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Exercises

Ab exercises for women over 50: floor, plank and standing core work

Published October 29, 2026

The best ab exercises for women over 50 are the dead bug, lying knee raise and reverse crunch on the floor, the plank and side plank for bracing, the Pallof press and cable woodchop for rotation, and the suitcase carry and farmer's walk for standing core strength. The glute bridge rounds it out for the back of the trunk. Pick four, do 2 or 3 sets two or three times a week, and stop each set when your lower back starts to arch or your form slips, which is usually 2 to 3 reps before you could not do another.

  1. Dead Bug Abs
  2. Plank Abs
  3. Side Plank Abs
  4. Pallof Press Abs
  5. Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Abs, Quads
  6. Reverse Crunch Abs
  7. Dumbbell Glute Bridge Glutes

On your back: dead bugs, knee raises and bridges

Lying down supports your spine while the abs do the work, which makes these the place to start. Press your lower back gently into the floor and keep it there for every rep.

Deep abs, anti-extension

Dead Bug

Abs

The dead bug teaches you to keep your lower back still while your arms and legs move, the core skill behind every other exercise here. It loads the deep abdominal wall with no strain on the neck.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, arms pointing up and knees bent at right angles over your hips.
  2. Press your lower back into the floor.
  3. Reach one arm overhead and the opposite leg out long, both hovering above the floor.
  4. Bring them back and repeat with the other pair.

Cues

  • Back glued down
  • Breathe out as you reach
  • Opposite arm and leg

Common mistakes

  • Letting the back arch when the leg goes long: reach less far.
  • Going fast: each rep should take about three seconds.

Swap for: Plank, Alternating Leg Raise

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Lower abs, knee raise

Lying Knee Raise

Abs

Drawing bent knees toward your chest works the lower part of the abs with less pull on the lower back than straight-leg raises. It is the gentler way to train the area many women over 50 ask about most.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up on a mat with your knees bent, feet flat and fingertips resting lightly behind your head.
  2. Press your lower back into the floor and lift your feet.
  3. Draw your knees in toward your chest, keeping them bent.
  4. Lower your feet back out until your heels hover just above the floor, then repeat.

Cues

  • Low back down
  • Knees in
  • Heels hover

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back as the legs go out: shorten the range until you can keep it flat.
  • Dropping your heels to rest between reps: keep them hovering so the next rep starts under load.
  • Pulling on your head: your hands only rest there.

Swap for: Reverse Crunch, Captain's Chair Knee Raise

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Lower abs, pelvic curl

Reverse Crunch

Abs

Once knee raises feel easy, the reverse crunch adds a small curl of the hips off the floor, so the abs do more of the lifting. Keep it slow and short rather than swinging the legs.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, hands by your sides, knees bent and feet lifted.
  2. Pull your knees toward your chest and keep going until your hips peel off the floor.
  3. Lower your hips one vertebra at a time, then let your feet drift back to just above the floor.

Cues

  • Hips peel up
  • Slow way down
  • No swinging

Common mistakes

  • Throwing the legs back for momentum: the hips should curl up, not get flung.
  • Stopping when the knees reach the chest: the rep counts once the hips lift.

Swap for: Lying Knee Raise, Hanging Knee Raise

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Glutes and back of the trunk, bridge

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

Glutes

Strong glutes share the load your lower back carries when you stand, bend and lift. A dumbbell on the hips makes the bridge progress past bodyweight.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, knees bent, heels about a foot from your hips.
  2. Place a dumbbell across your hips and hold the ends.
  3. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  4. Hold the squeeze for a second at the top, lower until your glutes lightly reach the floor, and repeat.

Cues

  • Heels, not toes
  • Squeeze before you lower
  • Short range, hard squeeze

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the toes so the thighs burn instead of the glutes: lift your toes slightly if it helps you feel the heels.
  • Bouncing off the floor between reps: let the hips touch down and pause.

