You don’t need planks or sit-ups to build a stronger core, just this 20-minute standing abs and arms workout (2024)

Traditional abs workouts often involve a lot of floor-based exercises like sit-ups and planks, and many arms workouts will get you to hit the floor for some press-ups. Those are all great exercises, but you can stay standing and still get a great abs and arms workout done, which can make for a more accessible session.

This abs and arms workout has been put together by YouTube fitness trainer FitByMik and shows just how much you can achieve while staying on your feet. You just need a set of dumbbells for the workout — Mikala is using 8lb weights — and it takes just 20 minutes, during which time you work through 20 exercises that target your abs and arms.

Throughout the workout you’ll be doing each exercise for 45 seconds and then resting for 15 seconds. During each break Mikala demonstrates the upcoming exercise and gives form tips, so keep an eye on the screen while you rest so you can start the next move on time. Given the variety of moves, using a couple of different weights or a set of the best adjustable dumbbells would be ideal, so you can change the load depending on the difficulty of each move.

There are a lot of combination exercises during the workout so you can target both your core and your arms in one move. You’ll be doing presses, curls and lateral raises combined with standing crunches and twists, which all adds up to a comprehensive workout for your entire core as well as the upper arms.

Watch Fitbymik’s 20-minute standing dumbbell workout

The workout is a no-repeat session so you won’t do the same exercise twice, which helps make the time pass by more quickly in my experience. The moves do target similar muscles though, so even as you cycle through a variety of exercises you’ll feel the work in your biceps, triceps, shoulders and abs in particular.

If you’re finding it hard to work through the entire 45 seconds with each move then you can always adjust the times to 40 seconds on, 20 off, or 30 on/off, or take extra breaks during each set. Keep the focus on doing as many reps with good form as you can and pausing if you need to, rather than just pushing to 45 seconds with sloppy reps.

You’ll be keeping your dumbbells in hand for most of the workout, and doing lots of presses and raises, so it’s better to err on the side of lighter weights if you’re not sure which to use. Even if the dumbbells feel very light for the first couple of reps of each set, you can be sure they’ll feel much heavier by the end.

Along with building strength, the session is good for improving your balance, because several of the exercises involve lifting one leg off the floor while lifting weights or twisting your torso. Move deliberately throughout the workout to maximize the benefits, and also ensure you don’t lose your balance during these exercises.

If you don’t have 20 minutes to spare but still want to work your upper body this 10-minute standing arms workout is another good option, and this 10-minute full-body workout is one to try if you’d like to do a more general session rather than just target the arms.

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