In this article
Build your workout
Set your level and 10 or 15 minutes, and the generator gives you a fresh session every day from 45 animated exercises. Prefer a fixed plan? Follow the four weeks below.
How the programme works
Each week has three ab workouts (A, B and C) on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That’s above the NHS minimum of strengthening activities on two days a week, which should cover all major muscle groups including the abdomen (NHS, reviewed 22 May 2024). Two sessions a week still works if that is what fits.
Every session is a circuit: do each exercise for the time shown, rest, move to the next, and repeat for the number of rounds. The progression comes from four levers, changed one at a time:
| Week | Work / rest | Rounds | Session length | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 s / 30 s | 2 | about 10 min | Learn the moves |
| 2 | 40 s / 20 s | 2 | about 10 min | More work, less rest |
| 3 | 40 s / 20 s | 3 | about 15 min | One more round |
| 4 | 45 s / 15 s | 3 | about 15 min | Harder versions of 2 exercises |
Week 1 and 2 workouts
| Workout A (front) | Workout B (sides) | Workout C (deep core) |
|---|---|---|
| Crunch | Heel taps | Dead bug |
| Reverse crunch | Bicycle crunch | Knee plank |
| Toe-touch crunch | Side plank on knees, left | Bird dog |
| Dead bug | Side plank on knees, right | Seated knee tuck |
| Knee plank | Standing cross crunch | Heel taps |
Week 1 uses 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest. Week 2 keeps the same exercises with 40 seconds of work and 20 of rest, so you can see the progress on familiar moves.
Week 3 and 4 workouts
| Workout A (front) | Workout B (sides) | Workout C (deep core) |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-up | Bicycle crunch | Plank |
| Reverse crunch | Russian twist | Bird dog |
| Rowing crunch | Side plank, left | Plank shoulder tap |
| Flutter kicks | Side plank, right | Dead bug |
| Plank | Cross-body mountain climber | Mountain climber |
In week 4, change two exercises to their harder version: for example sit-up to V-up and plank to plank up-down. If a harder version breaks your form, go back to the week 3 move and stay there another week.
How to do the exercises with good form
| Exercise | The cue that matters most |
|---|---|
| Crunch / sit-up | Breathe out as you curl; hands only support the head |
| Reverse crunch | Roll the hips towards the ribs; don’t swing the legs |
| Bicycle crunch | Turn the shoulders, not just the elbows |
| Russian twist | Chest up, rotate from the ribs |
| Side plank | Hips stay in line with shoulders and feet |
| Plank | Squeeze your bottom and keep a straight line |
| Dead bug | Lower back stays pressed into the floor |
| Flutter kicks | Bend the knees if the lower back lifts |
Why this mix of exercises
The programme leans on the moves that showed the most muscle activity in testing. In a 2001 San Diego State University study (30 adults, 13 exercises, muscle activity measured with EMG), the bicycle crunch ranked first for the rectus abdominis and the reverse crunch ranked third for the obliques, while the traditional crunch came 11th for both (ACE, 14 May 2001). The study is small and old, so the programme also keeps classic crunches and planks, which train strength and stability in ways EMG rankings don’t fully capture.
After week 4
You have three ways to continue:
- Repeat weeks 3 and 4 with the harder version of every exercise you’ve mastered.
- Add a dumbbell: see the dumbbell ab workout.
- Switch to the generator, set to “advanced”, and let it vary the sessions for you.
What 4 weeks of ab workouts will and won’t do
Four weeks of regular ab exercise make your core noticeably stronger. They won’t necessarily make your abs visible. In a 2011 trial, adults who did ab exercises five days a week for six weeks got better at curl-ups, but their belly fat and waist size didn’t change significantly compared with a control group (Vispute et al., 2011). Whether abs show depends on body fat, which comes down to overall activity and food.
To see where you are at the start and at the end of the four weeks, use the free scan. It reads one photo and gives a score out of 100, four sub-scores, a body-fat range and your weakest zone, with a 7-day routine aimed at it.
If you want the programme to carry on for 8 to 12 weeks and adapt to a new scan every week, the paid plan is shown with its prices upfront, including a one-time option.
Workout and first scan free. Full program: £24.99, paid once. Pricing
Related pages
- Fitness abs workout: three sessions to slot into a training week.
- Standing abs workout: a version with no floor work.
- Ab workouts: the main guide.
This page is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop any exercise that hurts, and speak to your GP first if you have a back problem, a hernia, or are pregnant or have recently given birth.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a week is the programme?
Three sessions a week for four weeks, above the NHS minimum of two strengthening days.
Can I do the programme every day?
Guidelines set a minimum of two strengthening days a week. We plan 2 to 3 sessions with rest days between them, and we found no source showing that daily sessions work better.
What should I do after week 4?
The page has a section on how to carry on after the four weeks.
Will 4 weeks give me a six-pack?
Four weeks of ab work builds strength. Whether abs show depends on body fat, and the 2011 Vispute trial found no significant fat loss from ab exercise alone.
Written by the Abdocoach team. General information, not medical advice.
Sources
- NHS, Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64, reviewed 22 May 2024, read 29 October 2026.
- American Council on Exercise, study of 13 abdominal exercises, 14 May 2001.
- Vispute SS et al., The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011.