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Plank Technique for a Stronger Core with Several Variations (with videos)

Dave Reddy Military Fitness Consultingdoinng side planks
“I love the smell of 60 side planking soldiers in the morning.” This is a side plank – push up set we did with Army reservists at Jefferson Barracks. Check out the video below of me demonstrating this move.

Simplicity usually = awesome. Therefore, let’s just say planks = good. Abdominal crunches = bad. Your abdominal muscles, rather your core (think of your “core” as everything from your upper thighs and pelvis to your lower rib cage and waist) functions to BRACE your mid section.

When you squat down to pick something up for example, ideally, your “corset” of muscles (AKA your core) act as a web of muscle tissue running in every direction between your pelvis, your rib cage and spine. When they contract together, you will have a strong torso, protected back, and the ability to maintain strong, durable posture whether standing, bending over or squatting down.

“Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep … he merely planks for 8 hours a night.”

Needless to say, Chuck is awesome, but the point of this quote is to make the point that we live as we exercise. So while Chuck Norris can plank for 8 hours every night, doing just a few minutes (10 seconds at a time working up to 45-60 seconds max) will help you find, activate and strengthen your deep core muscles.

So again, we live as we train. If we do not exercise at all, your daily movement (walking to work, typing all day long, picking up your kids, walking the stairs) suffers. If you train with poor posture (and God knows we see it every day in the fitness center), you will stand around with bad posture telling your friends how much you “workout.” Don’t be that guy (or gal;)

So while your intention may be like totally fantabulous when it comes to strengthening you core and tightening your waist, using the cues in the first video below will make sure your planks (among other abdominal exercises) are doing what you want them to do, which includes:

  • integrate your entire chain of muscles together from hands to toes
  • train you to breathe (somewhat) regularly while holding your abdominal wall tight
  • train the important muscles just peripheral to your core, that is your rib cage and shoulder blades, spinal (think posture) muscles, and all the muscles that stabilize and mobilize your pelvis during movement
  • several other really cool benefits that allow you to walk, run and play more often.

Begin with either a elbows and knees or elbows and toes position for 10-60 seconds at a time. This first video is of me working with April on her Push Up Plank while discussing her shoulder and elbow position to maximize tension in her muscles and not her neck and joints. The following videos after that show a few variations …

Becky demonstrating a BOSU Plank – after you can hold this for 30 seconds, increase the intensity by lifting one foot at a time a few inches off of the floor for 5-10 seconds at a time

Dave doing a Plank Up Down – perform one per side, then two per side and so on up to about 5 per side equaling one set – keep your hips as square to the floor as possible.Read More »Plank Technique for a Stronger Core with Several Variations (with videos)