My Top Five....

....ways to get an ab workout without doing an ab workout.

1. Place a weight overhead. Perform lunge variations with a dumbbell or barbell extended up overhead. Or if you're cleared for overhead pressing, perform some dumbbell or barbell overhead presses.
2. Work your push ups. Push ups are basically a dynamic plank. Planks are where core training should start. Single leg push ups or suspended push ups are two variations that require more core stability.
3. Do some uni-lateral training. Single arm rows or presses and single leg exercises such as split squats, Val slide reverse lunges, and single leg Romanian deadlifts all require a good amount of core stability.
4. Load one side. When using dumbbells, such as in a step up or deadlift, use one dumbbell rather than two. This uneven loading will again require more core stability. Suitcase deadlifts, farmers walks, and single arm dumbbell step ups are some examples.
5. Pull up rather than down. Get off the pulldown machine and focus more on pull ups. Working on a machine requires little to no core stability. If you can't do a pull up, use a Superband or a partner for some help. Personally, my abs are always sorest after a high rep pull up day.