Four exercises, one dumbbell and this ab workout to build a six-pack at home

Fast and effective, you can use this 4-move ab session as a standalone workout or a finisher

MIdsection of sporty, lean man
(Image credit: PA)

Online ab workouts are a dime a dozen; we at T3 have at least 100 of them. There are short ab workouts, long ab workouts, challenging ab workouts, easy ab workouts – you name it. Today we're sharing another ab workout, mainly because it's worth sharing. It consists of four exercises, uses one dumbbell and is super effective. What's not to like?

A strong core has many benefits. Believe it or not, it can even help you bench and squat more. Research claims that "core strength does have a significant effect on an athlete's ability to create and transfer forces to the extremities." It adds that the "core is the centre of most kinetic chains in the body and should be trained accordingly." Want to get stronger? Do this workout.

This quick ab session can be used as a finisher after a long workout or, on its own, repeated several times over. You'll need a dumbbell, and if you haven't got one, we recommend checking T3's thematic guides: best dumbbells and best adjustable dumbbells. As for structure, you'll do each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest. We recommend 2-3 sets if you do this as a standalone workout. The exercises involved: 

  • Twist and press
  • Plank pull-through
  • Half-kneeling woodchip (left)
  • Half-kneeling woodchip (right)
  • Weighted crunch

As mentioned above, there are plenty more ab workouts to choose from on T3. Here are the best dumbbell exercises for every body part, according to a fitness expert, and the best full-body dumbbell workout in only five moves. Check out this full-body dumbbell strength workout and this 6-move dumbbell upper-body workout, too. Alternatively, search for 'ab workout' on T3, and you'll find a ton of workouts.

Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.