Swap for: Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Dumbbell Staggered Hip Thrust

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Planks for bracing

Planks train the abs to hold your trunk still, which is their main job when you lift, carry or catch your balance. Start on your knees or with hands on a bench if a full plank shakes within 10 seconds.

Whole core, front plank

Plank

Abs

The plank trains every muscle around your middle to hold still at once. Build up to 30 to 45 seconds with a flat back, then make it harder rather than longer.

How to do it

  1. Set your forearms under your shoulders and your feet behind you, body in a straight line.
  2. Squeeze your glutes and pull your ribs down toward your hips.
  3. Hold, breathing normally, without letting your hips sag or rise.
  4. For the harder version, reach one arm forward and lift the opposite foot, hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Glutes tight
  • Straight line

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging toward the floor: that hangs on your lower back.
  • Holding for minutes at an easy level: make it harder instead.

Swap for: Long Lever Plank, Plank Shoulder Tap

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Obliques, side plank

Side Plank

Abs

The side plank works the obliques and the muscles along the side of the spine that keep you upright on one leg. Start from your knees and move to your feet as it gets easy.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

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Core, anti-rotation plank

Plank Shoulder Tap

Abs

Lifting one hand at a time forces your trunk to resist twisting. It is the harder plank for when a 45-second hold is no longer a challenge.

How to do it

  1. Hold a straight-arm plank with feet a little wider than hips.
  2. Lift one hand and tap the opposite shoulder.
  3. Replace it and tap with the other hand, keeping your hips from rocking.

Cues

  • Hips stay still
  • Feet wide for balance
  • Slow taps

Common mistakes

  • Rocking side to side: widen the feet and slow down.

Swap for: Plank, Push-Up Plus, Bear Crawl

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Standing core: cables and carries

Standing exercises train your core the way you use it, upright and holding something. They are also the answer when getting down to the floor and back up is a hassle.

Obliques, anti-rotation

Pallof Press

Abs

Pressing a cable straight out while it tries to turn you trains the obliques without any bending or twisting of the spine. You do it standing, and the weight goes up in small steps.

How to do it

  1. Set a cable at chest height, stand side-on to it and grip the handle two-handed at your chest.
  2. Step away until the cable pulls, feet hip-width.
  3. Press the handle straight out, hold for two seconds without turning, then bring it back.

Cues

  • Hands on the midline
  • Don't turn
  • Hold it out

Common mistakes

  • Standing too close, so the cable barely pulls.
  • Letting the arms drift toward the stack.

Swap for: Cable Woodchop, Landmine Twist

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Obliques, rotation

Cable Woodchop

Abs

The woodchop trains the turning strength you use for golf, tennis, gardening and getting out of a car. The cable lets you start very light and add weight gradually.

How to do it

  1. Set a cable high, stand side-on and grip the handle two-handed above the near shoulder.
  2. Chop it on a diagonal to the far hip, turning your chest as your back heel lifts and spins.
  3. Let it return along the same line under control. Finish one side, then switch.

Cues

  • Turn the chest
  • Arms long
  • Pivot the back foot

Common mistakes

  • Pulling with the arms rather than turning the trunk.
  • Going so heavy the stack drags you back on the return.

Swap for: Dumbbell Woodchop, Pallof Press

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Obliques and grip, one-sided carry

Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Abs, Quads

Walking with a dumbbell in one hand makes the opposite side of your core work to keep you from leaning. It is the most direct training for carrying a bag or a toddler on one side.

How to do it

  1. Pick up one heavy dumbbell and stand tall with it at your side.
  2. Walk with short, steady steps without leaning toward or away from it.
  3. Set it down, switch hands and walk back.

Cues

  • Shoulders level
  • Tall walk
  • Grip hard

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the weight to balance it.
  • Picking a dumbbell so light that nothing has to work.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Whole core and grip, carry

Farmer's Walk

Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Two heavy dumbbells and a slow, tall walk train your trunk, grip and posture together. It is a standing core exercise that also builds the strength for grocery days.

