Honestly, we’ve all seen the videos. You’re scrolling through TikTok, and there’s Olivia Ponton, looking like she was sculpted out of marble, doing some move that looks deceptively easy. Then you try it. Suddenly, your abs are screaming, and you’re questioning every life choice that led you to this yoga mat.
The Olivia Ponton ab workout has become a sort of legend in the fitness influencer world. Why? Because it’s actually hard. It’s not just "aesthetic" movement for the sake of the camera; it’s a high-volume, high-intensity burn that reflects her background as a competitive athlete. Before she was a Sports Illustrated model or a social media powerhouse, she was a track runner and a water skier. That kind of explosive, functional power doesn’t just disappear.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, this isn't exactly it. But if you want to understand how she maintains that level of definition year-round, we have to look at the actual mechanics of her routine.
The 10-Minute Burn vs. The 30-Minute Grind
There’s a bit of a misconception that she only does these tiny 10-minute "soft girl" workouts. While she recently posted a 10-minute routine for those days when you’re "mindlessly" working out, her serious gym sessions are a different beast.
When she trains at Dogpound—the celebrity-favorite gym in NYC and LA—her sessions are usually an hour long. About 30 minutes of that is dedicated strictly to core variations. Think about that for a second. Most people do five minutes of crunches at the end of a workout and call it a day. Thirty minutes of intentional core work is a massive volume of stimulus.
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Her trainer, Kirk Myers, often incorporates a mix of:
- Traditional curl-up variations: Not just standard crunches, but pulses that keep the muscle under constant tension.
- TRX Suspension training: This is a secret weapon. Because the TRX is unstable, your core has to fire constantly just to keep you from wobbling.
- Weighted sit-ups: Adding external resistance to the core is how you actually build the "pop" in the muscle bellies.
Breaking Down the "Soft Girl" Ab Routine
In late 2025, Olivia shared a "soft girl core" routine that went viral because it was accessible but effective. It’s a 10-minute circuit with no equipment. If you're at home, this is basically the blueprint.
The movements focus on the entire abdominal wall, not just the "six-pack" (rectus abdominis). She hits the obliques and the deep transverse abdominis, which is what gives that snatched, tight look.
The Exercise Mix
She doesn't usually follow a rigid "3 sets of 12" structure. Instead, it’s often timed intervals—roughly 45 to 60 seconds per move.
- Slow-Mo Dead Bugs: These look easy. They aren't. If you don't keep your lower back glued to the floor, you're doing nothing. Olivia emphasizes slow, controlled limb extension.
- Plank Hip Dips: This is where the obliques come in. Moving from a forearm plank and tapping your hips side to side.
- Bicycle Crunches (with a twist): Instead of going fast, she often holds the contraction at the top for a split second.
- Leg Raises: Usually done with hands under the glutes for back support, focusing on the lower abs.
- Mountain Climbers: She uses these as a "finisher" to get the heart rate up while the core is already fatigued.
The StairMaster Secret
You cannot talk about the Olivia Ponton ab workout without talking about the StairMaster. She has been very vocal about her "love-hate" relationship with this machine.
She’s mentioned walking on the StairMaster for an hour straight.
An hour. That’s brutal.
But here is the science: The StairMaster is a secret core workout. Because you are constantly lifting your knees and stabilizing your torso against gravity, your lower abs are engaged the entire time. If you do it without holding onto the rails (which she often does), your core has to work double time to keep you balanced. It burns fat and builds functional core strength simultaneously.
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It’s Not Just the Movements: The Diet Factor
Look, we have to be real. You can do 5,000 crunches a day, but if your body fat percentage is high, those abs will stay hidden. Olivia is transparent about her lifestyle. She isn't about "starving" herself; she’s an athlete who eats for fuel.
She’s a big fan of:
- High protein intake: Often drinking protein shakes 2-3 times a week post-workout to help with muscle recovery and "toning."
- Hydration through fruit: She eats a lot of fruit throughout the week for the natural sugars and water content.
- The 80/20 Rule: She works out hard so she can enjoy her life. It’s about consistency over perfection.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest mistake people make when trying to replicate her results is speed. People see her TikToks and try to rush through the movements to get it over with.
If you watch her closely, her "intentional" workouts are all about the mind-muscle connection. You have to feel the muscle contracting. If you're just flailing your legs around during a leg raise, you're using hip flexors and momentum, not your abs.
Another thing? Frequency. She doesn't just do this once a week. It’s a lifestyle integrated into a 5-6 day a week training schedule that includes weightlifting, Pilates, and that dreaded StairMaster.
How to Start (The Actionable Part)
If you want to actually see progress using these methods, don't just copy one video and stop.
- Audit your form: Next time you do a plank, tuck your pelvis under. You'll feel your abs engage 10x more.
- Add "Core Minutes" to everything: Olivia incorporates core into her arm and back days. Use a TRX or stand on one leg during overhead presses.
- The 10-Minute Daily Challenge: Commit to 10 minutes of her "mindless" routine every morning for 14 days. It builds the habit of activation.
- Don't ignore the cardio: You don't have to do an hour on the StairMaster (honestly, who has the knees for that?), but 20 minutes of incline walking will help reveal the work you're doing on the mat.
Basically, the Olivia Ponton ab workout works because it’s high-volume and incredibly consistent. It’s not magic; it’s just a lot of time spent under tension. If you're willing to put in the 30-minute grinds alongside the 10-minute TikTok circuits, you'll actually start to see why this routine is so famous.
Start by picking three of the moves mentioned above—Dead Bugs, Hip Dips, and Leg Raises—and perform them for 1 minute each, three times through, tonight. No equipment needed, just a bit of floor space and the willingness to feel the burn.