If you’re looking for a way to level up your ab workout, adding some resistance is a great idea. Incorporating load into your core routine makes the moves more intense, more strenuous for your muscles, and gets results. “If bodyweight abdominal or core exercises are no longer challenging for you, add weights,” says Kristen McParland, CPT, a strength-focused personal trainer.

While increasing reps is one way of progressing, doing an ab workout with weights will help you gain strength and definition while maintaining a low rep range. (That means you don't have to spend more time sweating.) Repetitions over 20 tend to focus more on muscular endurance and less on strength and hypertrophy. So, using a kettlebell, dumbbell, or any form of weight for 6 to 15 reps of each exercise in your core training program can further your toning while keeping your reps to a minimum, says McParland.

If your main goal is adding muscle definition to your midsection the best (read: fastest) way to get abs is via weighted ab workouts. Performing exercises with a load that's heavy enough to make you struggle by the last couple of reps is key to ultimate definition success.

The extra pounds make your whole system work that much harder, and that's especially true of the muscles in your middle, because that's your center of gravity. So, when you pick up a weight and lift it overhead, for example, or move it from the floor toward the ceiling, all of that coordination comes from your core engaging and supporting your other muscles as they move.

17 Best Weighted Abs Exercises

Instructions: Complete all moves on the list, and do as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of each exercise in 40 seconds, with 20 seconds of rest in between before continuing immediately to the next. Rest for 2 minutes, then, repeat the entire circuit again.

1. Halo

How to:

• Start standing with feet hip-width apart holding the ends of one dumbbell (or the handle of a kettlebell) with both hands in front of face, elbows bent and wide at sides.

• Keeping both elbows bent, and the rest of body still, slowly circle the weight around head once, keeping it at eye level. That's one rep.

2. Unilateral Dumbbell March

How to:

• Stand up straight, with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold a dumbbell in your left hand.

• Extend your right arm out to your side at a 45-degree angle from your body.

• Slowly lift your left leg up until you knee is at hip height.

• Then, with control, lower your leg down to the ground. That's one rep.

• Repeat on the other side.

3. Low To High Dumbbell Chop

How to:

• Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of chest.

• Rotate body toward left foot, lifting right heel and pivoting on right ball of foot so your knee faces the other knee and your hips face the left side while bending over and lowering weight down outside of right foot.

• Reverse the movement, and continue rotating through center until body faces right side, pivoting on ball of right foot and raising weight up overhead at 45-degree angle.

• Reverse to return to start. That's one rep.

4. Single-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

How to:

• Start standing with feet just wider than hips.

• Hold a kettlebell in your right hand while keeping your right arm bent with your elbow close to body, so that the weight rests on the shoulder, and place your left hand on your left hip.

• Sink hips slightly into a quarter-squat.

• Then, quickly push through feet to extend legs, simultaneously pressing kettlebell straight up until right arm is completely extended overhead.

• With control, lower kettlebell back down. That's one rep.

5. Squat To Overhead Press With Rotation

How to:

• Start standing, feet hip-distance apart, toes pointed out slightly.

• Dumbbells should be in either hand and resting lightly on shoulders.

• Sit back into a squat until thighs are parallel with the ground.

• Drive up through heels to standing while raising right arm toward ceiling, turning torso toward the left, and lifting right heel to pivot on it.

• Come back to center as you sit into the squat.

• Then stand while raising left warm toward ceiling, turning torso toward the right, and lifting left heel to pivot on it.

• Return to center. That's one rep.

6. Leg Drops

How to:

• Lie on your back with a dumbbell held in between your hands and extend your arms. (Think wrists over chest NOT your face.)

• Lift your legs up directly over your hips.

• Lower your left leg down as low as you can go without your lower back arching up off the mat.

• Return to start, and repeat on the other side. That's one rep.

7. Plank Dumbbell Drag

How to:

• Start in a high plank, shoulders over wrists and feet wider than shoulders.

• Place a dumbbell (or towel/other weight) outside right wrist.

