The Best 35-Minute Ab HIIT Workout for a Strong Sculpted Core

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, calorie-burning ab workout that sculpts your core while boosting endurance, a 35-minute HIIT ab workout is exactly what you need. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) combines short bursts of intense movement with minimal rest, keeping your heart rate up and your muscles firing from start to finish. The best part? You can do it right at home with little to no equipment.

This 35-minute HIIT ab workout blends strength, cardio, and core isolation exercises to help you build definition, burn belly fat, and improve overall core stability. Whether you’re a fitness beginner or seasoned athlete, this routine will challenge your abs, obliques, and lower back while keeping your metabolism elevated for hours after you’re done.

Why Choose a 35-Minute HIIT Ab Workout?

A 35-minute HIIT session is the perfect sweet spot — long enough to deliver serious results but short enough to fit into a busy day. It combines core-focused strength moves with heart-pumping intervals that torch calories and reveal your abdominal muscles faster.

1. Time-Efficient and Effective

In just 35 minutes, you can achieve the same fat-burning and toning effects as a longer, traditional gym session. HIIT keeps your body in fat-burning mode long after your workout ends thanks to the afterburn effect (EPOC).

2. Full Core Engagement

This HIIT workout doesn’t just target your “six-pack” muscles. It works your entire core, including:

• Rectus abdominis (front abs)
• Obliques (sides of your waist)
• Transverse abdominis (deep stabilizing muscles)
• Lower back and hips

3. No Equipment Needed For HIIT Ab Workouts

All you need is your bodyweight and a mat. This makes it easy to perform at home, in the gym, or even while traveling.

Warm-Up (5 Minutes): Prime Your Body for Action

Before diving into the workout, take five minutes to warm up. This helps increase blood flow, loosen tight muscles, and prepare your core for intense activity.

Warm-Up Routine (Do Each for 45 Seconds)

1. Jumping jacks
2. Standing torso twists
3. Arm circles
4. Bodyweight squats
5. High knees
6. Plank shoulder taps

Repeat once. Take short rests (15 seconds) between moves if needed.

35-Minute HIIT Ab Workout Breakdown

This HIIT workout includes three circuits, each designed to target different core areas. You’ll work for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and repeat each circuit twice before moving to the next. Finish with a strong burnout finisher.

Workout Format

• Duration: 35 minutes total
• Work: 40 seconds
• Rest: 20 seconds
• Circuits: 3 (upper, lower, oblique/core)
• Equipment: Mat only

Circuit 1: Upper Abs Ignition HIIT Workouts

This first circuit targets your upper abs — the muscles that form the top half of your six-pack. You’ll feel the burn immediately as you build core endurance.

1. Crunch to Toe Reach

• Lie flat with legs extended and arms overhead.
• Engage your core as you lift your torso and reach for your toes.
• Lower slowly with control.
  Focus: Keep your core tight and exhale as you lift.

2. Flutter Kicks

• Lie on your back, lift your legs a few inches, and alternate small kicks.
• Keep your lower back pressed to the mat.
  Focus: Short, controlled movements — don’t let your heels touch the ground.

3. Reverse Crunch

• Bring your knees toward your chest, lifting your hips off the mat.
• Slowly lower your legs back down.
  Focus: Use your abs, not momentum, to lift.

4. Plank Shoulder Taps

• In a high plank, alternate tapping each shoulder without rocking your hips.
  Focus: Keep your body stable and core tight.

5. Hollow Hold

• Lie flat, then lift your arms and legs off the floor slightly.
• Hold the position and breathe steadily.
  Focus: Engage your deep core muscles throughout.

Repeat Circuit 1 twice
Rest 1 minute before moving on.

Circuit 2: Lower Abs and Stability HIIT Workouts Challenge

The lower abs are often the hardest to sculpt, but this circuit targets them directly while challenging your stability and endurance.

1. Leg Raises

• Lie flat and lift both legs to 90°, then lower slowly.
  Focus: Keep your lower back pressed down.

2. Mountain Climbers

• Get into a plank and drive your knees alternately toward your chest.
  Focus: Move quickly, keeping your hips low and abs engaged.

3. Seated In-and-Outs

• Sit with hands behind you and knees bent.
• Extend legs out and pull them back in toward your chest.
  Focus: Control the movement — don’t swing your legs.

4. Plank Jacks

• In a high plank, jump your feet out and in like a jumping jack.
  Focus: Keep your shoulders over your wrists and core tight.

5. Dead Bug

• Lie on your back with arms and legs raised.
• Lower opposite arm and leg without arching your back.
  Focus: Move slowly and maintain control.

Repeat Circuit 2 twice
Rest 1 minute before Circuit 3.

Circuit 3: Obliques and Core Power HIIT Ab Workouts

This circuit carves your waistline and strengthens your obliques for a toned, athletic look.

