There are a number of exercises you can perform that will recruit all of the muscle fibers deep within the tissue without requiring any type of crunching action. Here are six such exercises that are guaranteed to get you the results you’re looking for, provided they’re incorporated into a well-rounded program that works all of the major muscle groups in the body. At Hardbody Outdoor Fitness, we incorporate every muscle under the sun, focusing on “keeping the core tight” with every rep. (How many times do I say that in class? lol)

The renegade row

The renegade row demands good balance and coordination, because if you don’t contract your abdominal muscles you’re going to fall over.

To perform it, position yourself so your legs are straight out behind you while you’re balancing your upper body with your hands, each on a dumbbell that are placed shoulder-width apart on the floor under the shoulders.

Once in this position, transfer your weight to one side and proceed to lift the arm up to perform a one-arm row.

After completing this, either move on to a second rep on the same side or switch over to the other side and alternate between reps in that manner.

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Raised-leg single-leg squat

Even if you have incredibly strong quads, this single-leg squat will still challenge your abdominal core.

To perform it, stand so that you’re balancing on one leg with the other leg raised out as high into the air as possible, directly in front of you.

Next, begin to squat down on the standing leg, maintaining balance the entire time. Go down as low as you can possibly go, and then rise back up to the starting position.

After finishing 10 reps on one side, switch legs and repeat.

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Side leg raises

This third no-crunch exercise for 6-pack abs also tests your balancing abilities while focusing on the obliques.

To start, move into a plank. From there, lift the hand and leg of one side of the body off the floor and rotate until you’re now in a sideways position.

Once you’ve found your balance, proceed to lift the leg closest to the ceiling up and down performing side leg lifts. To increase the challenge, bring the leg forward and back as well; however, be absolutely sure you maintain the straight spinal column position.

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Cable woodchoppers

This exercise works double-time to strengthen the abdominal core and work the shoulder muscles. First, stand sideways to a cable machine with a low-cable pulley attachment by your feet.

Bend over using a slight bend in the knees and reach for the handle. From there, straighten your body back up while twisting in the opposite direction until you are holding the handle across your body and above your head in the opposite direction.

Pause for a brief moment and then lower back down to the starting position to complete the rep. Aim for 10 reps on each side.

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Lunge with ball pass-off

This no-crunch ab exercise is best to do with a partner so they can follow right behind you to control the position of the ball.

Begin by performing a standard lunge while holding a medicine ball. As you lower down to the ground, you want to twist to the side so you are able to hand the ball off to your partner behind you.

From that point, twist back to the front and continue with the lunging motion until you get to the bottom portion of the second lunge. Have your partner pass you the ball on your other side.

Try for 10 reps on each side before taking a 30 to 60 second rest and performing the 6-pack ab exercise again.

Stability ball jack-knife

Finally, the sixth no-crunch ab exercise, a high intensity one, is a stability ball jack-knife.

To perform this, place your elbows on a bench while your legs are behind you on top of an exercise ball, with your stomach facing the floor.

From there, lift one leg off the exercise ball and raise it out to the side of your body, then curl the ball into your chest with the leg still on top of it. Once the ball is as far as it can go, extend it straight out behind you again.

What’s up team? Great push this morning. The lateral kettlebell swing is an excellent way to add intensity to the traditional kettlebell swing. You can also try this without a weight or with a very light weight to practice your form. We incorporated this exercise within a kettlebell (kb) circuit comprised of one-arm kb chest presses, lat kb pullovers, kb squats, kb high pulls, kb walking lunges (passing through the leg). The lateral swing adds great intensity to any workout, targeting the entire body. This won’t be the last time doing these as I think it’s a great way to increase the caloric burn. Check out how to do it below.

1. Hold a ketllebell in both hands with legs hip-width apart. Practice a few two arm swings to get a feel for the weight and the movement.
2. Begin the exercise by stepping to the left into a squat, swinging the weight between the legs (arms should touch the inner thighs).
3. At the bottom of the movement shift your weight back and thrust up through the hips to bring the weight up to about shoulder level as you step the right foot next to the left.
4. Step to the left again as you squat, swinging the weight between the legs.
5. Thrust through the hips as you come up, stepping the right foot in and swinging the weight all the way up over the head (or to shoulder level, preferred height).
6. Bring the weight down and take the lateral squats and kettlebell swings to the right for a total of 8 laps.
7. One lap includes: Step, squat and downswing, step together upswing to the shoulders, step, squat and downswing, step together upswing to the shoulders.