Anybody else get nauseous rolling up and down doing sit-ups? Just me? Sensitive vestibular system, I guess. (Wish me luck this winter when I spend a week on a small boat at sea!)
Luckily, there’s a better way to strengthen the core – Planks.
Steadily holding your own body weight, positioned over your hands and toes, in a perfectly straight line provides an astonishing amount of abdominal muscle activation.
Better than sit-ups because of its ability to incorporate everything between the hips and the shoulders, the plank strengthens the core in the way that the abs function most – isometrically, in instances of stopping motion and stabilizing the spine.
The trick is finding (and then maintaining) perfect form…
Perfect Plank Form Checklist:
* Hands directly under shoulders.
* Shoulders rolled down and back (away from the ears).
* Eye gaze between the hands in order to lengthen through the spine.
* Hips in line with shoulders (no higher; no lower)
* Abs engaged.
* Thighs squeezing.
* Heels pushing back slightly.
Plank or Hover?
Some people call it a plank. Some people call it a hover. Here’s how we distinguish between the two (at least in the world of Les Mills group exercise):
* Plank is the description above – on the hands and the toes (or knees as a modification of intensity)
* Hover – ON THE ELBOWS/FOREARMS. Same tips as above, except elbows (instead of hands) under the shoulders.
Variations
Bored just holding the plank or hover position? Here are some ways to advance the move.
1. Hover with Opposite Arm/Leg Reach
Hover position. Reach opposite arm and leg out to 45 degrees. Return to hover. Repeat with other arm/leg.
2. Plank Ball Pull-Ins
Hands under shoulders, core braced, ball under shins. Pull knees in towards chest, lifting hips slightly. Return slowly with control.
OR
Plank on floor. Walk feet in, lifting hips into pike position, and then walk feet back out.
3. Up/Down Plank/Hovers
Start in Hover Position: Knees or toes. Elbows directly under shoulders, resting on your forearms. Hips level with shoulders (no mountaintops!). Tighten thighs, roll shoulders away from ears, and SQUEEZE YOUR CORE! One at a time, hands replace elbows, pushing up to plank position. Return to hover. Change lead hands halfway.
Planks. Hovers. And a few things in between… Strengthen your core with something even better than sit-ups (and less nauseating!)
Got a favorite way to plank? Share below!
Everyday Faith + Fitness 