What’s The Best Time To Workout Abs?

When it comes to building bullet-proof core and six-pack abs, proper abs training is necessary. But have you ever searched what is the best time to workout abs, whether it’s morning or evening? Or do you know when to train your abs, after or before weight training?

Knowing the right time to train a specific group of muscles can maximize results. I want to share my own experience, but first of all, let’s find out what research, science, and the most credible health and fitness websites have to say about the best time to do abs workout.

What is the Best Time to Workout Abs? – According to Science

After researching a couple of hours on Google to find what scientific studies say about the perfect timing for abs workout, I haven’t found anything relevant. Research is yet to be done on the best abs workout timing.

However, research has shown that whether you work out in the morning or evening, the best way to get an efficient result is to work out at the same time every day. Consistency in your workout timing might help you achieve your desired result faster.

So, whether you work out in the morning, afternoon, evening, or maybe at night, make sure you’re consistent.

When is the Best Time to do Ab Workout? – According to Popular Fitness Sites

Only a few websites shared the answers about the best time to do core exercises. So, let’s find out what they have concluded.

LiveStrong.com

The morning time isn’t ideal for training abs – the article “Is It Better to Do Your Ab Workout in the Morning or at Night?” published on the Live Strong website suggested.

Your body is most vulnerable in the early morning, just after waking up. Regular ab exercises like crunches and twisting can compress your spine and put more stress on your vertebral discs, increasing the risk of swelling or an injury – the site proposed.

The article’s author has also recommended that doing late-night abs workouts causes uneasiness and can keep you awake.

So, if you want to work out your abs, the best timing could be afternoon or evening. Because your energy level is high, muscles are more flexible than morning, and you can have a better workout session.

Men’s Health

Those who workout core at the beginning of their workout instead of the end achieve better results – suggested in the article Why You Should Work Your Abs First? Published by Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-author of The New Rules of Lifting for Abs.

Doing abs at the beginning of the workout, right after your warm-up, can be effective for your core. Because at that time, your muscles are fresh and ready to build.

Abs are like other muscles, and to strengthen and build them, you need to hit them properly. So, it would be excellent to train your abs right after your warm-up and before weight training – the site concluded.

Men’s Journal Views on The Best Time to do Abs Workout

Article title: Trainer Q&A: How Often Should I Train My Abs?

Answer: This website didn’t mention any time in its post. However, It concluded that doing abs workouts two to three times a week after the workout session will help you get an efficient result faster.

It also suggests trying different abs workout variations rather than doing only sit-ups or crunches. Planks, cable woodchops, and abdominal rollouts are some excellent variations to be included in your ab workout regime.

Top 10 Tips For Building Six-Pack Abs Faster

1. Reduce body percentage to at least 10-12%. Do High-intensity interval Training (HIIT).
2. Maintain or reduce daily calorie consumption. Get the proper diet.
3. Warm your body before starting the abs workout session. Do high-knees, squats, pushups, jumping jacks, etc.
4. Train the abs like other muscles of the body. Give your ab muscles proper rest.
5. Add resistance to the ab exercises to thicken your muscle. Try weighted ab workouts.
6. Try different variations of the abs exercises. Don’t just stick with two or three exercises.
7. Train each muscle of the core equally. For example, work on your obliques, upper and lower abs.
8. Design a separate workout session to build your abs so that you hit them when you’re energized. Doing abs workouts before or after heavy weight training can exhaust the muscles in your core which can be dangerous.
9. Other than specific ab exercises, try high-intensity exercises like HIIT and CrossFit.
10. Eat enough protein. Protein will help you build lean muscle faster and accelerates muscle gain. Protein is one of the best macronutrients with the highest thermogenic effect on the body.

Summary

Based on the above information, I think the best time is when you’re ready to do your best. And the best ab exercises are those which suit you the most.

Everyone’s body responds differently. So, for example, if the afternoon abs workout is good for me, it doesn’t mean it will also be good for you because it depends on your various things, primarily your lifestyle pattern.

Nutrition and consistency matter more than timing. If you’re not consistent and do not lower your body fat percentage; it doesn’t matter how hard you exercise; you’ll not achieve the desired result faster.

Let’s also uncover some of the best abs and obliques exercises that solidify your midsection, help expose six-packs, and enhance compound lifts.

Top 20 Core Exercises For Ripped Six pack abs

1. Reverse Crunches
2. Mountain Climbers
3. Bicycle Crunches
4. Planks
5. Situps
6. Single-Leg Tuck-up
7. Table Top Crunches
8. Leg Raises
9. Knee-to-Inside Elbow Planks
10. Knee-to-Outside Elbow Planks
11. Flutter Kicks
12. V-ups Crunches
13. Hanging Knees Raise
14. Cable Woodchop
15. Dumbbell Side Bend
16. Cable Crunches
17. Ab wheel Rolling
18. Hollow Body Crunch
19. Windshield Wipers
20. Dragon Flag Negatives

Best Ab Workout Routine to do at Home and the Gym

Summary

• Duration: 20-minutes
• Number of exercises: 10-12
• Rest between exercises: 15-45 seconds
• Number of rounds: 2
• Rest between rounds: 1-min

Plan 1 – Bodyweight Abs workout at Home

Plan 2 – Abdominal Muscles Workout for Gym Goers

FAQs about the best time to do abs workout