I’m sure you’ve seen those videos on TikTok of workout routines and a fridge full of healthy (almond-mom-adjacent) foods captioned, “see you in three months with a thong bikini and an attitude,” because I sure have. With hot girl summer rapidly approaching, it’s hard to ignore the demand for new exercises and gym routines that will have you feeling your best and most confident. One thing is sorely lacking for many college students, though: dorm-friendly ab exercises that will get you the same results as the gym bros who sweat over those intimidating, complicated-looking machines.
Contrary to what you might think, exercises can be very one-size-fits-all: you just have to modify them in a way that works for you and your routine. Tons of people prefer working out from home and have seen the same changes in their body as those who go to the gym — it just takes a bit of getting used to, along with knowing what muscles you want to target and what exercises you’re going to do to target them. Luckily for you, I have a list of five dorm-friendly (and home-friendly, in general) ab exercises for you to try and nail down before the summer. Don’t fear hot girl summer — hot girl summer fears us.
- Dumbbell dead bugs
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This is personally one of my favorites. You start laying on your back with both arms held up high, holding onto a dumbbell longways (so that both hands are holding onto the metal part of the dumbbell). Put both legs into a tabletop position so your knees are bent, and lower one leg to hover over the floor, straightened out, while the other stays in tabletop. Alternate legs while engaging your core and keeping the dumbbell above your head. This one will have your core burning (in the best way).
- Russian twists
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If you haven’t heard of this one yet, where have you been? JK, but this is a classic for ab workouts. You can do this exercise with or without a dumbbell (but I recommend using a dumbbell for the extra burn). Sit on your butt and lean your weight onto your tailbone. While here, lift your legs to hover at a 90-degree angle over the floor (or as much as you can). Twist to the right, and then the left, keeping the rest of your body planted – the only thing moving is your core. If you’re using a dumbbell, hold onto the weight while twisting from side to side.
- Flutter kicks
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For this exercise, start by laying down on your back with your arms to your side. Raise both of your legs above your body, and while keeping one leg straight, lower the other one to be horizontal in front of you, hovering over the floor. Raise this leg back up, and do the same thing with the other leg. Alternate legs at a quicker pace (not too fast, though — speed isn’t the goal here!) and engage your core while each leg lowers and lifts.
- Side plank
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Welcome, plank’s cooler, older sister. This exercise starts off with you facing your side and lifting up on one arm, keeping it bent at a 90-degree angle to support your body weight. Your entire body will be off of the floor except for your feet. This is essentially the plank position — which won’t be easy. Set a timer for 30 seconds to one minute, then switch sides. Do this a few times for the perfect oblique burner.
- V-ups
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Similar to flutter kicks, this exercise starts off by lying on the floor on your back with both legs straight up. Along with your legs, raise your arms to be parallel to them — also raised. Lower your legs together, and at the same time, lower your arms behind your head so that they’re going backwards. Then, lift your legs and raise your arms back up at the same time, engaging your core while you do this. This one is a bit difficult, so if you can’t do many reps, don’t sweat it (or do). Practice makes perfect, friends!
Whether you decide to try out one of these exercises or you form an ab routine out of all five, all that matters is you try your best and do them for the right reason: To feel good! Strength is confidence and showing your body how able it is to do exercises that are challenging will single-handedly boost your confidence (and self-love) right through the roof. Trust me.