Build wash board abs one plank at a time

BIG_Lew
BIG_Lew Posts: 513 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Everybody wants defined abs. Good thing there are so many different abdominal exercises to choose from — you'll never get bored as you work your way toward washboard abs!

Here are three versions of the plank, a move that works the lower back, chest, and shoulders in addition to the rectus abdominis.

Basic Plank (beginner) Start in a push-up position, but keep your hands directly under your shoulders instead of outside your chest. Legs are extended straight behind you, with feet together. You are balancing on your palms and the balls of your feet. Hold this position for as long as you can, working your way up to 1 minute. It's a lot harder than it sounds!

Plank Twists (intermediate) Start in plank position. Maintaining this position, exhale and rotate your torso by bringing your right knee in toward your left armpit. Return to the starting position, then repeat, bringing the left knee toward the right armpit. Plank twists work not only the rectus abdominis but also the internal obliques.

Extended Plank (advanced) Start in a basic plank position, but instead of placing your hands under your shoulders, bring your hands together and place them on the floor in front of you (about 3 inches in front of your head). This variation places much greater emphasis and concentration on the rectus abdominis because you're not able to use your arms as pillars to support your body weight.

Before trying any type of plank exercise, review these tips on performance: Be sure to focus on keeping your spine neutral (straight).

Keep your eyes focused on the ground in front of you.

Don't arch your back. Imagine that you are pulling your belly button up toward the ceiling.

Until you've mastered them, do these exercises in front of a mirror to check your form. You don't have to watch yourself the entire time — just check in, particularly toward the end of the interval or set, when your muscles start to fatigue.

Replies

  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    bump
  • mcdonl
    mcdonl Posts: 342 Member
    Thanks Big Lew those are great exercises.....
  • rosied915
    rosied915 Posts: 799 Member
    Awesome!!

    Already doing #1 & 2 and will give #3 a try!

    How about "walking planks"? Start out in plank on your elbows. Slowly replace each elbow with your hands so you are in traditional plank. Do the same going back down on to your elbows. Repeat until fatigued.

    (I did these with my gym Trainer and Jillian Michaels does them too)
  • missdaisy79
    missdaisy79 Posts: 566 Member
    Excellent advice. I utterly suck at doing planks, but reading your breakdown of the basic plank has encouraged me to give it a go, especially as I've just started 30DS and people have said they are coming up at level 2.
  • uniquemoves
    uniquemoves Posts: 100 Member
    bump
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    no doubt planks are a decent exercise for the core, but the article/post misses out on the most important part about "getting" abs, shedding bodyfat. you can do all the planks and crunches and whatever as much as you want, but they won't do anything to get rid of a layer of fat over your abdominals
  • JaydeSkye
    JaydeSkye Posts: 282 Member
    I appreciate you taking the time to explain each variation. I did these with my trainer last week, but we did a different variation. I was on my toes and elbows. My elbows were elevated on a heightened step. I felt uncomfortable, not in the working my core kind of uncomfortable, but the angle was akward. I had no problem holding the position, it just felt like I was doing an incorrect push up. (my butt being higher up than my shoulders and back). After about 5 sets and my trainer constantly telling me to lift my butt, I did it right, but it still felt wrong. Where am I susposed to "feel" it? My lower abs? All over? Still not sure I did it right.

    Also I agree with the statement that you cannot rely on ab exercises alone and that diet and fat burning exercise is also an important combination. I have hard abs under there somewhere, but since I'm at 24% bodyfat, you still can't SEE them.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    We do tons of planks in my pilates class and I have never lost inches in my hips/waist so quickly! Also, forearm planks have really toned up my arms like nobody's business. The most important thing is to keep your back straight and not let it sag down. If you are sagging, not only does your posture suck but you aren't working your abs as hard as you could.

    Great descriptions of different planks, thanks!
  • nixickle
    nixickle Posts: 229 Member
    Just bumping this so it's in my topics :smile:

    Thankyou btw! I'm just about to start doing planks as my abs split through pregnancy and though my tummy is flatish, crunches and sit ups are re-increasing my split! Hopefully these should help keep the thing closed!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories