September 30, 2026, 4:03 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Laughter lifts the mood, reduces stress, and simply makes many people feel good. But can a hearty laugh also engage the core? Researchers have indeed investigated whether laughter is more than just an emotional mood booster–with a surprising result.
What Happens to the Abdominal Muscles When You Laugh
The fact that your stomach sometimes hurts after a long laughing fit is no coincidence. Scientists at the University of Münster in Germany explored as early as 2014 how much laughter strains the abdominal muscles.1
For their study, the researchers measured muscle activity during laughter yoga and compared it to that during crunches. The result: The abdominal muscles were activated just as intensely during laughter yoga as they were during the classic fitness exercise. The external oblique muscles were even more engaged by laughter than by crunches. The study’s conclusion is clear: Intense laughter has–at least in the short term–a measurable effect on the abdominal muscles.
Laughter Partially Acts Like Light Endurance Training
Other studies also suggest that laughter not only improves mood but also supports physical fitness.2 There is evidence that intense laughter affects the body in some ways similar to light endurance training. Especially vigorous and sustained laughter seems comparable to the more intense phases of interval training. Thus, the physical exertion is somewhat similar to that of many abdominal workouts.
Are Sit-ups and Crunches Really Ineffective Ab Exercises? Here’s What the Expert Says
4 Standing Ab Exercises – No Equipment Needed
Small Abdominal Exercises for Everyday Life
Not only laughter, but also everyday movements or conscious tensing while sitting can benefit the body and enhance well-being. Try the following:
- Consciously tense your abs: Even while brushing your teeth or working at your desk, you can repeatedly tense and relax your core muscles. Maintaining an upright posture also helps activate the core more.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator: Climbing stairs not only gets your heart and circulation going. In addition to the glutes and leg muscles, the abs also benefit, especially if you consciously keep your core stable during the effort.
- Use groceries as training weights: Carrying and lifting heavier items challenges the entire body. Those who carry loads with both arms in front of the torso and squat when lifting engage not only the back and legs but also the core muscles.
- Small exercises while sitting: Light strengthening exercises can also be integrated at your desk. Sit upright, tense your abs, and lift your bent legs slightly off the floor. Extending your legs a bit further increases the load on the lower abs.
Personal trainer Jörn Giersberg recommends the following exercise for everyday life: desk plank. “To perform it, sit on the edge of a stable desk, let your legs hang down bent, place your hands beside your hips, and lift your buttocks,” explains the fitness expert. “Even if your buttocks only lift slightly at first, it creates strong tension in the upper body and lower abs. A way to increase the difficulty is to perform it with straight legs.”
Real Change Only Through Targeted Training
However, according to Giersberg, if you want to achieve visible and long-term changes in your abdominal muscles, you can’t avoid targeted training. Laughter and everyday movements do not provide the necessary stimuli for this. “To achieve visible progress like stronger or firmer abs, training must exceed a specific stimulus threshold,” the trainer emphasizes. “Although subtle tensions are better than complete inactivity, they produce little or no real training effect.” In this article you will find exercises that trainer Alina Bock recommends at FITBOOK for a six-pack.