5 Planks That Aren't Easy Or Boring - Part 2

Despite what you might think, planks don’t have to be easy or boring. Once you have mastered the fundamentals there are countless possibilities. ⁣

⁣Here are 5 plank variations that are not easy or boring. ⁣⁣Your goal during all of these exercises should be to focus on form, body position, tension, and stability, NOT exhaustion!!

Read part 1 of this series

Also, regular planks that are being performed correctly and mindfully should not feel ‘’too easy.’’ Be sure to read my article Do A Better Plank, Not A Longer Plank BEFORE you try these exercises!

#1) Single Arm Anti-Rotational Weight Transfers From Feet Elevated Plank

This “plank” improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core stability), and shoulder and scapular stability.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet, and elevate your feet on a stable surface.

On the planted side, your hand should be underneath your shoulder. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or screwing your hand and fingers to the ground.

On the other side of your body, place a weighted object.

Now move the weight to the opposite side of your body. Then perform the reverse movement and return the weight to the starting position.

Perform the target number of reps on one side before switching sides.

The farther away the weight travels from the midline of your body, the more challenging the exercise will be.

Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the ground/towards the sky and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

Before each weight transfer, do a proper reset (360 degree breath in, 360 degree brace, rib tuck (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), glute squeeze, etc).

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, aside from your moving arm, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Single Arm Rows From Forearm Elevated Plank

This core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core stability), and shoulder and scapular stability.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your forearm and feet, and elevate your forearm on a stable surface.

On the planted side, your elbow should be underneath your shoulder.

On the other side of your body, place a weighted object.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

While maintaining the plank position, perform single arm rows. In the top position of the row, do not ⁣⁣allow your elbow to flare out, and during the lowering component do not keep your shoulder blade pinned (many people do).

Perform the target number of reps on one side before switching sides.

Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the surface/towards the sky and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, aside from your moving arm, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Single Arm Rows From Feet Elevated Plank

This core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core stability), and shoulder and scapular stability.

Make sure you can do exercise #2 proficiently before you attempt this more difficult variation.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet, and elevate your feet on a stable surface.

On the planted side, your hand should be underneath your shoulder. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or screwing your hand and fingers to the ground.

On the other side of your body, place a weighted object.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

While maintaining the plank position, perform single arm rows. In the top position of the row, do not ⁣⁣allow your elbow to flare out, and during the lowering component do not keep your shoulder blade pinned (many people do).

If you want to use a greater range of motion during the rows, you can elevate your planted hand on a stable object like a box, heavy dumbbell, etc.

Perform the target number of reps on one side before switching sides.

Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the ground/towards the sky and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, aside from your moving arm, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#4) Feet Elevated Forearms To Hands Presses

This core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core stability), and shoulder and scapular stability.

Make sure you can do the exercise proficiently with your feet on the floor before you do this more advanced variation. You can further modify by elevating your forearms on a stable surface (while keeping your feet on the ground).

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your forearms and feet, and elevate your feet on a stable surface.

Your shoulders should be above your elbows.⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

While keeping your body as still as possible, press up onto your hands. This will be very difficult.⁣

When you are pressing up onto your hands/when you are in the top position, spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning/screwing them to the ground.⁣

Gain a second of control, then perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.

Before each rep, do a proper reset (360 degree breath in, 360 degree brace, rib tuck (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), glute squeeze, etc).

For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the ground/towards the sky and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart, and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.⁣⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Push-Ups

As I talk about all the time, a properly executed push-up is a moving plank! Push-ups strengthen the shoulders, chest, and triceps, improve lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

If you are not yet ready for push-ups on the ground, hands elevated push-ups are a great option! I hugely prefer them to kneeling push-ups.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.

While maintaining the same body positioning, gaze directly down to a spot on the ground. For the duration of the exercise, your eyes should remain fixed on this spot.

Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Figure out what hand width and positioning works and feels best for you.

At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.

Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to suction or screw your full hands and fingers to the ground.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.

Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement. Imagine you are pulling or “rowing” your body down to the surface. Do not just drop down.

In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out. In the bottom position, your body and arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.

Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the elevated surface, press up and return to the starting position. When you are pressing your body away from the surface and are returning to the top position, protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine, and around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and as your body is returning to the top position of the push-up.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.