1. Russian Twists

• Sit slightly reclined and twist your torso side to side.
• Add a weight or water bottle for extra resistance.
  Focus: Keep your back straight and twist from your core.

2. Side Plank Hip Dips (Right Side)

• In a side plank, lower your hip toward the floor, then lift back up.
  Focus: Engage your obliques and glutes.

3. Side Plank Hip Dips (Left Side)

• Repeat on the opposite side.
  Focus: Maintain alignment — avoid collapsing your shoulder.

4. Bicycle Crunches

• Alternate bringing opposite elbow to knee in a cycling motion.
  Focus: Slow and controlled — don’t yank your neck.

5. Standing Oblique Crunch

• Stand tall with hands behind your head.
• Bring one knee up to the side as you crunch down.
  Focus: Keep tension on your obliques.

Repeat Circuit 3 twice
Rest 1 minute before finishing strong.

HIIT Ab Workouts Finisher (5 Minutes)

End with a high-energy core burnout to push your limits and maximize fat loss. Perform each move for 40 seconds with 10 seconds rest between.

1. Jump squats
2. Burpees
3. Plank to push-up
4. High knees
5. Sit-ups with a twist

This final burst will leave your abs shaking and your heart pumping!

Cool Down (5 Minutes): Stretch and Recover

Finish with gentle stretches to relax your muscles, reduce soreness, and aid recovery.

Cool Down Routine

1. Cat-Cow Stretch – 30 seconds
2. Child’s Pose – 1 minute
3. Cobra Stretch – 45 seconds
4. Seated Forward Fold – 1 minute
5. Torso Twist Stretch – 45 seconds each side

Breathe deeply and let your heart rate come down gradually.

Tips for Maximum HIIT Ab Workouts Definition

To get the most out of your 35-minute HIIT ab workout, consistency and form are key. Here’s how to ensure results:

1. Focus on Form Over Speed

Perform each movement correctly before increasing pace. Proper engagement leads to better muscle activation and fewer injuries.

2. Maintain a Clean, Balanced Diet

Abs are made in the gym — but revealed in the kitchen. Focus on lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats to support fat loss and muscle repair.

3. Incorporate HIIT 3–4 Times per Week

Combine this ab-focused HIIT workout with total-body strength training and rest days for optimal results.

4. Stay Hydrated and Rest

Drink water before, during, and after workouts, and get 7–8 hours of sleep to allow your muscles to recover.

Benefits of Doing HIIT Ab Workouts Regularly

1. Burn More Calories in Less Time

HIIT workouts keep your metabolism elevated even after you’re done exercising. This means you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.

2. Strengthen Your Core and Improve Posture

A strong core enhances balance, stability, and athletic performance while reducing the risk of back pain.

3. Build Functional Strength

These movements improve how your body moves in daily life — from lifting groceries to maintaining good posture while sitting.

4. Enhance Endurance and Stamina

HIIT challenges both your cardiovascular and muscular systems, helping you push harder in all areas of fitness.

How to Modify the 35-Minute HIIT Ab Workout

Whether you’re a beginner or advanced athlete, you can tailor the intensity to your level.

Beginner Modifications

• Perform 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds rest.
• Do low-impact versions (step instead of jump).
• Use your knees for plank variations.

Advanced Modifications

• Reduce rest to 10 seconds.
• Add weights to movements like Russian twists or leg raises.
• Perform 3 total rounds per circuit.

Sample Weekly HIIT Ab Workouts Schedule

Here’s how to fit this workout into your routine:

Day	Workout
Monday	35-Minute HIIT Ab Workout
Tuesday	Lower Body Strength
Wednesday	Active Recovery (Yoga or Stretching)
Thursday	35-Minute HIIT Ab Workout
Friday	Full-Body Dumbbell Workout
Saturday	30-Minute Cardio or Walking
Sunday	Rest or Mobility Work

Common Mistakes to Avoid With HIIT Ab Workouts

1. Rushing Through Reps

Moving too quickly can lead to poor form and reduced muscle activation.

2. Holding Your Breath

Remember to breathe consistently — exhale during effort, inhale during recovery.

3. Overtraining the Core

Your abs need rest like any other muscle group. Allow 24–48 hours between intense ab workouts.

A 35-minute HIIT ab workout is a powerful way to sculpt your core, burn calories, and strengthen your body — all from home. By mixing explosive cardio with core-focused strength exercises, you’ll not only tone your midsection but also improve endurance, coordination, and balance. Consistency is key — aim to perform this workout 2–3 times a week for the best results.

When you combine smart training with proper nutrition, hydration, and recovery, you’ll be on your way to stronger, leaner abs and a more confident you.

Ready to take your fitness to the next level? Explore more HIIT, dumbbell, and full-body workouts at Women’s Fit Club — your ultimate destination for empowering fitness routines designed for women.