I tried this dumbbell crunch that sculpts your core in 15 minutes
If your current core needs a refresher, this dumbbell ab workout will get your abs fired up and inspired in just 15 minutes. Variety is the spice of life, so if Russian twists and sit-ups aren’t doing it for you anymore, why not mix it up?
While I understand the appeal of rippling abs, each muscle within your core network has a unique purpose, such as stabilizing your movement and preventing injury. So while it’s tempting to focus on blasting abs, targeting different core muscles will build a stronger and more efficient engine.
This dumbbell abs workout does just that and comes from it Caroline Girvan (opens in new tab), who collected over 2 million views with this training alone. It consists of 15 exercises with 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. And the best part? None of the exercises are repeated, so you can get the most out of each exercise without repeating it later. Phew.
If you don’t have any equipment on hand, I just tried Chris Hemsworth’s 200 rep workout, and it’s just as fiery. Equipment ready? I grabbed one of the the best adjustable dumbbells and best yoga mats and jumped into this dumbbell abs workout — here’s what happened.
What is Caroline Girvan’s 15 Minute Dumbbell Ab Workout?
Caroline explains, “this no-rep dumbbell crunch is a targeted abs and core routine with just one dumbbell.” She recommends not going too heavy so you can focus solely on using your core to lift.
The following workout is available on YouTube, but I’ve included the video below so you know what to expect:
Exercise: 50 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest
The real hand crunch
Lie on the mat with your arms outstretched and legs outstretched, holding a dumbbell in both hands. Avoid spreading your ribs or lifting your lower back off the ground. Engage your core. Lift your mid-upper back off the mat and pull the dumbbell forward overhead. Keep your chin tucked into your chest and your arms extended with a slight C-shape through your spine. Flip back down.
Side reach
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend a dumbbell above your chest using both arms. Engage core. Lift your upper back and twist to the left, slamming the dumbbell toward your outer left thigh. Return to the starting position and repeat on the right side. The arms must remain extended.
Screw into the hollow
Lie on your back with your arms and legs extended, arms extended behind your head, holding a dumbbell in both hands. Lift your arms and legs off the floor, on your toes. Engage your core. Bend your knees and simultaneously reach forward, touching the dumbbell just above your feet and your forehead towards your knees. Reversed back.
Go through
Sit with knees bent and feet flat. Engage your core, lean back and lift your feet off the floor with your thighs parallel to the mat. Bend the right knee and simultaneously extend the left leg, then transfer the dumbbell under the bent leg to the left hand. Bend the left knee, extend the right leg and pass the dumbbell under the left leg.
Sit next to the other chopper
Lie on your back with your arms and legs extended, arms extended behind your head and hold a dumbbell in both hands. Perform abs (learn how to do abs) without lifting your legs off the floor, reach the dumbbell overhead, then twist to the left and tap the dumbbell on your left hip. Return to the overhead position, then roll onto your back and repeat on the other side.
I tried Caroline Girvan’s 15-minute ab workout with dumbbells — here’s what happened
Whether you’re doing a single round or doubling up, get ready for a burn with this dumbbell abs workout. I chose a 16.5lbs (7.5kg) dumbbell for the routine – a life choice I regretted after three exercises, after that, and two days later.
I marveled at Girvan’s intelligent programming, as many online ab workouts go through standard crunches and Russian twists without much imagination. This workout deviates from the traditional core workout and will put you into creative grips, crunches and twists using a 50:10 ratio – I can confirm that 10 seconds does not (and never will) feel like a rest in my humble opinion.
Slow crunches are especially savage. It adopts the Time Under Tension (TUT) technique which places the working muscle under contraction for longer periods of time during repetitions. The theory is that your muscles end up working harder, optimizing muscle growth and strength. The entire workout focuses on slow and controlled movement, so I recommend keeping a close eye on Girvan to tighten your form.
Routine is hard. For example, the first three exercises consist of straight arm jerks, toe jerks, and heart rate jerks that I pretty much followed and cursed the whole way through. There is also a lot of twisting, so if you know that your lower back is a problem, opt for this tried and tested one sit-up training in a standing position instead of that. Another trick is to pick a few exercises from your routine and repeat them in a circuit, skipping anything that strains your back. All in all, it was a hard lesson – never doubt short workouts again.
If you consider yourself a basic connoisseur, we challenge you to give Lily James 600 rep ab workout or find out what happened when our fitness editor did 100 dead bugs in a week.
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