at your sides, and hands under the glutes.
3. Raise your legs straight together until they are straight toward the ceiling.
4. Hold there for a moment and then lower them down.
5. Do two sets of eight to ten reps.

Standing Resistance Band Crunches

1. Anchor the band to the door and stand against it.
2. Grab the band firmly over your head with both hands.
3. Curl your torso until you feel the contraction in your abs.
4. Pause for a couple of seconds and then return to the start.

Side plank Band Pull

The side plank pull is an excellent workout that activates multiple muscles at once, such as abs, oblique, back, and arms.

How to do it:

1. Anchor the band to a firm object.
2. Grab the other end firmly with your right hand.
3. Get into a side plank position on your left side.
4. Pull the band towards your body as far as possible.
5. Hold for a moment and return it to the start.
6. Do two sets of eight to ten reps.

Woodchop (Downward)

1. Anchor the band to incline the object, typically to the door.
2. Grab the band and stand to the side a couple of steps away.
3. Brace your core, and pull the band toward your knees as far as possible.   
4. Do two sets of eight to ten reps each.

Woodchop (Down to Up)

1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width stance.
2. Hold the band with firmly your hands.
3. Brace your core, and pull the band over your right shoulder by twisting your torso.
4. Keep your elbows locked throughout the movement.
5. Aim for two sets of eight to ten reps.

Resistance Band Abs Exercise Routine For Sturdy Core (No Anchor)

Rest: As little as possible.

Resistance Band Core Workout Routine

Rest between sets: As little as possible.

Suggested Rounds: 2-3

Are Resistance Bands Exercises Good For Abs?

Yes, you can build sturdy abs with resistance band workouts. Resistance band training can promote similar strength gains to weight training.¹ A meta-analysis published on the National Institute of Health suggested. Lopes, Jaqueline Santos Silva et al. “Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” SAGE open medicine vol. 7 2050312119831116. 19 Feb. 2019, doi:10.1177/2050312119831116

So, if you want to build a solid core and improve your balance and flexibility, you can incorporate the above resistance band abs exercises into your workout regime.

Resistance Band Abs Exercises PDF

Related Articles:

• Mini Band Tricep Exercises For Strong Arms

• Resistance Band Bicep Exercises

• Resistance Band Chest Workouts

• Do Resistance Bands Build Muscle?

References

• 1
  A meta-analysis published on the National Institute of Health suggested. Lopes, Jaqueline Santos Silva et al. “Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” SAGE open medicine vol. 7 2050312119831116. 19 Feb. 2019, doi:10.1177/2050312119831116