Many beginners believe that training their abs means doing endless crunches. For some people, crunches feel uncomfortable, boring, or even painful in the neck and lower back. Others simply hate them. The good news is that crunches are not necessary for building a strong, functional core.
Modern exercise science shows that the abdominal muscles are primarily designed to stabilize the spine and transfer force between the upper and lower body, not repeatedly flex the spine in isolation. Research consistently shows that core stability exercises can activate the abdominal muscles as effectively, and often more effectively, than traditional crunch-based movements.
This article presents three complete, beginner-friendly ab routines designed specifically for people who hate crunches. Each routine focuses on spinal stability, controlled movement, and whole-body integration. Every exercise choice and training principle is supported by scientific evidence. The tone is simple, practical, and direct so you can apply it immediately.
If your goal is stronger abs, better posture, reduced injury risk, and visible progress without crunches, this guide is for you.
Understanding the Core Before You Train It
What the Core Actually Is
The core is not just the “six-pack.” It includes several muscle groups working together to stabilize the spine and pelvis.
Key muscles include:
- Rectus abdominis
- Transversus abdominis
- Internal and external obliques
- Erector spinae
- Multifidus
- Diaphragm
- Pelvic floor muscles
Studies using electromyography (EMG) show that these muscles work as a coordinated system, not in isolation. Training the core effectively means challenging this system to resist movement, not just create it.
Why Crunches Are Not Essential
Crunches focus on spinal flexion. While this does activate the rectus abdominis, it does not reflect how the core functions in most daily activities or sports. Repeated spinal flexion under fatigue may also increase stress on the lumbar discs, particularly in beginners with poor technique.
Research by Stuart McGill and colleagues shows that exercises emphasizing spinal stability produce high abdominal activation while minimizing spinal load. This makes them more suitable for beginners who want long-term progress and fewer aches and pains.
What Beginners Actually Need
Beginners benefit most from:
- Low spinal load
- High muscle activation
- Simple movements that reinforce good posture
- Exercises that teach the body to brace and stabilize
The routines below are built on these principles.
Routine 1: The Stability-First Ab Routine
This routine focuses on anti-movement exercises. These movements teach your abs to resist motion, which is one of their primary functions.
Who This Routine Is For
- Complete beginners
- People with sensitive lower backs
- Anyone returning to training after a break
Exercise 1: Front Plank
The plank is one of the most studied core exercises. EMG research shows high activation of the rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis while keeping spinal compression relatively low.
How to do it:
- Place forearms on the floor, elbows under shoulders
- Extend legs behind you
- Keep your body in a straight line
- Brace your abs as if preparing to be poked in the stomach
- Breathe normally
Sets and time:
- 3 sets of 20–40 seconds
Scientific support:
Studies show that planks activate the abdominal muscles comparably to crunches but with reduced spinal flexion, making them safer for beginners.
Exercise 2: Side Plank
Side planks emphasize the obliques, which play a key role in lateral stability and spinal protection.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side
- Place elbow under shoulder
- Lift hips off the ground
- Keep head, torso, and legs aligned
Sets and time:
- 2–3 sets of 15–30 seconds per side
Scientific support:
EMG studies demonstrate significantly higher oblique activation during side planks compared to traditional crunch variations.
Exercise 3: Dead Bug
The dead bug teaches core bracing while moving the limbs independently, which mirrors real-life movement patterns.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with arms and legs raised
- Press lower back gently into the floor
- Lower opposite arm and leg while keeping the torso stable
- Return to start and switch sides
Sets and reps:
- 3 sets of 8–10 controlled reps per side
Scientific support:
Research shows that dead bug variations activate deep core musculature while reinforcing lumbar stability.
Why This Routine Works
This routine builds a foundation of core endurance and neuromuscular control. Stability-focused training has been shown to improve balance, posture, and injury resistance in beginners.
Routine 2: The Standing and Functional Ab Routine
Many people do not realize that standing exercises can heavily engage the abs. This routine removes floor work entirely.
Who This Routine Is For
- Beginners who dislike floor exercises
- People training at home or in small spaces
- Anyone wanting more functional core strength
Exercise 1: Pallof Press
The Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise that challenges the obliques and deep stabilizers.
How to do it:
- Stand perpendicular to a resistance band or cable
- Hold the handle at chest height
- Press arms straight out while resisting rotation
- Bring hands back to chest
Sets and reps:
- 3 sets of 10–12 reps per side
Scientific support:
Studies show that anti-rotation exercises produce high oblique activation and improve trunk stability without excessive spinal motion.
Exercise 2: Farmer’s Carry
Carrying heavy loads forces the core to stabilize the spine under real-world conditions.
How to do it:
- Hold dumbbells or kettlebells at your sides
- Stand tall with shoulders down
- Walk slowly and controlled
Distance:
- 3–4 carries of 20–40 meters
Scientific support:
Loaded carries have been shown to activate the rectus abdominis, obliques, and spinal stabilizers simultaneously, making them highly efficient.
