10 Best Ab Stretches For Warmups and Cooldowns

Quick Answer

If your abs feel tight after hard core work or hours of sitting, a short stretching and breathing reset can help you move better and feel less “crunched.” Use dynamic, controlled ab stretches before training (think 3-5 minutes), then gentle holds after training (5-10 minutes). Stretching can feel great for tightness and mobility, but research suggests it does not reliably prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness on its own, so treat it as a helpful tool, not magic.

Key Takeaways

Important Safety Note

If you have a history of hernia, recent abdominal surgery, pregnancy, unexplained abdominal pain, or significant low back pain, check with a qualified clinician before aggressively stretching the anterior core. Stop any stretch that causes sharp pain, tingling, numbness, or worsening back symptoms.

Table of Contents

• 10 Best Ab Stretches For Before and After Workouts
• What Are The Abdominal Muscles?
• Why Are My Abs So Tight?
• Benefits Of Abdominal Stretches
• How Often Should You Stretch Your Abs?
• Sample Routines: Before vs After Workouts
• FAQs
• References

10 BEST AB STRETCHES FOR BEFORE & AFTER WORKOUTS

You'll notice that other muscles will also be stretched for many of these stretches, and that's great, but the main focus of each will be on the abdominals.

The 10 best ab stretches are:

1. Kneeling Backward Abdominal Stretch
2. Cat-Cow Stretch
3. Prone Abdominal Stretch
4. Lying Rotation Stretch
5. Seated Lower Trunk Lateral Flexion Stretch
6. Hip Extension Supported Backward Ab Stretch
7. Bodyweight Standing Oblique Twist
8. Standing Hip Circles
9. Standing Lean Back Stomach Stretch
10. Rotating Stomach Stretch

Let's discuss each.

1. Kneeling Backward Abdominal Stretch

This backward abdominal stretch is performed in a tall kneeling position. It not only stretches the rectus abs, but it also opens up your chest and gets your glutes involved.

Form note: Do not crank into your lower back to touch your heels. The movement should come from the hips and upper back while you keep your ribs from flaring wildly.

Muscles Stretched: Rectus abdominals, chest, anterior shoulders, and biceps.

How to Do the Kneeling Backward Abdominal Stretch:

1. Get into a tall kneeling position, knees underneath hips and toes on the ground.
2. Engage your glutes, extend the upper back and reach back with your arms and grab the back of your feet.
3. Either hold the stretch for time or repeat for reps to make it more of a dynamic stretch.

Programming suggestions: Hold 20-60 seconds or perform dynamically for reps. Dynamically means hold the stretch for a few seconds, return to start, then repeat.

2. Cat-Cow Stretch

The cat-cow is a yoga staple that targets the abs during the cow position while mobilizing your spine. The stretch can feel amazing, but scale it down if you have lower back sensitivity.

Muscles stretched: Upper back, lower back, and rectus abs.

How to Do the Cat-Cow Stretch:

1. Position yourself on all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
2. Brace lightly and round your spine toward the ceiling like a cat hunching its back.
3. Tuck your chin to your chest and hold for 20-30 seconds.
4. Return to the starting position and then push your abs toward the floor and your chest up until you feel a stretch in your abs. This is the cow position.
5. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat if necessary.

Programming Suggestions: Use this at the end of training as a recovery-focused mobility drill.

3. Prone Abdominal Stretch

The prone abdominal stretch, also known as cobra pose, stretches the anterior core and opens up the chest. If you feel this mostly in your lower back, focus on lengthening through the crown of your head and avoid forcing a deep arch.

Muscles Stretched: Rectus abs and chest.

How to Do the Prone Abdominal Stretch:

1. Start by lying prone on the floor with your hands underneath your shoulders.
2. Push your hips into the floor as you straighten your arms to lift your upper body off the ground.
3. Puff your chest out and hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat two to four times.

Programming Suggestion: Do this stretch at the end of your training as part of your cool down.

4. Lying Rotation Stretch

The lying rotation stretch is a great option for your obliques and for opening up the front of your torso. The floor support makes it easier to ease into the position without forcing range.

Muscles Stretched: Internal and external obliques, front deltoid, and chest.

How to Do the Lying Rotation Stretch:

1. Lie on your side and bring both knees toward your chest.
2. Place the arm closest to the floor on your knee to prevent them from moving.
3. With the other arm straight in front, reach back behind you until you feel a stretch in your obliques, chest, and shoulder.
4. Hold for a few seconds and repeat for reps.

Programming Suggestions: Great dynamic stretch to perform at the start of upper body training for 10-15 reps on each side.

