




09
I’m the #1 fan of the Plank. I can just see my clients nodding their heads, yes, yes, its true. I love it because it strengthens the entire core, the upper body, and the legs. In fact, nearly every muscle is engaged during the plank. Except the obliques. Luckily, there is a version of the plank designed just for those pesky muscles that are hard to target. It is called the “side plank.” Go figure. And I know I’ve said this a million times, “gravity makes the best resistance.” There, I said it a million and one. The side plank is a prime example of a working muscle fighting gravity. You’ll see what I mean in a moment (because I know you’ll be incensed to try this exercise right away. wink.)
Level 1: start with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and, lifting hips off the floor, hold the position until you break form. Note: your elbow and knee(s) are your contact points. The next progression (Level 2), when you are ready, is to do this exercise with straight legs, although legs may be spaced apart slightly to increase your base of support. Again, hips are lifted off the floor until the body is in alignment from head to toes. When you are ready for a more advanced version of this exercise, stack your feet right on top of each other, so that your body is in alignment from shoulder/elbow to the feet. In this case, your contact points will be your elbow and one foot, with the top foot stacked on top of the bottom foot, as shown in the picture above.
Tip: Keep your head neutral and eyes forward during this exercise. It is also important to keep the elbow stacked directly under the shoulder.
To add yet another degree of difficulty to this exercise, you could hold a hand weight up in the air (imagine the lady to the left here holding a 3 or 5lb dumbbell in her right hand), or against the top of the hip.
More core strengthening exercises: Stability Ball Knee Tucks, the Lizard Crawl, and 5 more core exercises that I love!
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.