Ever heard of GHB situps?
Abs workouts come in all varieties. Some require only your bodyweight for serious burn. Others call for a simple piece of equipment like a kettlebell to chisel the core. But one effective abs exercise you may be missing out on is waiting for ya at the gym. Enter: abs machines. Miniature Machining
“If you're new to exercise, it can be tough to know when you're actually engaging your core, which can sometimes lead to lower back pain,” says Angela Gargano, CPT, a NASM-certified fitness coach and former Performix House trainer in New York City. “Doing basic exercises with a machine can help beginners become strong enough to do bodyweight exercises correctly on their own.”
Meet the experts: Angela Gargano, CPT, is a NASM-certified fitness coach and four-time Ninja Warrior. Noam Tamir, CSCS, is the founder of TS Fitness in New York City.
As for those already working on sculpting a six-pack, machine assistance can make your core-focused workout a little more challenging and a lot more fun. “A machine is also helpful in amplifying the workout, so you can continue to strengthen that core effectively,” Gargano adds.
Just keep in mind that you should never feel these exercises in your back. “If you do, make sure you adjust your weight and check your form,” says Gargano. “Always make sure to inhale and then do a big exhale while you engage your core to get the most out of each exercise.”
To start building every muscle of your midsection, try these five abs machine exercises recommended by trainers the next time you’re at the gym.
Targets: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis
Pro tip: “There are so many exercises you can do [with a cable machine] that help work those core muscles,” says Gargano. For this move, it’s not necessarily better to increase the weight of the machine a ton; you want it to be challenging, but not so difficult that you can’t maintain control, she says.
Targets: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques
Pro tip: The rower doesn’t only do wonders for a kicked-up cardio workout—it strengthens your core, too, Gargano says.
Targets: rectus abdominis and external obliques
Pro tip: Make sure you’re not arching your back to lift your legs, and avoid using momentum to raise them. Instead, move nice and slow. “Maintain control and feel the burn,” Gargano says.
Pro tip: Start with a 30- to 45- degree angle on the bench until you’re strong and comfortable enough to take it up another level. “Remember the higher the angle, the harder the situps will be,” Gargano says. “The biggest thing to know with this machine is that form is everything, so don’t make the incline more challenging until you have confidently conquered a lower incline first.”
Pro tip: Gym-goers typically use this machine for building their lower back, butt, and hamstrings, but you can also get a great abs workout when you do situps on it, says Noam Tamir, CSCS, founder of TS Fitness. This one differs from the incline bench in that you need to engage your core to stop yourself at the bottom, rather than resting on the bench. So, consider it one for advanced exercisers only. “You need to be careful not to go into too much extension in the lower back, though, and be controlled when you do it,” Tamir says. “Keep a neutral spine as much as possible.”
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.
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