5. Seated Lower Trunk Lateral Flexion Stretch

Sitting down allows you to focus on stretching both your obliques and the quadratus lumborum. Hands behind your head helps keep posture tall so you are not collapsing into the stretch.

Muscles Stretched: Obliques and the quadratus lumborum.

How to Do the Seated Lower Trunk Lateral Flexion Stretch:

1. Sit upright in a chair with your hands behind your head.
2. With your elbows level with your shoulders, laterally flex as you take your right elbow toward your right hip.
3. Either hold for time or perform as a controlled dynamic stretch going side to side, holding for a few seconds each rep.

Programming Suggestions: Hold 30-60 seconds per side or perform 15 controlled reps per side.

6. Hip Extension Supported Backward Ab Stretch

If the kneeling version is too intense, this is a great alternative. You still get a strong stretch through the rectus abs with more control and support.

Muscles stretched: Rectus abs, chest, and lats.

How to Do the Hip Extension Supported Backward Ab Stretch:

1. Stand up flush with your back to a pole and stand up straight.
2. Grab hold of the pole with both hands, fall forward and squeeze your glutes.
3. With your arms bent 90 degrees, puff out your chest and feel a stretch in your anterior core.
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat if necessary.

Programming Suggestion: Do this stretch at the end of your training as part of recovery.

7. Bodyweight Standing Oblique Twist

When the obliques get tight, it can make rotation feel sticky. This is a simple way to restore motion, but keep it controlled and avoid twisting aggressively through the low back.

Muscles stretched: Internal and external obliques.

How to do the Bodyweight Standing Oblique Twist:

1. Stand up straight with your hands on your hips and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Twist as far as you can to one side without any assistance from the lower back.
3. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.

Programming suggestions: Hold 30 seconds per side or perform dynamically: go back and forth holding a few seconds for 15 reps per side.

8. Standing Hip Circles

This dynamic stretch hits the abdominal wall while also loosening up your hips. The big rule: slow, controlled circles. Momentum makes it sloppy and less useful.

Muscles Stretched: Obliques, rectus abs, and to a lesser extent the chest.

How To Do the Standing Hip Circle:

1. Stand up straight with your hands on your hips.
2. Lean your torso forward and to the right and perform a circle with your torso until you are standing and leaning back slightly.
3. Go back and repeat on the other side.
4. Alternate for reps.

Programming Suggestion: Perform 10-15 reps in each direction as part of your warm-up.

9. Standing Lean Back Stomach Stretch

This moves you through hip extension and spinal extension, stretching both the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis. Keep the glutes engaged so the stretch does not turn into a low-back crank.

Muscles Stretched: Rectus abs.

How To Do the Standing Lean Back Stomach Stretch:

1. Stand up straight and put your hands on your backside.
2. Slide your hands down as you lean backward until you feel a stretch in your anterior core.
3. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat if necessary.

Programming Suggestion: Perform at the end of your training to help your abs return toward resting length.

10. Rotating Stomach Stretch

This is similar to the prone abdominal stretch, but you add a controlled side-to-side component to bring the obliques into play.

Muscles Stretched: Rectus abs and obliques.

How To Do the Rotating Stomach Stretch:

1. Start by lying prone on the floor with your hands underneath your shoulders. Keep your legs straight.
2. Push your hips into the floor as you straighten your arms to lift your upper body off the ground.
3. Straighten your right arm and push yourself to the left until you feel a stretch in your obliques.
4. Either hold for time or go side-to-side with control for reps.

Programming Suggestions: Warm-up: 10-15 controlled reps side to side. Cool down: hold 30 seconds per side.

WHAT ARE THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES?

The most recognizable ab muscle is the rectus abdominis (aka the six-pack muscle). But there are other important core muscles you do not see that can influence tension and how your trunk moves. Here are the major players and what they do.

Rectus Abdominis:

The rectus abdominis runs vertically up the front of the torso. Its main functions include spinal flexion and resisting excessive extension (sit-ups and planks are common examples).

It also contributes to posture, force transfer between the rib cage and pelvis, and controlled breathing mechanics during bracing.

Obliques:

The obliques include internal and external layers that wrap the sides of your torso. They help stabilize against lateral flexion and rotation and help produce rotation when you twist.

Transverse Abdominis:

Think of the transversus abdominis like a belt. It wraps around the torso and helps maintain abdominal tension, contributing to intra-abdominal pressure and spinal support under load.

Note: Most stretches in this article emphasize the rectus abdominis because it is the area many people describe as “tight.” Several moves here also involve the obliques and deeper core.

WHY ARE MY ABS SO TIGHT?

Tightness in the abs usually comes from one of two buckets: actual muscle tension, or a “tight stomach” feeling related to digestion, stress, or health issues. Stretching helps muscle tension, but it will not fix gut-related tightness.

