6-Pack Abs In 10 Minutes: Core Workout

From the ability to take a good body punch, to getting the most power out of your own shots, it all depends on your core strength. Any athlete knows that training the muscles surrounding the abdomen (the “abs”) is key to power, strength, and development. FightCamp offers countless core and ab workouts on the app and YouTube channel to accompany any training routine.

This 10-minute boxing ab circuit can be used by boxers at any level. Feel free to adjust the workout and rest intervals to meet your needs. Remember, an ab workout is only one part of a proper training regimen. It also takes dedicated effort, time, and a smart nutrition plan to achieve your "6-pack".

Core Warm-Up

In boxing, ab training is usually done at the end of a session, right before your stretch and cool down. You can incorporate this workout into your routine whenever, as long as you make sure to warm up for a few minutes before your start going through the exercises. As we say at FightCamp, “end with abs”!

Core Drills

This 10-minute core workout is broken down into 20-second active intervals, each followed by 40 seconds of rest.

Sit-Up Punches (20 seconds)

This is the most common sit-up for a boxer’s training routine. If you're still working towards a full sit-up, you can modify with a basic crunch.

• Lay on your back with your feet straight up in the air
• With your boxing guard up (fists under your cheekbones and elbows close to your body), do a sit-up
• At the top of your sit-up, throw a quick jab-cross (1-2) punch combination
• Return to guard and come back down
• Repeat for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Flutter Kicks (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back, with your feet straight up in the air
• Lay your arms down at your sides
• Holding your abs tight, raise your legs up 6-8 inches off the ground, keeping them straight
• Keeping your legs elevated, kick your legs in a flutter motion up and down
• Continue for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Criss-Cross Kicks (Scissors) (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back and spread your legs about shoulder-width apart
• Lift your legs slightly off the ground
• Bring your legs back together, and cross one leg over the other
• Spread your legs out again
• Cross again, but this time, reverse which leg goes on top
• Repeat for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Low Plank (20 seconds)

• Start on your hands and knees
• Lower down onto your elbows and forearms (feel free to put added padding underneath for more cushion)
• Extend your legs back until your body is completely straight in a forearm plank position, careful not to sink your hips and put pressure on your lower back
• Hold for 20 seconds, keeping the core tight

Rest (40 seconds)

Cross Mountain Climbers (20 seconds)

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands directly beneath your shoulders in a push-up position
• Draw your right knee up towards your left shoulder, then back down
• Repeat with your left knee towards your right shoulder
• Continue to “run” and alternate right and left legs for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Russian Twists (20 seconds)

• Start in a sitting position with your upper body at about a 45º angle to the ground, with your feet raised slightly
• Keep your back straight and your head up
• Stretch your arms forward (parallel to the floor) and bring the palms close together
• Move your arms in an arc towards the floor on your left side (get close to the floor but don't touch it)
• Return the arms back to center
• Repeat on the right side
• Continue twisting side to side for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Leg Raises (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back, with your feet straight up in the air and your arms down by your sides
• Slowly bring your legs down to the ground
• Lift them back up into the air
• Continue lifting and lowering your legs for 20 seconds

Make sure your entire back remains in contact with the floor during the movement.

Rest (40 seconds)

Crunches (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor
• Place your hands behind your head
• Lift your upper body up, using your core muscles, without activating the muscles on your legs
• Lay back down
• Repeat for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Heel Taps (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground
• With your arms down by your sides, lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the ground
• Stretch your left hand down to touch your left heel, bending at the waist
• Return to center
• Stretch your right hand down to touch your right heel, bending at the waist
• Return to center
• Repeat for 20 seconds

Rest (40 seconds)

Bicycle Crunches (20 seconds)

• Lay on your back with your legs in the air, knees are bent at 90º
• Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground and place your hands behind your head
• Extend your left leg and at the same time bring your left elbow as close to your right knee as possible
• Return the left leg in the starting position as you extend the right leg and rotate your torso to the other side (right elbow trying to touch the coming left knee)
• Repeat for 20 seconds

For a faster recovery, we recommend finishing the workout with a nice cool down routine. That's it! You did it! Congratulations!

If you find this 10-minute ab workout too hard or too easy, you can always alter the active and rest intervals. However intense or easy you decide to make it, this quick ab workout can easily be done in the gym, at home, or while on vacation.

For more six-pack motivation and tips, check FightCamp Trainer Flo Master's advice on getting a 6-pack. FightCamp Coach PJ also has a Manny Pacquiao-inspired 8-minute core workout on our YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe and follow our blog for more.

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The Author: Nikolay Tsenkov is a dad, husband, entrepreneur, and boxing aficionado. He started training late, when he was 26 years old. One of his biggest regrets in life is that he never competed. For several years he has trained alongside national and European champions and professional boxers. He is an avid student of boxing, but enjoys all sorts of martial arts.