Exercise 3: Standing March with Brace
This movement reinforces core bracing during unilateral leg movement.
How to do it:
- Stand tall
- Brace your abs
- Lift one knee to hip height
- Lower and switch sides
Sets and reps:
- 3 sets of 10–12 reps per side
Scientific support:
Research on gait and balance shows that unilateral loading increases core muscle activation and improves postural control.
Why This Routine Works
Standing exercises challenge the core in a gravity-loaded environment. This improves transfer to daily activities like walking, lifting, and carrying groceries.
Routine 3: The Low-Impact Dynamic Ab Routine
This routine introduces controlled movement without crunches. It blends stability with slow, deliberate motion.
Who This Routine Is For
- Beginners ready for more challenge
- People who want variety
- Anyone avoiding spinal flexion exercises
Exercise 1: Glute Bridge Hold
Although often labeled a glute exercise, the bridge requires strong core activation to maintain pelvic alignment.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent
- Lift hips until torso forms a straight line
- Brace abs and squeeze glutes
- Hold position
Sets and time:
- 3 sets of 20–40 seconds
Scientific support:
EMG studies show significant activation of the abdominal muscles during isometric hip extension exercises.
Exercise 2: Bird Dog
The bird dog trains cross-body coordination and spinal stability.
How to do it:
- Start on hands and knees
- Extend opposite arm and leg
- Keep hips and shoulders level
- Return and switch sides
Sets and reps:
- 3 sets of 8–10 reps per side
Scientific support:
Bird dog variations have been shown to activate the multifidus and transversus abdominis while maintaining low spinal load.
Exercise 3: Heel Slides
Heel slides are subtle but effective for beginners learning to control pelvic position.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Brace your core
- Slowly slide one heel away
- Return and switch sides
Sets and reps:
- 3 sets of 10–12 reps per side
Scientific support:
Clinical research supports heel slides for activating deep core muscles in rehabilitation and beginner training contexts.
Why This Routine Works
Slow, controlled movements improve motor control and endurance. This approach is widely supported in physical therapy literature for long-term core strength development.
How Often Beginners Should Train Abs
Research suggests that core muscles respond well to frequent, low-volume training due to their endurance-oriented nature.
General guidelines:
- 2–4 sessions per week
- 10–20 minutes per session
- Focus on quality, not fatigue
Overtraining the abs is unnecessary. Studies show that consistent, moderate-volume training produces better results than sporadic high-volume sessions.
Breathing and Bracing: The Missing Link
Proper breathing enhances core activation. Research shows that diaphragmatic breathing increases activation of the transversus abdominis and pelvic floor.
Key cues:
- Breathe through your nose
- Exhale gently while bracing
- Avoid holding your breath unnecessarily
Learning to brace while breathing improves both performance and spinal safety.
Why These Routines Beat Crunches for Beginners
Crunches isolate one movement pattern. The routines above:
- Train multiple core functions
- Reduce spinal stress
- Improve posture and movement quality
- Translate better to real-life activities
Scientific literature consistently supports stability-based training as a safer and more effective starting point for beginners.
Conclusion: Strong Abs Without Crunches Are Not a Compromise
Avoiding crunches does not mean avoiding results. In many cases, it leads to better outcomes. By training the core the way it is designed to work, beginners can build strength, confidence, and consistency without discomfort.
These three routines provide a clear path forward. Choose the one that fits your preferences, commit to good form, and let science guide your progress.
Bibliography
- Akuthota, V. and Nadler, S.F. (2004). Core strengthening. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 85(3), pp.86–92.
- Behm, D.G., Drinkwater, E.J., Willardson, J.M. and Cowley, P.M. (2010). The use of instability to train the core musculature. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 35(1), pp.91–108.
- Escamilla, R.F., McTaggart, M.S., Fricklas, E.J., DeWitt, R., Kelleher, P., Taylor, M.K., Hreljac, A. and Moorman, C.T. (2006). An electromyographic analysis of commercial and common abdominal exercises. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 36(2), pp.45–57.
- McGill, S.M. (2010). Core training: Evidence translating to better performance and injury prevention. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 32(3), pp.33–46.
- McGill, S.M. and Karpowicz, A. (2009). Exercises for spine stabilization. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(3), pp.898–907.
About the Author
Robbie Wild Hudson is the Editor-in-Chief of BOXROX. He grew up in the lake district of Northern England, on a steady diet of weightlifting, trail running and wild swimming. Him and his two brothers hold 4x open water swimming world records, including a 142km swim of the River Eden and a couple of whirlpool crossings inside the Arctic Circle.
He currently trains at Falcon 1 CrossFit and the Roger Gracie Academy in Bratislava.
