7 Flat Stomach Exercises for Complete Beginners (No Equipment)

Develop your core stability and work for a flatter stomach with these no-equipment exercises for beginners.

Important Reality Check

All of that said... Here is an important reality check: you cannot spot-reduce fat on your belly. Yes, these exercises help build strength and tone your core muscles, but losing fat requires:

• a calorie deficit through diet
• performing cardio exercise regularly
• full body strength exercise
• time (think months) and consistency

A strong core is an important part of improving posture, minimizing back pain, and supporting a healthy overall fitness. If your goal is visible abs, know that you must be well below your body fat percentage (14-20% women, and 6-13% men). Less body fat means more defined abs.

Before You Begin

Safety principles:

• Warm up for 5 minutes (march in place, arm circles)
• Focus on good form rather than speeding up
• Breathe regularly you should never hold your breath
• If you feel any pain, stop (discomfort is okay, but pain is not)
• Begin with 1 set of each exercise and build up to 3 sets over time
• Frequency: 3-4 times a week with a rest day in between each workout

7 Best Core Exercises for Beginners

1. Dead Bug

This exercise provides full core strength while preventing strain on the lower back.

How to complete this exercise:

• Lying on your back, extend your arms straight up into the air
• With your knees bent, raise the knees to 90 degrees
• Gradually lower your right arm and your left leg
• Return to the starting position
• Change sides and repeat
• This pattern counts as 1 repetition
• Complete 8-10 repetitions on each side for 2-3 sets

Common mistakes:

• Arching your lower back (keep it pressed down)
• Trying to move too fast
• Holding your breath

Why this exercise works: It is teaches stability in the core without putting strain on the neck.

2. Modified Plank (On Knees)

Strengthens the core.

How to do it:

• Position yourself on hands and knees
• Walk your hands slightly forward from the shoulders and elbows
• Stay straight from the head to your knees, body straight
• Engage your core and do not let your hips sag
• Hold for the prescribed time

Time/Duration: Start with 15-20 seconds and work up to 60 seconds
Sets: 2-3

Progression: This progresses to a full plank on the toes when you can perform it steadily for 60 seconds.

Focus points:

• Maintain a neutral spine - not arched or rounded
• Engaged glutes
• Steady breath

3. Bird Dog

Balancing.

How to do it:

• Position yourself on your hands and knees
• Reach the right arm forward
• The left leg back
• Keep the lower back flat and stable
• Hold for 3-5 seconds
• Return to starting position and switch arms/legs

Reps: 8-10
Sets: 2-3

Make the exercise easier by doing only the arm and then doing only the leg, before combining.

Benefits: Strengthening the entire core and helps with posture.

4. Heel Touches

Works the obliques (side abs).

How to do it:

• Position yourself lying down, knees bent, feet flat
• Keep the shoulder blades off the ground
• Reach with your right hand towards your right heel
• Return to the center
• Reach with your left hand towards your left heel
• Continue reaching and alternating hands as directed

Reps: 15-20 (each side)
Sets: 2-3

Tips:

• Keep the core engaged
• Make small, controlled movements
• Exhale during the reach

5. Reverse Crunch

This exercise engages the lower abs while being gentler on the neck.

Here's how to do it:

• Lie down on your back, legs bent with your feet off the floor
• Engage your abs and pull your knees toward your chest
• Lift your hips slightly off the ground. Be careful not to use momentum
• Lower your legs back slowly and in control
• Repeat

Reps: 10-12
Sets: 2-3

Key points: Use your abs and do not rely on momentum, create a controlled movement, and do not let your feet touch the ground between each rep. It does not cause any neck strain like a regular crunch.

6. Mountain Climbers (Slow)

You can build your core strength, while also gaining cardiovascular training!

How to do it:

• Start in a plank position on your hands and toes
• Move your right knee toward your chest and back to the plank position
• Move your left knee toward your chest and return
• Alternate like this for 10-15 reps each side

Reps: 10-15
Sets: 2-3

Beginner modification: Go slowly and focus on your form. Progression: go faster.

Benefits: A simple way to gain core strength while also getting a little cardio.

7. Standing Oblique Crunch

A good standing exercise for those who struggle with lower back pain, and because it is a standing exercise, it may improve balance.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart
• Put your hands behind your head
• Crunch to your right knee toward your right elbow
• Return to the starting position
• Crunch to your left knee toward your left elbow
• Repeat

Reps: 10-15 each side
Sets: 2-3

This is a great exercise because you are not lying down, which is gentler on the back.

The Total 15-Minute Routine

Warmup (3 minutes):

• March in place (1 min)
• Arm circles (1 min)
• Gentle twist of torso (1 min)

Main Workout (10 minutes):

• Dead Bug - 10 reps each side
• Rest 30 seconds
• Modified Plank - 30 seconds
• Rest 30 seconds
• Bird Dog - 10 reps each side
• Rest 30 seconds
• Heel touches - 20 each side
• Rest 30 seconds
• Reverse crunch - 12 reps
• Rest 30 seconds
• Mountain climbers - 12 each leg
• Rest 30 seconds
• Standing oblique crunch - 15 each side

Repeat or circuit 2-3 times if possible

Cool down (2 minutes):

• Child's Pose (1 min)
• Gentle stretching (1 min)

Weekly Guide

Week 1-2:

• 1 circuit 3 times a week
• Learn proper form
• Rest days between

Week 3-4:

• Increase to 2 circuits
• 3 times a week

Week 5-6:

• 3 circuits
• Can increase to 4 times a week

Week 7+:

• Move onto harder variations
• Increase reps or hold times

Complementary Actions for Flat Stomach

Nutrition (80% of our results):

• Calorie deficit of 300 - 500 a day
• High protein (keeps you full)
• Reduce processed foods
• Drink lots of water
• Limit alcohol and sugar

Cardio exercise:

• Walking 30 minutes a day
• or 150 minutes a week moderate cardio
• Burns calories for fat loss

Posture:

• Stand tall with your shoulders back
• Activate your core when you move
• Good posture contributes to a flatter appearance of stomach (posture can help appear smaller within seconds)

Reduce bloating:

• Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly
• Reduce sodium in your diet
• Avoid carbonated drinks
• Find what food sensitivities you may have

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Doing only abs exercise - for a flat stomach you need full-body workouts and cardio
• Thinking you will see results quickly - more like 12 weeks
• Incorrect form - more quality than quantity
• Not eating properly - you can't out-exercise a diet
• Quitting - Sticking to it is the most important thing

Expected Timeline

Week 2-3: You will feel you have a stronger core
Week 4-6: You will notice better posture
Week 8-10: Your core will be firmer
Week 12+: You will be starting to see some visual differences (as long as your nutrition is on point)

Note: This is not the same time-frame for ALL people; commonly fat loss happens at a rate of .5 -1kg weekly lost. You will not see a "six-pack" until your body fat is low enough to get those lines to show!

Progression Plan

After 6 weeks, advance to:

• Full plank (on toes)
• Bicycle crunches
• Russian twists
• Leg raises
• Longer hold times

In Conclusion

Achieving a flatter stomach entails:

1. Exercises focusing on the core (3-4x per week)
2. Achieving a calorie deficit through proper nutrition
3. Consistency in cardiovascular activities (walking, jogging, cycling)
4. Strength training for all muscle groups
5. Consistency and patience

All of these exercises help develop a stronger, functional core. When you combine these exercises with appropriate nutrition and cardiovascular exercise, you will experience results.

Consider using a goal of progressive overload each week. The aesthetic will come in time with increased strength and muscle mass.