13 Resistance Band Exercises That'll Work Your Core

While ab exercises are often hard enough on their own, adding a resistance band will help to more effectively hit your deepest core muscles, says trainer Julie Granger. Here, pros share their favorite resistance band ab exercises, from mountain climbers to planks and beyond.

Mountain Climbers

Granger says a resistance band makes this standard exercise more challenging.

- Place band around feet, hold ends, get into high plank.

- Flex foot, bring knee to nose.

- Alternate feet quickly.

Bicycle Crunches

Katelyn Barrons says these strengthen the rectus and transverse abs.

- On back, place band around both feet.

- With hands at ears, lift shoulders.

- Press spine into ground, rotate elbow to opposite knee. Extend other leg.

- Keep tension in band. Alternate sides.

Side Plank Row

Barrons says these hit the obliques.

- Loop band around a pole. Get into side plank.

- Hold the ends of the band in the right hand.

- Start with a straight arm, pull hand toward your waist to do a row.

- Straighten arm slowly and repeat. Switch sides.

Plank Toe Taps

Barrons recommends taps for the side ab muscles.

- Start in a high plank position with medium band around ankles.

- Keep feet a foot apart.

- Hold hips steady as you tap right foot out a few inches, bring it back in.

- Repeat on left side. Alternate feet.

Plank Two-Way Reach

Carrie Hall, CPT says these are another way to tone the obliques.

- With both arms in loop, get into high plank.

- Engage core, tuck butt under.

- Lift right palm, reach arm, tap in front of you.

- Repeat with left arm.

- Keep tension on band.

Scissors

Trainer Alayna Curry says these work the lower core.

- Place the resistance band around your ankles.

- Lie down flat on your back, lift legs in the air.

- Alternate kicking your legs in a scissor-like motion.

Plank Shuffle

Curry recommends a shuffle for a total core exercise.

- Place one band around ankles and another around wrists.

- Get into high plank.

- Step left with your left foot and hand, follow with right foot and hand.

- Keep alternating sides.

Russian Twists

From trainer Sarah Turino, who recommends this for your obliques.

- Sit on the floor with band anchored around feet.

- Hold ends of band.

- Twist and dip down to the right, then left.

- Keep twisting to each side.

- For a challenge, hover feet off the ground.

Woodchoppers

These will stabilize your core, says Turino, so your trunk has better overall strength.

- While standing, anchor band over right shoulder.

- With arms out straight, diagonally chop from upper right to lower left. Pull band across body.

- Switch sides.

Side Bend

Turino loves these for the obliques.

- Stand with band under right foot.

- Hold handles in right hand.

- Put left hand on back of head, elbow out to side.

- Pull left elbow laterally to hip to crunch, pulling band with right hand.

- Repeat on other side.

Hollow Hold

Pro Amanda Jenny says this works the obliques plus rectus and transverse abs.

- With band on forearms, come to seated.

- Float feet off floor, lift legs to 90 degrees.

- Extend legs, reach arms overhead, keep tension on band.

- Use core to come back to center. Repeat.

Renegade Row

Jenny goes for these to hit the entire core and back.

- With band around your thumbs, get into high plank, legs wider than hips.

- Pull right elbow up and back. Squeeze elbow toward your center.

- Control your hand back down. Repeat on the other side.

Plank Jacks

Trainer Emilie Nasseh recommends plank jacks to target the obliques and get some cardio.

- With band above knees, get into a forearm plank.

- Jump your feet quickly out and in and few inches.