The Ultimate Munster Abs Workout List for Athletes

Athletes spend hours every day training, building their muscles, and perfecting their skills. Training is more than a hobby, and more than just for health. Even so, their workouts may be way more intense than ours, but we can still adapt their workouts into something that us mere mortals can do. Here is our list of the ultimate abs workouts for athletes.

Abs Workout for Boxers

Boxing is one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet and as a result produces incredible athletes and physiques. While the physiques of boxers vary widely, one thing that is common among them is their thick abdominal muscles and super-strong core. Check these boxers abs workout.

Standing Cable Crunches

• Attach a rope attachment to the highest point on a cable machine.
• Facing away from the weights stack, grab the rope and pull it into position so the rope is at the back of your neck and your hands are either side of your face.
• Take a few steps forward to create tension on the pulleys and perform the exercise by bending forward at your waist and bringing your rib cage towards your pelvis.
• Tense your abs hard and slowly return to the start position.

Landmine Rotations

• Place on end of a barbell in the corner or any other place where it can be anchored.
• Stand to face the corner/anchor point and grab the other end of the bar.
• Take a shoulder width stance with your feet and hold the end of the bar out in front with your arms straight.
• Keeping your arms straight, rotate your torso and bring the bar to one side and down towards your hip.
• Once you have reached as far as your trunk can rotate, reverse the movement and bring the barbell over to the other side.

Front Plank Hold

• Begin in a prone position on the floor.
• Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows directly below your shoulders.
• Bring your upper body and legs off of the ground by coming up onto your toes as you would for a push-up.
• Brace your abs and glutes to keep your body in a straight line.

Abs Workout for Basketball Players

Professional basketball players need a strong set of abs to help them perform their best. With every dribble, jump shot or shuffle of their feet on defense players engage their core muscles. Their bodies move through multiple planes of motion, sometimes in a split second of explosive movement. Check these basketball players abs workout.

Anterior Reach On One Leg

• Stand on one leg with slight flex in knee
• Extend arms and lean forward so arms and body are parallel to ground
• Extend non-standing leg straight back so it is in line with back, hips and arms

Squats On Unstable Object 

• Stand on unstable surface (balance board, Bosu, etc.) in athletic stance with toes pointing slightly out
• Pick eye-level focus point on wall
• Squat down with control and good posture until thighs are parallel to ground
• Keep weight back on heels
• Drive out of squat into starting position, keeping chest out

Medicine Ball Sit-ups

• Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on floor
• Hold med ball above chest with both hands
• Raise shoulders off ground and sit up with med ball
• Return to starting position with control

6-inch Leg Raises

• Lie on back with legs straight and toes pointing toward ceiling
• Keep arms at sides and raise legs six inches off ground
• Hold elevated position for two to three seconds; return to starting position

Abs Workout for Climbers

You know those times when you’re climbing and you do a move that puts you in a stretched-out-at-full-extension position (kinda starfished feeling?)? How strong does your core feel in that moment? These are the best abs workout for climbers.

Hanging Leg Lift

• Start on the jugs of a hangboard or a pull-up bar. Keep your arms straight, shoulders engaged (squeeze shoulder blades together), and legs straight down.
• Lift your legs up so your hips are at 90°, without bending your knees.
• When you lower back down, keep your body as still as possible (you’ll have a tendency to swing).
• Raise your legs again without using momentum.
• Do three sets of 15, resting about one minute in between.

Sit Up, Stand Up

• Lie with your back on the ground, knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
• Hold a weight plate (start with 20 lbs.) near the ground with arms straight out from your head.
• Using momentum, do a sit-up with the plate in the air, get your feet under you near your butt, and stand up all the way—keeping the plate in the air.
• Lie back down in the starting position (plate doesn’t have to be up when sitting back down, but don’t put it on the ground); repeat 15 times.