How to do it

  1. Pick up two heavy dumbbells with your back flat.
  2. Stand tall with your ribs down and walk with short, quick steps.
  3. Set the weights down with a flat back when the time or distance is up.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Crush the handles
  • Quick steps

Common mistakes

  • Letting the shoulders round forward.
  • Walking so slowly the dumbbells start to swing.

Swap for: Dumbbell Suitcase Carry, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Ten minutes on the floor, three days a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets36 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You are new to core work or coming back to it, you train at home, and you want a short routine you can do after a walk.

Ten minutes is enough when every set stops 2 to 3 reps before your form fades: 12 sets a session and 36 a week across the abs, obliques and glutes. Three short sessions build control faster than one long one.

Floor core
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dead BugPer side. 3 × 6–10 3 45 s
Lying Knee Raise 2 × 8–12 3 45 s
PlankSeconds per hold. 2 × 15–45 2 45 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 15–30 2 45 s
Dumbbell Glute Bridge 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Do it three days a week, after a walk or at the end of other training. Leave a day between sessions so you come back fresh.
How to progress
Add reps or seconds first. Once you reach the top of every range, move to the harder version: hands on the floor to toes for the plank, knees to feet for the side plank, then a dumbbell on the bridge.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Core after your gym workout

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentAdjustable Cable

You already lift at a gym twice a week and want 15 minutes of ab work at the end that goes beyond planks.

After squats and deadlifts your core is already working, so four short exercises and 11 sets are enough to cover front, sides and rotation. The cable work lets you add load the same way you do on your other lifts.

Core finisher
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
A1 Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 8–12 2 45 s
A2 Side PlankSeconds per side. 3 × 20–40 2 45 s
Reverse Crunch 3 × 8–15 2 1 min
Plank Shoulder TapTaps per side. 2 × 10–20 2 1 min
How to run it
Finish both weekly gym sessions with it. Do the Pallof press and side plank as a superset to save time.
How to progress
Add one plate to the Pallof press when every set reaches 12 reps per side at 2 reps in reserve. Progress the reverse crunch by slowing the lowering, then the shoulder taps by adding reps.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Standing only, nothing on the floor

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentAdjustable Cable, Dumbbells

Getting down to the floor and up again is slow or uncomfortable, or you simply prefer to train upright, and you have cables and dumbbells at a gym.

Every exercise here is done on your feet. Carries and anti-rotation work load the same deep abs and obliques as floor work, about 11 sets a session. Twice a week covers it.

Standing core
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 8–12 2 45 s
Cable WoodchopPer side. 3 × 8–12 2 1 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds per side. 3 × 20–40 2 1 min
Farmer's WalkSeconds of walking. 2 × 30–45 2 90 s
How to run it
Do it twice a week, on its own or after your other lifts. Carry on a clear stretch of floor or a corridor.
How to progress
Carries progress by weight: when you can walk 40 seconds tall and steady, go up one dumbbell. Add a plate to the cables when all sets reach the top of the range.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is the best ab exercise for women over 50?

The dead bug is the best place to start, because it trains the deep abs to keep your back steady and works for every level. Add the side plank and a carry, and you have trained the front, sides and standing strength of your core.

How do you get flat abs in your 40s and 50s?

Flatter abs come from two things: building the ab muscles with exercises like these and losing overall body fat through eating and activity. Exercises alone will not remove fat from the stomach, but they shape what is underneath.

Is 10 minutes of core a day enough?

Ten focused minutes three times a week is enough for most women, as long as you add harder versions over time. Daily is fine too if the sessions are short and you are not sore.

Are crunches bad for women over 50?

Not for everyone, but they are not needed. If you have low bone density or back pain, skip them and use planks, dead bugs and carries, which train the same muscles without curling the spine under load.

How many days a week should a 50 year old work out?

Strength training two or three days a week, plus walking or other activity on most days, suits most people over 50. Core work can go at the end of the strength sessions.