Build Abs Like Megan Thee Stallion: 3 Tips From a Personal Trainer
How To Build Abs Like Megan Thee Stallion: 3 Tips From A Personal Trainer
Want to build killer abs and core strength like the legendary hot girl Megan Thee Stallion? Well, take a look at the rapper’s Instagram page for a few tips. When it comes to building both areas, the options go far, and Megan’s routine, while full-body, puts a strong spotlight on core and fiery ab engagement throughout her latest routine posted on July 19.
The 30-year-old Grammy-winner can be seen powering through a variety of 10 different challenging workout routines structured to hit everything from her abs and obliques to her pelvis, diaphragm, and hip muscles, with a little help from her new man, NBA star Klay Thompson. While cute, Megan–who has been on a fitness journey since 2021, according to Yahoo—put in serious work, banging out several reps and applying the correct amount of tension needed to sculpt those perfect abs.
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Here’s what we can learn from the music titan’s killer workout.
1. Core and ab training isn’t just about crunches, and it shows in Megan’s workout.
Katie Pierson, CPT, a Montana-based certified personal trainer and contributor at Indoor Cycling Love, told SELF in an interview published July 22, that she loves the Houston-bred hip-hop star’s routine in this video because it shows that a really good ab and core routine should contain more than just boring old crunches and sit-ups.
Megan trained her core and abs through a variety of dynamic and functional patterns. This approach builds true, well-rounded strength, helping your body handle real-life challenges like lifting a heavy box, twisting to load groceries, or keeping your balance when your dog decides to play linebacker.
Russian twists add a rotational element, lighting up the obliques (the muscles along your sides) while planks provide isometric tension, the perfect move for engaging your deep core muscles and keeping your body stable, especially your transverse abdominis.
Megan didn’t stop at core-specific moves, though. Lifts like the sled push, her bar squat, and single-arm overhead press were part of the mix too. While they primarily hit the lower body, they also demand core activation to stabilize the spine under load. That’s what makes these movements so powerful: they challenge multiple systems at once.
“She’s really fatiguing her muscles in different ways and changing the training stimulus,” Pierson explained to SELF. “If you’re doing just one type of movement, your body is going to adapt,” the fitness expert added, noting that once a specific muscle group no longer feels challenged, strength in the area may decline. That’s why variety is key for sustaining long-term results and keeping those muscles activated.
If you’re looking for another way to spice up your ab routine with help from the “Mamushi” rapper, be sure to look back at some of her older workout videos, too. Megan is a big fan of compound exercises, which are multi-joint movements that target multiple muscle groups at once. A video shared during her 2024 interview with Women’s Health captured the femcee doing duckwalks, a low squatting exercise, while holding a heavy kettlebell. She could also be seen doing a HIIT exercise where she jumped before plunging into deep push-ups, targeting her arms and legs in one powerful exercise.
2. Tailoring movements to your current ability is smart and essential.
Pierson said she also loves how the “WAP” rapper makes smart adjustments to ensure her form stays solid. These modifications aren’t a sign of weakness; they’re how you progress safely and effectively. As Pierson points out, proper form not only prevents injury but ensures you’re actually getting the full benefit of the movement.
Take the ab wheel rollout, for example. It’s an advanced core exercise that demands strict spinal alignment; arching your back can lead to strain. Megan shortens her range of motion to maintain control, stopping before full extension. This tweak keeps her alignment intact and protects her lower back while still challenging her core.
Another tough move? The pull-up. This upper-body burner also seriously taxes the core and abs. To make the movement more accessible, Megan uses a resistance band for assistance and gets help from her boyfriend to finish the set. That kind of support is crucial when you’re building up to a challenging move like this.
“I love that she’s using the band for those,” Pierson said.
A 2024 report from GymMaster found that equipment-related injuries are among the most frequent incidents in gym settings. Many of these injuries stem from the incorrect use of machines, weights, and other fitness tools, often resulting in strains, sprains, or even fractures. Adapted workouts and proper training on how to use equipment safely can greatly lower the risk.
Megan did another variation of the ab wheel rollout in a video posted to her Instagram on March 27, this time lying on her back. It looks like a total ab and core burner. Give it a shot if you’re up for the challenge.
3. Never underestimate the importance of a proper cooldown.
The session wraps up with Megan and Klay moving through a cooldown, a step that often gets skipped, but shouldn’t. Stretching and cooling down help the body transition out of intense effort mode and into recovery. Megan helps Klay through a hamstring stretch and a happy baby variation, both great for relaxing tight muscles and easing post-workout tension. It’s a gentle yet effective pose that stretches the hips, inner thighs, hamstrings, and lower back.
As Pierson explains, even just a few minutes of cooldown can improve flexibility, reduce soreness, and help your nervous system wind down after training. It might not feel as intense as the rest of the workout, but cooldowns are a vital part of any strength routine. Think of them as the bridge between effort and recovery.
This strategy is also great for avoiding another major risk factor—overexertion. According to GymMaster, this happens when gym-goers push past their physical limits, which can lead to muscle tears, ligament damage, and extreme fatigue. To minimize the chance of these injuries, it’s important to engage in a dynamic warm-up pre-workout and a good cool-down routine after. Megan has a solid one.
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