• Keeping hips and shoulders level, reach left hand across body to drag the weight outside where left wrist will land.

• Return to high plank.

• Repeat on the other side. That's one rep.

8. Half-Kneeling Windmill

How to:

• Start by kneeling on your left knee.

• Bring your right foot to the side of your body, with foot firmly on the ground and toes pointed to the right.

• Hold a kettlebell in your right hand.

• Rack the kettlebell at your chest, then lift it overhead, keeping your eyes on the weight.

• Slowly lower your body down until your left hand reaches the ground.

• Then continue lowering until your elbow and forearm reach the ground.

• Reverse the movement and return to start. That's one rep.

9. Turkish Get-Up

How to:

• Start lying face up with left leg straight on mat, right leg bent, foot flat on floor, left arm out at side on floor at 45-degree angle, and right arm holding kettlebell above shoulder with your tricep on floor and elbow at a 45-degree angle from body.

• Raise the weight up above chest, keeping gaze on it, until arm is straight but not locked at the elbow.

• Push into left forearm to sit up.

• Rise onto left palm, lift hips off floor, and slide left leg behind body until kneeling on left knee with shin parallel to top of mat.

• Sweep left foot back behind body to come into kneeling lunge with both legs bent at 90 degrees.

• Push through your feet to stand, bringing feet together under hips.

• Reverse entire movement to return to start. That's one rep.

10. Renegade Row

How to:

• Start in plank position, holding one dumbbell in each hand on the ground.

• Pull right elbow toward the ceiling until right wrist is near ribs.

• Lower it back down.

• Repeat on opposite side. That's one rep.

11. Forward Lunge With Twist

How to:

• Start in a standing position at back of mat, holding one dumbbell (medicine ball) at chest.

• Take a big step forward with left foot and lower into a lunge until both legs are bent to 90 degrees while extended arms to straight at shoulder height.

• Twist arms and torso over left leg.

• Return to center.

• Step back to start. That's one rep.

• Repeat on the opposite side.

12. Overhead Cossack Squat

How to:

• Begin by standing up straight, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and a kettlebell in each hand.

• Rack the kettlebells in front of your chest.

• Raise your right arm straight into the air, bicep by your ear.

• Lift your left foot and take a large step to the left.

• Sit your hips back and lower down until your thighs are as parallel to the ground as possible.

• Straighten your left leg and rise back up. That's one rep.

13. Dumbbell Swing

How to:

• Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, holding one heavy dumbbell like a goblet.

• Hinge from the hips and bend knees while reaching the dumbbell back and between legs, keeping back flat and core engaged.

• Thrust hips forward to swing the dumbbell to about shoulder height and then down again to start. That's one rep.

14. Plank With Triceps Kickback

How to:

• Get into a high-plank position with your feet slightly wider than shoulders.

• Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.

• Bend your elbow until your tricep is in line with your torso.

• Extend your arm back, until it’s completely straight.

• Return to start. That’s one rep.

15. Weighted Flutter Kicks

How to:

• Start lying face up with back pressed into mat, arms extended to straight over chest holding a weight, and legs extended in air at 45-degree angle.

• Alternate lifting legs up and down a few inches. That's one rep.

16. Russian Twist

How to:

• Start seated with knees bent, upper body leaned back until abs are engaged (45-degree angle) and holding a slam ball.

• Hold a slam ball at your chest with elbows bent.

• Keeping arms slightly bent, twist your torso to the left and slam ball on the ground next to your left hip. Hold for 1-2 seconds.

• Twist torso through center to the right and slam ball on the ground near your right hip. That's one rep.

• Continue alternating.

• Pro tip: For an extra challenge, try lifting your heels off the ground

17. Jack Knife Pullover

How to:

• Start lying on back, holding a single dumbbell in hands like a goblet.

• Core should be engaged and arms and legs should be held out straight, hovering a few inches off the ground so body forms one curved line.

• Bring elbows and knees in at the same time, lifting shoulder blades off the ground and pausing when arms and knees meet in the middle.

• Return to start. That's one rep.

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