Four exercises, 12 minutes and this standing ab workout for a stronger core and improved posture

A woman with toned abs showing them off.

Gone are the days of busting out 50 crunches as standing ab workouts are taking up more space in people's training programs. Probably due to the fact they're accessible to all, even if you suffer from lower back pain, and are golden when it comes to improving balance, stability and encouraging better posture, just like this four-move workout. It also requires minimal equipment using just a single dumbbell, but a heavy-ish water bottle will also do! Give it a try.

While there's plenty of standing workouts out there, what's particularly good about this one is that it covers all three planes of motion—the sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane. These are simply the three different ways our body moves, such as forwards and backwards, side to side, and twisting. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, by encouraging three-dimensional movement our ability to function day-to-day will become easier, we reduce the likelihood of injury and will be more likely to achieve our fitness goals.

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This workout will only take you 12 minutes, so it's perfect for adding onto the end of another workout, or those days you just need a quick-blast core workout. Get your timer up on your phone and perform each exercise for 45 seconds (on both sides on the body where applicable) followed by a 15-second rest in between each movement. Once you've completed one entire round, rest for a minute, then repeat two more times. Remember, if you don't have a dumbbell, a kettlebell is a great alternative, or just use a household item. Here's your workout:  

• Dumbbell halo
• Single-arm overhead marches
• High knee marches with rotation
• Dumbbell squat with forward press

We're big advocates of training our core here at T3 because of the many benefits it can provide for your body, and everyday life, hence why we've got lots of great workouts. If you enjoyed this one, then here's another standing core workout that doesn't require any equipment. However, if you'd prefer to train these muscles from the floor, give this beginner three-move Pilates workout a go instead.