6 Steps to Upgrade Your Ab Workout

Bikini pro and Olympia and Arnold champion Ashley Kaltwasser shares her favorite tricks to achieve a head-turning midsection.

Have you heard the phrase “abs are made in the kitchen”? I find this to be 100 percent accurate. Diet plays a major role in unveiling abdominal definition. But if you don’t develop solid muscle in this region of your body, you won’t have as much to show for your healthy eating choices.

Abs come in all shapes and sizes, with genetics playing a big role in their exact form. Some are wide, while some are narrow. Some are symmetrical, while others are “crooked.” These specific traits cannot be changed, but you can work with what ya got! You may naturally have a little extra flesh in the middle, but you shouldn’t lose hope. You may just have to work a little harder. Hey, we all have our strengths, weaknesses and unique beauty!

I try to work my abs twice a week. They can be trained in a short amount of time if you work them out efficiently. There are many bodyweight exercises that can be performed almost anywhere that can engage your core effectively.

Here are some of my top tips for tighter abs.   

Try my favorite ab workout:

Hold a 90-degree “L” on the Roman chair for one minute.

Do 30 reverse crunches using ankle weights.

Do 20 Roman twists (each side), using ankle weights.

Do one-minute flutter kicks on the Roman chair.

Do 10 V-hold-ups using ankle weights and/or small plates.

Repeat the workout three times.

Want to get abs like Ashley? The Ashley Kaltwaser Challenge will guide you through a fitness and nutrition program that has helped her secure three Bikini Olympia and two Arnold Bikini International championship titles! For more details, click here.