• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Fighter’s Abs: Train Like a Kickboxer

You don't have to put a foot in the ring to get abs like a fighter.

Mike Rao

Written by Mike Rao Last updated on Oct 25, 2022

When I was younger, I wanted to get in shape fast. I wanted to get 6-pack abs, defined shoulders, and a powerful looking back. At the same time, I wanted to learn how to defend myself. One of my friends suggested that I join a kickboxing gym. I found one and started to work out with their fighters. After a few weeks, I could already start to see the results, and before long I was addicted to training. Eventually, I began to compete, and after over 20 bouts, 2 national tournaments, and a national title, I retired to help others reach their fitness goals.

Combat sports are unlike anything else in the world. When an athlete steps into the ring, they understand that they are about to risk their lives. When the round starts, the other person’s objective is to hurt you as fast as possible. Stand up fighters like kickboxers are considered to be the fittest athletes in the world. They must become so, because their survival in the ring depends on it.

But you don’t have to ever set foot in a ring in order to use the training methods of fighters. Below, I’ll share my favorite ab workout with you. It’s what I use for myself and my fighters to build the core strength that protects us from punches, and allows us to generate punching power.

The Kickboxer Ab Workout

This workout should only take you about 20 minutes, and is a great workout by itself. If you want something a bit more challenging, you can always add it onto the end of your workout as a finisher.

Round 1

This circuit contains three exercises, each performed for a minute. After each circuit (3 minutes), you may take a 30 second rest before starting the next one. Perform three total circuits.

Muay Thai Plank: 1 Minute (15 second active, 5 second break)

The Muay Thai plank is a variation of a normal plank. Get onto your elbows and knees as in a normal plank. Be sure to engage your entire body, including your glutes, back, abs, shoulders, and even hands. When you engage your body, imagine if someone were about to hit you, and you need to stiffen to protect yourself.

High Plank Walk-Outs: 1 Minute AMRAP

Hold a high plank and walk your arms forward as far as possible. When you are walking your hands out, make sure that you keep your back flat and straight, and that your hips do not sway side to side. You should walk out to a distance where you are struggling to stay up, then stop and walk back to your original starting position. Perform as many reps as possible for one minute.

Plank Skip Knee: 1 Minute AMRAP

Start in a high plank position. If you are on hardwood, you can do this in your socks, or place gliders, towels, or a piece of paper towel on your feet. If you are on carpet, you will need gliders or something that can slide smoothly on carpet. Focus on keeping your back and abs engaged as you slide your knees in and out. Try to keep your whole body still by engaging your core.

Round 2

Just as in the first round, you will perform each of the exercises in a circuit. Complete one minute of each exercise to make one circuit, and repeat the whole circuit three times, with a 30 second rest between circuits.

Leg Hold: 1 Minute 

Lay on your back with your feet straight out. Focus on engaging your core, bracing your trunk, and squeezing your shoulder blades back. This puts your spine into a neutral position that will protect it. You will feel a natural curve in your spine, this is okay. You should contact the floor with your upper back and your pelvic bone area. Place your hands to the side of you, activate your core, and raise your leg six inches off the ground. Hold for one minute.

Bicycle: 1 Minute

Lay on your back with your arms up, hands touching your head. Lift your feet up so that your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Alternate your legs in and out as you touch your elbows to your opposite knee. Make sure that you are engaging the core for the whole duration, and you are turning using your upper body and not your arms.

In and Out: 1 Minute

Lay on the ground with your legs bent and lifted into the air. You can place your hands behind you, or right behind your glutes to make it harder. Extend your legs all the way and then bring them in.

You don’t always need a gym:

Mastering Bodyweight Exercise: The Triple A Framework

Mike Rao

About Mike Rao

Mike Rao is a kickboxing and fitness coach from Toronto, Ontario. He is the 2011 North American TBA-SA Muay Thai Champion and the 2014 USMTO (National) Open Class silver medalist as well as a personal trainer with over 10 years of experience. He was team captain at York Muay Thai in Toronto, Ontario where he helped lead and coach a team of fighters to numerous provincial and national tournaments. He also represented his college varsity track team during numerous OCAA championships.

He is the founder of FSK-12, the 12-week breakthrough program based on his experience as a trainer and athlete. This method has changed the lives of thousands of clients.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Fergus Crawley 5K Run Tips Photo
Fergus Crawley Shares 5 Tips For Running a Better 5K
Actor Chris Hemsworth in gym performing dumbbell row
Chris Hemsworth Diagrams a Killer Upper Body Workout Fit For an Action Star
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About