Happy Halloween! One of my go-to costumes over the years has been sexy pirate -- along with sexy kitten, sexy flight attendant, sexy aerobics instructor and trampire (i.e., sexy vampire). Just kidding! Kind of....
In keeping with the pirate theme, below are some ways to vary one of the very best ab, lower back and glute exercises around: the plank. When doing any of these variations, remember to squeeze your glutes, keep your core tight and hold your body in a straight line from heel to shoulder -- no saggy hips!
"Take Your Elbow Plank for a Walk" from FitSugar
The Basics: Keeping your feet in place, walk your elbows back and forth while holding plank position. Start by taking one step forward with each arm and work up to two apiece.
"Four Ways to Rock the Plank" (a slideshow!), also from FitSugar
The Basics: 1) Regular plank on elbows; 2) Donkey Kick: Holding plank position from your forearms, bend one leg at a time, reaching your heel toward the ceiling; 3) Side Plank with Leg Lift: From side plank position, raise your top leg; 4) Plank to Pike: Starting with your feet on a Swiss/stability ball and hands planted firmly on the floor, raise your hips toward the ceiling until you're in a pike position. Tip: Keep your eyes on the floor ahead of you, not at the ball at your feet.
"Exercises You Should Be Doing (Prone Plank Switches)" from Step Up!
The Basics: Stack 8 to 10 five-pound plates outside of one of your elbows. Reaching over with your opposite hand, move the plates to the other side, one at a time. Reverse arms and directions, and make sure your hips don't shift back and forth.
"Who Says Muscles on Women Aren't Attractive?" from Female Fitness and Nutrition Scientist
The Basics: From an elevated plank/pushup position, arms straight and hands gripping dumbbells, alternate dumbbell rows. If you're up for it, add a pushup between reps.
"Voterobics" from Fit Bottomed Girls
The Basics: To do a "right-wing-left-wing plank," hold plank and alternate tapping each foot out to the side.
"Graduated to Planks on a BOSU Ball" from She Can Run
The Basics: Hold plank position with your feet on a BOSU Balance Trainer.
"Never Do Crunches Again" from Alwyn Cosgrove
The Basics: Hold plank position with your forearms on a Swiss/stability ball.
"Upper-Body Step-Ups" from CrossFit Philly
The Basics: From a pushup/plank position, walk both hands up onto a weight plate or low step in front of your hands. Once both hands are up, move both back down and repeat continuously for a minute (cadence is up up down down up up down down and so on). Don't let your hips rock from side to side.
"Advanced Ab Workout Plan" from Vince DelMonte's No-Nonsense Muscle Building
The Basics: Do a mini circuit with these exercises, building up to two sets of 20 each. 1) Plank in pushup position, 10 legs raises each leg; 2) Plank from elbow position, 10 leg raises each leg; 3) Side plank from hand position,10 legs raises each leg; 4) Side plank from elbow position, 10 leg raises each leg.
"Mountain Climbers" from Body Weight Workouts
The Basics: From a sprinter's-start plank, alternate which knee you bring up to your chest, switching which foot is under you in an explosive movement. Shoot to continue for a minute. Great demo video at www.wonderhowto.com.
"Get an Action Hero Body" from The Val Blog
The Basics: To do a "ValSlide Painful Pushaway," get in pushup/plank position with a Valslide under each hand (you can also use a slideboard or hold two towels against a wooden floor). Hold abs tight and slowly slide both hands out a few inches in front of your shoulders until you are just barely able to maintain the position. Walk your toes in a couple of steps to come back to a comfortable plank position. Continue for reps.
"The 5 Exercises You Should Be Doing" from That's Fit
The Basics: To do planks with alternating knee raises, start in a pushup/plank position and alternate bringing each knee up to the opposite shoulder.
Got any other plank variations you'd like to share? And, whatcha going to be for Halloween?
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(photo credit: jasmin0916)
Thanks for all these great resources, Jen. The plank is my favorite ab exercise, so I'll definitely be coming back to this for suggestions on how to mix it up. Happy Halloween!
This post couldn't have been more timely. I've just started doing a "core" workout three times a week, which includes the plank. One of the things I do is, starting out in the plank position, I alternate lifting each arm up and stretching it out in front of me. Harder than it sounds! These links give me some more ideas, so thanks!
posts galore!!!
jen, you need to try superman planks
What a great fun list! (And thanks for including us.) :)
Arghhhh, matey! I hate planks, but at least variety is the spice of life!
Jamie,
Mine, too -- enjoy!
Monica,
Good tip on the arm raises! Thank you!
Greg,
Another goodie. (All: Looks like it is plank from elbows, simultaneously lifting opposite arm and leg: www.trainwithmeonline.com/how_to_do_101_1640_0_0_Plank_Superman.html)
FBG,
Loved your voter variation -- very timely. :)
Kate,
Indeed.
How could I forget the log roll?! One of my favorites.
Photos and video demo at www.criticalbench.com/exercises/stability-ball-log-roll.htm.
I like to have my clients do a SB Plank with their elbows on the ball. I then try to pull, push, or swing the ball from underneath them. This forces them to pull in their core rather than push out greatly increasing the intensity.