Intermediate Ab Exercises: 5 Moves Beyond the Crunch

Intermediate & advanced · 3 min read

Once crunches and 30-second planks feel comfortable, your core needs a harder job. These five moves ask for more range, more control, or both. They are the core exercises of CaliStart 63, the intermediate level.

Are you ready for these?

A fair starting point: 12 clean crunches, a 45-second plank with a straight body, and no lower-back discomfort during either. If you are not there yet, the beginner core exercises come first.

1. Sit-Up

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Sit-Up

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Rest your fingertips lightly behind your ears.
3. Curl up one segment at a time until your chest is near your thighs.
4. Lower back down with control.

Form cue: Lead with your chest, not your chin. Hands never pull on your head.

Easier: Cross your arms over your chest and stop halfway up.

2. Leg Pull-In

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Leg Pull-In

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your hands under your hips, palms down.
2. Lift your feet a few inches off the floor.
3. Pull both knees toward your chest.
4. Straighten your legs again without letting your feet touch the floor.

Form cue: Press your lower back into the floor the whole time.

Easier: Let your heels touch down between reps.

3. Jackknife Sit-Up

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Jackknife Sit-Up

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms stretched overhead.
2. In one movement, lift your legs and your upper body.
3. Reach your hands toward your feet at the top, balancing on your hips.
4. Lower back down with control until arms and legs are just above the floor.

Form cue: Come up as one piece. If your legs arrive first, slow down.

Easier: Bend your knees and reach for your shins (Tuck Crunch).

4. Plank Pike

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Plank Pike

1. Start in a forearm plank, body in one straight line.
2. Tighten your abs and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
3. Stop when your body makes an upside-down V.
4. Lower back to the straight plank with control.

Form cue: The lift comes from your abs. Your feet and forearms don’t move.

Easier: Hold a Plank instead.

5. Spider Crawl

Half core exercise, half push-up: your trunk has to stay still while your legs move.

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Spider Crawl

1. Start in a push-up position.
2. Lower your chest halfway toward the floor and hold it there.
3. Bring your right knee out to the side, toward your right elbow.
4. Return the foot, then bring the left knee toward the left elbow. That is one rep each side.

Form cue: Hips stay level with your shoulders. Don’t let them twist or pike up.

Easier: Keep your arms straight (high plank) while the knees move.

Where to start

These are the amounts each move starts with in CaliStart 63. Two core moves per session is enough.

The rule that matters most

Your lower back stays in contact with the floor on every lying exercise. The moment it arches, the set is over or the easier version takes its place. More range is only worth having while you control it.

General fitness information for healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program, and stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort. Results vary. The people in the photos are models.