A-Frame Arm Drop

• Begin in a C-sit position, knees bent at 90°, abs engaged so upper body is off the floor, and just heels on the ground.
• Put both arms straight above your head, holding palms together.
• While keeping your upper and lower body completely still, slowly lower your arms down to the right of your hip, tap the floor, and bring them back up overhead.
• Now lower to the left side. Do 30 total, 15 per side.

Abs Workout for Cyclists

Although a cyclist’s legs provide the most tangible source of power, the core muscles—abs and lower back—are the vital foundation from which all movement, including the pedal stroke, stems. Here are the best abs workout for cyclists.

Boxer Ball Crunch

• Lie with the middle of your back on a stability ball, your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head, but don’t pull on your neck.
• Squeezing your belly button toward your spine, lift your upper back off the ball. Keeping your shoulders off the ball, trace a clockwise oval with your torso. Apply pressure with your lower back to keep the ball still through the entire motion. After 15 clockwise ovals, trace 15 counterclockwise.

Power Bridge

• Lying on your back, bend your knees and place your heels near your glutes. Arms are at your sides, palms down.
• In one smooth motion, squeeze your glutes, raise your hips off the floor and push up from your heels to form a straight line from shoulders to knees; toes come off the floor slightly. Hold for two seconds. Keeping your toes raised, lower yourself three-quarters of the way to complete one rep. Do 20 repetitions.

Hip Extension

• Lying with your hips and stomach on the stability ball, put your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders, and extend your legs with toes resting on the floor.
• With a straight spine and shoulder blades back, as if you’re trying to make them touch, lift both legs off the floor, keeping them straight. If possible, raise them slightly higher than parallel to the floor. Hold for two seconds and lower. Do 20 reps.

Abs Workout for Gymnasts

No athlete has a tougher, more powerful core than a gymnast. Having abs of a gymnast means being a stronger, more complete and better athlete. Here are the best abs workout for gymnasts.

Basket Hang

• Hang from a pull-up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Contract your lower abs and bring your knees to your chest.
• Twist your hips to one side in a controlled manner. Keeping your chest forward at all times.
• As you do crunch your ribs to your hips. Pause. Then perform on the alternate side.

Flutter Kicks

• Start in a hollow hold and kick each leg up about 6 inches, alternating as fast as you can. I
• If you’re doing this right it’s almost impossible to count, so time this one for 30 seconds.
• Don’t come out of the hollow body hold yet – you’ll keep that shape for almost the entire workout

Standing Side Jumps

• Stand next to a step or block with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands in front of you for balance
• Get into a quarter squat and jump as high as you can laterally onto the block or step, landing on both feet
• As soon as you touch the block, step down the other side and repeat in the opposite direction, so you jump both ways.

Abs Workout for Golfers

The core muscles are essential to a strong and well balanced golf swing. Strengthening these muscles will add yards to a golf swing without even having to swing a club. Here are the beat abs workout for golfers.

Russian Twists

Supermans

Side Plank

• Lie on your side with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder.
• Pull your shoulder blades together and keep your abs tight.
• Lift your hips so you make a straight line from head to toe. Hold for time.

Abs Workout for Martial Arts

A well-conditioned core is particularly important in martial arts. It provides stability and increases your overall strength. It’s also where all the power in your kicks, punches, throws, and submissions are generated. Here are the best abs workout for martial arts.

Toe-To-Bar

• Start off by hanging from a bar with your hands a little more than shoulder width apart and your arms fully extended.
• Next, keeping your legs as straight as possible, squeeze your core and bring your toes up to touch the bar.
• Recover back into your starting position and proceed into the next repetition.
• Be sure to keep your upper body straight and your toes pointed so that you are engaging the core.

Alternating Plank and Reach

• Adopt a regular pushup position with your hands shoulder width apart.
• Next, keeping your body as straight as possible, slowly bring your right arm and left leg up so that they are off the ground in a straight line.
• Recover into your starting position and do the same with the left arm and right leg.
• Remember to keep your hips low and body straight at all times to really work your core.