Common training and lifestyle reasons your abs may feel tight include:

• A hard training session: After tough ab work, the anterior core can feel short and sore.
• Unbalanced programming: Too many crunches and sit-ups and not enough anti-extension training like planks and carries.
• Poor posture: A constantly hunched position keeps the abs lightly contracted for hours.
• You sit a lot: Same story. Hip flexion plus slumped posture can make the front of the body feel “stuck.”
• Poor breathing patterns: Shallow chest breathing and poor rib cage control can increase tension up top.

If that sounds like you, the stretches above are a solid place to start.

BENEFITS OF STRETCHING YOUR ABS

If your abs are chronically tight or just feel cranky after a hard session, stretching can help you restore a more comfortable resting length and move with less restriction.

1. Improved Range of Motion: Tight anterior core tissues can limit how well you extend, rotate, or breathe into a brace. Improving comfort through these ranges can make training feel smoother.
2. Reduced Muscular Tension: Gentle stretching plus slow breathing often reduces that “crunched” feeling after heavy flexion work.
3. Better Cool Down Habits: Stretching is not a guaranteed soreness cure, but it can be part of a cool down routine that helps you relax and downshift after training.²
4. Lower Injury Risk (indirect): Mobility work plus smart training loads can help keep you moving well. Stretching alone is not a full injury-prevention plan, but it can support better movement options.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU STRETCH YOUR ABS?

Like most things, it depends on how you train and how you feel. If your abs are tight, a good target is about 5-10 minutes total of ab-focused stretching after workouts.

Pre-workout: Use light dynamic stretches if your abs feel tight. Keep it controlled and do not hold long passive stretches right before heavy lifting.

Post-workout: Pick 2-3 stretches and hold each for 30-60 seconds. Breathe slow and steady, and keep the intensity in the “mild discomfort, no pain” zone. General flexibility programming guidelines often land around 10-30 seconds per hold repeated for multiple reps, adding up to about 60 seconds total per area when flexibility is the goal.³

Sample Routines: Before vs After Workouts

Before workout (3-5 minutes)

• Lying Rotation Stretch: 10 reps per side
• Standing Hip Circles: 10 reps each direction
• Bodyweight Standing Oblique Twist: 10-15 reps per side

After workout (5-10 minutes)

• Prone Abdominal Stretch: 30-60 seconds
• Hip Extension Supported Backward Ab Stretch: 30-60 seconds
• Seated Lower Trunk Lateral Flexion Stretch: 30-60 seconds per side

FAQs

Should you stretch your abs every day?

If you feel tight daily from sitting or frequent core training, daily gentle stretching can be fine. Keep intensity low and focus on breathing.

Is it better to stretch abs before or after a workout?

Dynamic stretches before, longer holds after. Before is about preparing to move well. After is about relaxing tissue and restoring comfortable range.

Can ab stretches help back pain?

Sometimes, but not always. If stretching increases low back discomfort, reduce range, try more rotation-based work, or speak with a qualified clinician.

Why do cobra stretches feel like my low back, not my abs?

Usually it is too much spinal extension too soon. Squeeze glutes, keep range smaller, and think “lengthen the spine” rather than “bend the back.”

Do ab stretches prevent soreness?

Evidence suggests stretching alone does not reliably prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness, even though it can feel good and improve flexibility over time.²

What if I feel a sharp pain in the front of my abdomen?

Stop the stretch. Sharp pain is not a normal stretching sensation. If it persists, get evaluated, especially if there is bulging, tenderness, or pain with coughing or lifting.

Prioritizing Ab Stretches: Summary

Abs are not the first muscle that comes to mind when you think of stretching, but if your abs are tight, a few targeted stretches can help. Add 2-3 ab stretches to your post-workout plan, hold each for about a minute, and breathe like you mean it. You will feel better, move better, and train with less “crunch” in the front of your body.

Interested in more great stretching content? We recommend adding a few Chest Stretches, Lat Stretches, and Glute Stretches into your weekly routine.

References

1. Afonso J, Clemente FM, Nakamura FY, et al. The Effectiveness of Post-Exercise Stretching in Short-Term and Delayed Recovery of Strength, Range of Motion and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2021. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8340604/
2. Bartels EM, Lund H, Hagen KB, et al. What Does the Cochrane Collaboration Say about Stretching Exercises? Physiotherapy Canada. 2013. (Includes citation to: Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;CD004577.) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3740997/
3. PTPioneer. ACSM CPT Chapter 16: Guidelines for Designing Flexibility Programs (summary of ACSM CPT flexibility programming guidance). https://www.ptpioneer.com/personal-training/certifications/acsm/acsm-cpt-chapter-16/