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The 40 Best Body Weight Exercises To Build Muscle & Blast Fat ANYWHERE [Exercise Lists][N]ow we're talking body. The world is your body-blasting battleground. Whether you're rendezvousing to a tropical island for a sultry, sun-soaked vacation, looking to squeeze in a quickie... -
The Elite Six — 6 Advanced Six-Pack Ab Exercises To Build An HD, Razor Sharp Core[U]p your ab game. We're gunning for cover model status. Elite, exceptional six-pack abs require a MASSIVE amount of work and dedication. It's a hardcore commitment. But if your diet is on... -
[Workout Plans] Limber Up For Battle With Our 5 Minute Foam Rolling Repertoire*The 5 Minute Foam Rolling Repertoire is part 2 in our series on foam rolling. Before jumping in, read through part 1, which provides a FULL-blown primer on all-things foam rolling. [I]t's... -
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5 Omega-3 & Mineral Rich Seafoods To Stuff Into Your Fitness DietImage: Shutterstock [F]or most of us who are starting a fitness routine, we know which exercises to start with but diet can be a little bit more confusing. We tend to forget to eat right even... -
The Workout Music Friday Five-Pack, V30 — Drake, Audien, Lady Antebellum, and Tove Lo[G]et amped. Every Friday we're dropping a five-pack of heart-thumping, blood-pumping workout songs to build out your playlist, hardwire a little energy into your workouts, and kickstart the... -
[WOTM, 08/2015] Chisel Out Your Abs With The Oblique Obliterator Workout Gauntlet[C]hip, chip, chip away. When people think of gorgeous, tight, lickable abs, the six-pack muscles (aka the rectus abdominis) immediately jump into mind. They're glamorized by every Hollywood... -
Olivia Munn Is An Absolute BEAST In Combat Training Video For X-Men: Apocalypse [Video]A video posted by Olivia Munn (@oliviamunn) on Aug 1, 2015 at 11:15am PDT [Y]ou should be VERY, very scared of Olivia Munn. At least while she's training for her role as Psylocke—a... -
The Coke Effect: What Happens In Your Body After Chugging A Can Of Coke [Infographic][P]ssssssssh, how bad can an itty, bitty 140 calories really be? Not that it's mind-blowing whatsoever—we've been hating on soda hardcore for years—but if that 140 comes straight from a... -
The Workout Music Friday Five-Pack, V29 — Kaskade, Meek Mill, Major Lazer, & Martin Garrix[G]et amped. Every Friday we're dropping a five-pack of heart-thumping, blood-pumping workout songs to build out your playlist, hardwire a little energy into your workouts, and kickstart the... -
Upgrade Your Lettuce Game — Boost Your Nutrient Intake 3000% With This Two Second Salad HackImage: Epicurious [W]hat if we told you one mindless—and laughably easy—nutrition hack could boost your vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C intake by over 3000%, and your potassium, calcium,... -
The Degree #GetMoving Challenge Week 4 — Push Yourself To Exhaustion With Crunch-Jump Rope Uber Supersets*This article originally appeared in Men's Health and was adapted for Lean It UP. [D]IPSET, DIPSET, DIPSET. We're halfway there. If you've been moving vigorously and maxing out over the...
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The 40 Best Body Weight Exercises To Build Muscle & Blast Fat ANYWHERE [Exercise Lists]
The 40 Best Bodyweight Exercises — ABS & CORE
Bodyweight Exercise 22: Planks & Side Planks
How To:
Video Demo — Side Planks
Primary Muscle(s): Abs (All), Transverse Abdominis, Obliques
- (A) Planks — extend out into push up position with your forearms firmly planted on the floor. Squeeze your core and maintain a flat back. Hold the position.
- (B) Side Planks — stack your feet, lie on your right side, and prop your core up with your right forearm. Form a flat bridge and keep your torso completely straight. Hold the position and repeat for the opposite side.
Bodyweight Exercise 23: 1-Arm Planks
How To:
Video Demo — 1-Arm Planks
Primary Muscle(s): Abs (All), Transverse Abdominis, Obliques
- (1) Move into a plank position. Raise your right arm and extend it straight out in front of your body. Hold it and repeat for the opposite side.
Bodyweight Exercise 24: Bicycle Crunches
How To:
Video Demo — Bicycle Crunches
Primary Muscle(s): Abs (All), Obliques, Lower Abs
- (1) Lie on your back with your legs extended out. Pull your right knee in and simultaneously crunch your left elbow up. Squeeze your core and try to touch your elbow to knee.
- (2) Immediately kick your right leg out and repeat for the opposite side. Continue to alternate.
Bodyweight Exercise 25: Reverse Crunches
Image: WorkoutLabs
How To:
Video Demo — Reverse Crunches
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs
- (1) Lie on your back, bend your knees, contract your lower abs, and thrust your hips off the ground. Raise your knees and tuck them in towards your chest.
- (2) Squeeze the contraction and slowly lower back down. Repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 26: Leg Lifts
How To:
Video Demo — Leg Lifts
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs
- (1) Lie on your back with your legs straight out. Contract your lower abs, stabilize your core, and raise your legs straight up to a 90º angle.
- (2) Slowly lower back down to the ground and repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 27: Pulse Ups
How To:
Video Demo — Pulse Ups
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Obliques
- (1) Lie on your back and raise your legs to a 90º angle.
- (2) Contract your lower abs and thrust your pelvis off the ground, kicking your legs straight up into the air. Hold for 1s at the top and slowly lower your back down to the ground. Repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 28: Ab V-Ups
How To:
Video Demo — Ab V-Ups
Primary Muscle(s): Abs (All), Lower Abs, Upper Abs
- (1) Lie flat on the floor. Simultaneously lift your legs and crunch your upper body — it should form a “V” shape. Squeeze your abs and try to touch your toes at the top.
