Plank Exercises

1.1.1. Some Tips for Plank Exercise:

• Keep your glutes and stomach tight
• Your head and heels should be in a straight line while performing plank
• Also keep your back straight
• Make sure that hips are not sagging
• Place your elbows directly beneath the shoulder
• Feet should be hip-width apart

1.1.2. Tips for Holding a Longer Plank:

• Perform plank daily
• Divert your mind
• While doing plank, read an article to pass the first few minutes
• Never look at the timer to drop the position
• Hold a position till it hurts

1.2.    Plank Exercises for Flat Belly

1.2.1. Basic Plank

·         Lie flat on floor or yoga mat (stomach down).

·         Put your hands at the side of your chest, as if you are ready to perform push-ups.

·         Lift your body off the floor, keeping your back straight and heels together.

·         Hold the position for 10 to 60 seconds and come back to starting position.

·         Carry out two repetitions.

1.2.2. Forearm Plank:

o   Made for those who have injury-prone wrists, the forearm plank is a classic exercise for a reason:

o   It emphasizes all of your core muscles by resisting rotation!

·         Start in a push-up position on forearms.

·         Keep arms perpendicular to body, forming a straight line from shoulders to ankles.

·         Engage core and hold for thirty seconds.

Trainer Tip:

o   Roll your shoulders back before you get into position.

o   This will help sustain an open chest during your plank.

o   Squeeze your butt! It'll facilitate a flat, lower back through the entire exercise, which will keep you from rounding or hyperextending the lumbar spine, which could lead to disc herniations and pinched nerves.

1.2.3. Side Plank

·         Lie down on your right side on the yoga mat.

·         Put your left hand on your waist and right hand on the floor such that your forearm is at a right angle to the body.

·         Now, slowly lift the body, balancing your whole body weight on the right hand and right foot.

·         Stay in this position for as long as you can and repeat it, on the other side.

·         Give the obliques a little action with a side planks – be sure to keep the hips lifted

1.2.4. Plank with Arm Lift

·         Start with a basic plank position.

·         Stay in the pose for 5 seconds, and then transfer your weight to the right forearm.

·         Raise your left arm to shoulder height and hold the position for 1 to 2 seconds.

·         Slowly, return to basic plank pose and repeat with other arm.

·         Do 3 to 5 reps on each arm.

1.2.5. Plank with Leg Lift

·         Begin with a basic plank position.

·         Hold the position for 5 seconds, and then transfer your weight to the left foot.

·         Gradually, lift right leg off the floor with the toe pointed down.

·         Stay in this pose for 5 seconds and come back to original position.

·         Repeat the movement with another leg.

1.2.6. Side plank with knee lift- one side only

• go in the position of a side plank
• move the knee forward and back
• don´t forget to breath

1.2.7. Plank Jacks:

o   If you've gotten your front plank down to a science, crank it up a notch by adding dynamic movement!

o   Get the blood flowing by jacking the feet in and out from your plank position.

·         Hop your toes to the outside of a yoga mat and then back together while maintaining your pretty, flat back.

·         Start in a full plank position with feet together and abs tight. Jump feet apart into a wide V, then immediately jump them back together (like a jumping jack).

·         That's 1 rep. Start by incorporating 8 reps into your circuit.

·         If this feels super easy, up the number to 10. Consider increasing by two reps every two weeks as long as you can maintain strong form.

Trainer Tip:

o   Keep your shoulders over your hands.

o   The shoulders can take a major beating during this exercise if you're not careful.

o   By keeping them in proper alignment, the core is doing all the work!

1.2.8. Side Forearm Plank:

Sister to your front plank, the side plank highlights muscles that help you rotate quickly and safely. Extra perk? A nipped-in waistline will be yours in no time.

·         Lie on side with bottom elbow on the floor.

·         Raise hips so that the body forms a straight line from ankles to shoulders.

·         Extend the top arm laterally so that it is perpendicular to the floor.

·         Engage core and hold for 30 seconds.

Trainer Tip:

o   Start simple. Begin with your bottom knee on the ground to reiterate proper muscle activation.

o   Envision sending your bottom hip to the sky.

o   If you feel like this is more of a stretch than a workout, straighten your legs and try to stagger your feet with your top foot in front of your bottom foot.

o   Still yawning? Stack the feet! Keep an eye on squaring off your top and bottom hip the entire time.

1.2.9. Pike Plank:

• Not only do you get a nice stretch but you put your core in motion which adds a level of difficulty.

1.2.10.   High Plank:  

• Recruit more of your chest muscles by moving up to your hands.

1.2.11.   High-to-Low Plank Walk-downs:

•  Add a major degree of difficulty by moving up and down between high and low plank.

1.2.12.   Lateral Plank Walk

• This move will challenge your core and define your deltoids, shaping your shoulders.

• Begin in plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders, and your body in one straight line.
• Simultaneously cross your right hand toward the left as you step your left foot out to the left.
• Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, returning to the plank position.
• Your hands move together as your feet step apart.
• Take two more steps in this direction, keeping your abs pulled toward your spine and your pelvis level.
• This completes one rep.
• Reverse directions taking three steps the right.
• Do 15 reps in each direction to complete one set.

Hip Taps:

Rotation through the trunk to drop the hips to the floor will surely get your obliques screaming!