Get strong, ripped athletic abs by training like an athlete here
If you want to test the strength of your abs, you have to give consideration to more than just how many sit-ups you can do. To truly see how strong your abs and core are you have to determine what your reactive core strength is.
In this video, I show you a quick series of 3 drills that you can do with a medicine ball to test the strength of your abdominal muscles and core. To start, sit on the floor and get a medicine ball capable of being bounced on the floor. Try to pick a weight that is at least 8 pounds here (I am demonstrating using a 12 pound medicine ball).
The first ab strength test exercise is the med ball bounce and catch. Pick either your right or left side and twist in that direction. Slam the ball from head height and see if you can catch it without allowing your hands to drop from the height they started at. Obviously, the ball has weight and wants to pull your shoulders down to the side when you catch it. The strength of your abs is going to be crucial if you are going to complete this without dropping the shoulder.
Next, you want to perform the same drill but make it more of a dynamic ab and core strength test. To do this, you will twist the ball back to the center after catching it. The strength required to do this is slightly more than the first ab exercise and it becomes much more challenging as the reps stack up. Be sure of course to test both sides to see if there are any imbalances between them.
Finally, to really test your reactive core strength and eccentric ab power, try to complete the plyo russian twist exercise shown. This explosive core strength movement is challenging and can tell you a great deal about the true strength of your abs. See if you can catch 10 consecutive in both the right and left directions.
If you want to build a lean, ripped, athletic core and abs you will want to start training like an athlete. You can do this with the complete 90 day ATHLEAN-X Training System available at to start getting yours today.
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23 comments
Jeff, I get ridiculously painful forearm pain when I curl, or lift heavier weights. I keep my wrists straight while I do so, but after I release my grip, it feels like my forearms are almost locked and there's a lasting pain that dissipates over a couple seconds. How can I alleviate this ?
that is one good conditioning exercise… Brilliant job, Jeff…
Hey Jeff, could you make a video that covers when to stretch, some good stretches to do, and what to avoid etc? Thanks a lot!
Very cool. I like this drill/test series.
@Jeff Cavaliere Hey Jeff did you grab your nuts at 3:58 haha!!!
My right pec is falling behind my left. I'm going to try exercises like single arm dumbbell incline to address this. Are there any other exercises you'd recommend to fix muscles imbalances?
I like this one and will follow up on how it worked out for me
THANK you for talking about doing ab training without letting the back arch. I teach this all the time to my clients but no one ever talks about it 🙂
Jeff, you're a Savage you know that?
I used something similair to this while I played as goalkeeper for fun =) it was however more about been flat on the floor, catch the ball as farr out as possible and not letting your hands or ball touch the ground (that means a med ball at 22 pounds may smack your face sometimes..not so funny)
You the man Jeff
Jeff,
Can you show us exercises that focus on strengthening your lower back ?
holy shit.
How did you get the hernia?
3:29 DAYUM!!!!
Maan! That was great!. You gotta compete in American ninja warrior bro!
Jeffs the fuxkin man, love this guy totally would hire if I could
paraplegic here looking for ab training with medicine ball will try this out thanks
Great stuff!
Hi Athlean-x, this oblique twist or Russian twist is one of my favorite exercises for core but I saw some videos which claim that it destroys gradually, our spines over the time. What is your view
Hey Jeff, i saw a video on another youtube channel (won't name it) that said that russian twist is bad for your spine. Especially the weighted one. Can you comment on the subject in upcoming video or comment under my question, please? How about the canoes? Guys, please thumb up, so that Jeff sees it.
No it was very easy to do that leg raise after 5 sec pause at bottum, not very easy i say i got the pump yes i did have that, but it wasnt so difficult i have nvr done abs in my life may be couple of times for tym pass i have done plank 7 times in my whole life (m just 19) and nvr done any exercise for abs still m able toh do 4 min plank with 1 min 10 kg plate on my back(last min)but still me abs are not that visible
4:30 RUSSIAN plyo twist have a good core!