- (2) Slowly lower back down to a flat position. Repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 29: Oblique V-Ups
How To:
Video Demo — Oblique V-Ups
Primary Muscle(s): Obliques, Lower Abs
- (1) Lie on the left side of your butt and support your body with your left forearm.
- (2) Contract your obliques, pull your knees in, and raise your upper body. You should form a “V” with your body. Repeat for the opposite side.
Bodyweight Exercise 30: Mason Twists
How To:
Video Demo — Mason Twists
Primary Muscle(s): Obliques, Abs (All)
- (1) Sit on your butt and form a “V” with your body. Twist to the left and tap the ground with your hands.
- (2) Immediately twist to the right and tap the ground. Continue to repeat. Up the difficulty by holding a medicine ball or weight.
Bodyweight Exercise 31: Ab In-And-Outs
How To:
Video Demo — Ab In & Outs
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Obliques, Upper Abs
- (1) Sit on a bench, balance on your butt, and form a “V” with your body. Hold the bench for stability.
- (2) Lower your torso and straighten your legs so that your body is flat, barely touching the bench. That’s your low position.
- (3) Crunch up, squeeze your abs, and bring your knees in towards your body. Kick your legs out, lower your torso, and continue to repeat as quickly as possible.
Bodyweight Exercise 32: Frozen V-Sits
How To:
Video Demo — Frozen V-Sits
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Obliques, Upper Abs
- (1) Squeeze your abs and do a V-up. Hold the contraction at the top for as long as possible. Keep your back straight and core tight.
Bodyweight Exercise 33: Ab Rollouts
How To:
Video Demo — Ab Rollouts
Primary Muscle(s): Upper Abs, Transverse Abdominis
- (1) Sit on your knees with an ab roller out in front of your body. Squeeze your core and slowly roll out to a full extension. DO NOT arch your back.
- (2) Contract your abs and pull the roller in towards your knees. Repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 34: Ab Sprinters
How To:
Video Demo — Ab Sprinters
Primary Muscle(s): Upper Abs, Lower Abs, Obliques
- (1) Lie on the floor. Powerfully raise your torso, pull your right knee in, and crunch your left elbow up and over. Touch if possible.
- (2) Slowly lower and repeat for the opposite side (left leg, right elbow).
Bodyweight Exercise 35: Plank Knee Tucks
How To:
Video Demo — Plank Knee Tucks
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Obliques, Transverse Abdominis
- (1) Move into push up position. Keep your back flat and pull your right knee in towards your right elbow.
- (2) Squeeze the contraction and kick your leg back out to a full extension. Continue to alternate sides. Up the difficultly by pulling your knee in towards the opposite elbow.
Bodyweight Exercise 36: Flutter Kicks
How To:
Video Demo — Flutter Kicks
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs
- (1) Lie on your back and tighten your core. Raise your feet approximately 6″ off the floor and flutter them back and forth. Continue to alternate sides back and forth without touching the ground.
Bodyweight Exercise 37: Hanging Knee & Hanging Leg Raises
How To:
Video Demo — Hanging Leg Raises
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Obliques, Abs (All)
- (A) Hanging Knee Raises — hang from a pull up bar, contract your lower abs, and raise your knees up into your chest. Hold 1s and lower back down to start. Repeat.
- (B) Hanging Leg Raises — do the same motion, but keep your legs straight throughout. Raise your legs at least parallel to the floor.
Bodyweight Exercise 38: Clamshell Crunches
How To:
Video Demo — Clamshell Crunches
Primary Muscle(s): Lower Abs, Upper Abs, Obliques
- (1) Lie on your back with your knees in tabletop position and hands behind your head.
- (2) Crunch your upper abs and do a reverse crunch at the same time so that your elbows and knees touch. Lower back down and repeat.
Bodyweight Exercise 39: Wide Leg Crunches
How To:
Video Demo — Wide Leg Crunches
Primary Muscle(s): Upper Abs
- (1) Lie down with your legs spread apart. Keep your legs wide, crunch up, and touch your right toe.
- (2) Lower down and crunch up to your left toe.
- (3) Lower down and crunch down the middle. Continue to alternate directions.
Bodyweight Exercise 40: Dragon Flags
How To:
Video Demo — Dragon Flags
Primary Muscle(s): Abs (All)
- (1) Lie on a bench and hold it behind your head for support.
- (2) Raise your legs up and do a shoulder stand. That’s your starting position. Without bending your torso or legs, slowly lower down to a 45 angle. Your body should be completely straight.
- (3) Hold for 1s, contract your core, and powerfully raise your body back up to start.
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Bryan DiSanto
Owner & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP
Bryan DiSanto is the Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, a culinary student at Le Cordon Bleu – Paris, an ACE-CPT & CSN, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness/nutrition nutjob.
He also contributes to Men's Health Magazine.
When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.
He also contributes to Men's Health Magazine.
When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.
Latest posts by Bryan DiSanto (see all)
- The 40 Best Body Weight Exercises To Build Muscle & Blast Fat ANYWHERE [Exercise Lists] - September 1, 2015
- The Elite Six — 6 Advanced Six-Pack Ab Exercises To Build An HD, Razor Sharp Core - August 31, 2015
- [Workout Plans] Limber Up For Battle With Our 5 Minute Foam Rolling Repertoire - August 26, 2015
Lean It UP is a web community that touches all ends of the fitness spectrum. We regularly publish workout plans, nutritional analysis, product reviews, supplement advice, recipes, and other related content that can help inform and educate on the most effective, practical ways to improve fitness levels, aesthetics, and overall health. We want to help YOU build your own perfect body -- hop on for the ride. 
