Build stronger abs with this 10-minute no-equipment workout

If you're short on time, Fraser Wilson's routine is a quick abs-blast you can do from anywhere

Man doing sit ups outdoors
(Image credit: Getty Images)

As our calendars fill up again, it's not always easy to carve out time for a long training session. Thankfully, you don't need to spend hours at the gym to build core strength; just this 10-minute abs workout you can do from anywhere.

If your goal is a stronger core and six-pack abs, it's worth adding the best workouts for abs into your regular workout routine. However, this short session is ideal for days when you're tight on time but still want a quick abs blast.

The routine comes courtesy of fitness YouTuber Fraser Wilson, best known for his at-home muscle-building workouts with the best adjustable dumbbells. Helpfully, though, this routine is entirely equipment-free, so you don't need the gym, and it takes just 10 minutes to complete.

Wilson uses a variety of different exercises to make the most of this short session. Plus, he keeps the intensity high to achieve ab-defining results, with just three 30-second rest periods in the program.

Watch Fraser Wilson's 10-minute ab workout

While building a six-pack is a goal in its own right, there are other reasons to develop mid-body strength. Your abs form part of your core, a section of muscle responsible for boosting your balance and exercise performance, according to a study published in the journal PLoS One

By training your core, you'll also lower your risk of injury, improve your posture, and even reduce lower back pain. Building strength in this region promotes better circulation, too, which helps during exercise and for post-workout recovery. 

There are no repeats in this routine, and Wilson keeps things interesting with a mix of moves, including plank variations, crunches, sit ups, leg raises, and Russian twists. Even the rests involve stretches and yoga moves like child's pose.

Although not the case here, ab routines often lean heavily on just a handful of exercises, which is why many of us imagine abs workouts to be one long round of crunches. Thankfully, squats are also an effective way to achieve a stronger core.

Squats work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, promoting muscle growth and increasing the amount of energy you burn during the exercise. Learning how to do a barbell squat adds weights to the mix to improve muscle-building potential.

Alternatively, kettlebell swings are the one move you need to build core strength and stronger legs. With one of the best kettlebells, this exercise improves cardio fitness, burns fat, and develops lower body muscle.

James Frew
Fitness Editor

James is a London-based journalist and Fitness Editor at Fit&Well. He has over five years experience in fitness tech, including time spent as the Buyer’s Guide Editor and Staff Writer at technology publication MakeUseOf. In 2014 he was diagnosed with a chronic health condition, which spurred his interest in health, fitness, and lifestyle management.


In the years since, he has become a devoted meditator, experimented with workout styles and exercises, and used various gadgets to monitor his health. In recent times, James has been absorbed by the intersection between mental health, fitness, sustainability, and environmentalism. When not concerning himself with health and technology, James can be found excitedly checking out each week’s New Music Friday releases.