Twisting Medicine Ball Throw

• Holding a medicine ball with both your hands, adopt a seated position leaning back until your abs is engaged while keeping your feet and knees together and off the ground.
• Perform a twist with the medicine ball to the opposite side of your partner or the wall.
• As you twist back in the opposite direction, lift and swing the ball to your partner or the wall.
• As soon as the ball returns to you, immediately twist towards the opposite side and into the next repetition.

Abs Workout for Powerlifters

Ab Wheel Rollouts

• Kneel down with your knees together.
• The starting position should be with the wheel directly under your shoulders, with your butt down.
• In the starting position, you should already feel your abs bracing to hold the position.
• Your glutes should be squeezed tight, and there should be a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Once you are in position roll out, but only as far as you are able to with a neutral spine.
• If you feel the lower back start to cave in and your abs give out, you need to stop short of that point.

The Yoke Walk

• Load up your instrument of choice, hold it in approximately the same position as you’d hold the bar for a back squat, and then walk.
• Any loaded carry is a great choice.
• Farmer’s walks, suitcase carries, waiter’s carry, rack carry, etc. are all superb options.

Dragon Flags

• Start with basic leg lifts while holding on to the bench.
• Once leg lifts are easy enough then start to hold your body straight on the eccentric portion.
• Shoot your legs up so your toes point to the ceiling.
• Take a big breath in and brace tight, lowering yourself down while you remain flat as a board.
• When you are strong enough, rise back up while remaining straight.

Abs Workout for Runners

By focusing on your core instead, you’re not only giving your legs a break, but you’re also strengthening other muscles that play a big role in running.  Strengthening your core helps with your running posture. When you run with your core engaged, it actually helps ‘lift’ you up. When your core isn’t engaged, you’re more likely to be smashing into the ground. Lots of people have very heavy footsteps, but if that person has a strong core, even if they’re tired, they’re lighter on their feet. Here are the best abs workout to be a better runner.

Glute Bridge

• Start lying flat on your back with your knees bent, and your heels a few inches away from your butt.
• Lift your hips up, then lower them back to the ground.
• Continue for 1 minute.

Bicycle Crunch

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet lifted, and hands behind your head.
• Keep your chest up and back straight as you lean back to engage your abs.
• Twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee, straightening your right leg.
• Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep.
• Continue for 1 minute.

Mountain Climbers

• Begin in a high plank position.
• Drive your knee in towards your right elbow and quickly return it to start as you bring your left knee towards your left elbow.
• Continue quickly alternating legs for 45 seconds.

Abs Workout for Soccer Players

The main issue with crunches and sit-ups for soccer players or everyone for that matter, is that they require excessive movement in the core and lack the true function of it, which is the ability to stabilize and resist rotation. In soccer it is imperative that players are able to control their core as it allows for integration of the lower body with the upper body to transfer force from the ground upward and outward (ie. kicking, changing direction). Here are the best abs workout for soccer players and start terrorizing your opponents.

Weighted Deadbugs

• Start with legs bent at 90 degrees and KB over your body
• Exhale and drive your ribs down andlower back into the ground
• From there extend one leg (think about driving your heel to the wall in front of you) while simultaneously pulling the KB overhead
• Focus on keeping your lower back pinned to the ground the entire time

V-ups

• Starting position is supine lying with legs extended and in final position your arms and legs form letter V.
• Be extremely attentive to any pain signals from your lower back.
• To make V-ups even more functional, move your arms and legs alternately in a diagonal pattern.

Nordic Hamstring Exercise

• Start by kneeling on a pad with both feet and knees positioned shoulder width apart.
• Position the heels under a pad or have a partner hold the ankles.
• While maintaining a tall position with your arms by your sides and your eyes looking straight ahead lower your body down as far as you can before using your arms to catch the body and push you back to the starting position.