Bodybuilder Hattie Boydle swears by core exercises like weighted deadbugs and side planks for sculpted abs

• Hattie Boydle is an Australian bodybuilder and fitness coach.
• She told Insider she "hates training abs," but still does exercises to strengthen and sculpt her core.

Hattie Boydle is an Australian bodybuilder, coach, and fitness influencer, but "fricking hates training abs," she told Insider.

The 32-year-old focuses on functional exercises that allow her to perform and move more efficiently, which build the abs as a result.

"When training my abs I think about anti-rotation work, and breaking up my upper and lower abs," she said.

Boydle strengthens her core with movements like deadbugs, single-leg hanging leg raises, and side planks.

Deadbugs

To do a deadbug, lie on your back with your lower back flush to the floor. Raise your arms straight up towards the ceiling and create a table-top position with your legs bent at 90 degrees both at the hip and the knee. Your shins should be parallel to the ground and the ceiling. This is your starting position.

Lower one arm above your head while stretching out the opposite leg (keeping it off the floor), pushing your heel away from you, exhaling, and maintaining contact between your spine and the floor.

Return both outstretched limbs to the starting position before performing the movement on the other side. Boydle likes to make these more challenging by holding weights or using a resistance band.

Single-leg hanging raises

These involve hanging from a bar above your head and lifting one leg up to 90 degrees and back down, while engaging the core to stabilize the body.

Bodybuilder Sunny Andrews told Insider she also loves the move for working the abs.

Half Turkish get-ups

A Turkish get-up is a full body exercise that begins on the back, lying on the floor, and ends with standing. They can be performed holding a weight in the raised arm, or using just bodyweight.

Lying on your back, press the weight up and fully extend your right arm. Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the ground. The left leg will remain extended flat on the ground, and should be off to the left side at a 45 degree angle. This is the starting position.

From here, curl up using your abs and push off of your left forearm. End the movement by coming up onto your left hand. Keep your right arm extended and eyes on the weight. Push up through your right foot to raise your hips off the floor. Sweep your left leg back and rest on your left knee. Reverse the motion to return to the floor.

Boydle favors the bottom half of the movement, finishing in a one-legged kneeling position: "They're really good for your anterior sling and obliques."

Side planks

Side planks can be performed at varying levels of difficulty, on the forearms or hand, with the lower leg bent and resting on the floor, both legs straight and feet apart for stability, or feet stacked on top of each other.

Engage the whole body, don't collapse in your supporting shoulder, and create a straight line down your torso to your feet. Hold the position while bracing the core.