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You should train abs every day

Daily ab training will not uncover a six-pack, and there is no evidence that abdominal muscles need daily work to grow. Abdominal exercise in trials did not reduce belly fat, and frequency research on other muscles points to about two sessions per week. Train abs like any other muscle and lose fat through overall energy balance.

What the science says

  • Frequent ab work burns belly fat Limited evidence

    In Vispute's 2011 randomized trial, 24 sedentary adults did seven abdominal exercises, 2 sets of 10 reps, 5 days per week for 6 weeks. There was no change in body fat, abdominal fat, waist circumference or abdominal skinfolds, although abdominal endurance improved.

  • Training a region removes fat from that region Limited evidence

    Ramírez-Campillo's 2013 study trained one leg for 12 weeks with very high-rep leg presses. Fat mass fell, but in the upper body and trunk, not in the trained leg. Local training does not target local fat (see the spot-reduction myth).

  • Muscles need daily work to grow Limited evidence

    Schoenfeld's 2016 meta-analysis of 10 studies found that training a muscle twice a week grew it more than once a week, with no clear evidence that three or more is better. No trial has shown abdominal muscles to be an exception that needs daily training; this is an extrapolation from other muscle groups.

What to do instead

Train abs 2-3 times per week with exercises you can progress, and reveal them by lowering body fat.

Frequency2-3 sessions per week
Weekly volumeAbout 6-12 hard sets for the abdominals
Load and repsAdd resistance (cable crunch, weighted exercises) when you exceed about 15-20 reps
VisibilityComes from lower body fat through a calorie deficit
Big liftsSquats and deadlifts also train the trunk, but direct work adds more

Who should be careful

For healthy adults. If you have back pain, a hernia, or are pregnant or postpartum, get guidance from a physician or physical therapist about abdominal training.

Frequently asked questions

Will doing abs every day give me a six-pack?

No. In a 2011 trial, 6 weeks of abdominal exercise 5 days per week did not reduce belly fat or waist size.

How often should I train abs?

There are no ab-specific frequency trials, but research on other muscles found twice a week better than once; 2-3 sessions per week is a reasonable target.

Then how do I make my abs visible?

By lowering overall body fat through a calorie deficit; local training removed fat elsewhere, not from the trained area.

Scientific references

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