There are some moves we really feel working our abs and core when we do them. But there are others we don’t realize worked certain muscles until we are sore the next day!
These 3 compound exercises are a great way to strength multiple large muscles at once while also really working your core.
They are part of any core program I create because they not only help you burn more calories during your workout by working more muscles at once, but they also help you build strength while targeting your core.
Because a strong, lean core means doing more than just crunches!
Try using these three moves in your routine. The first two are even perfect as part of your upper body day!
Pull Up Holds:
Yup. Pull Up Holds. Now you may be thinking, “I can’t even do one pull up. How am I supposed to HOLD at the top!?”
A. Often if we set at the top we can perform short holds even if we aren’t yet able to complete a full one.
B. These holds can be done at the top, middle or even as an active hang at the bottom.
C. You can do them with your foot down for assistance so you take on as much weight as you can handle!
But pull ups are a more core intensive movement than we give them credit for. It’s why if you want to improve your pull ups, you also need to work on your core strength.
Or if your goal is a strong, lean core, you should also include some pull up work in your core routine. They will work not only your biceps but also your lats, serratus anterior and abs!
To make a hold even more intensive, if you’re ready for a challenge, you can add in bicycles or leg raises or knee tucks as you hold at the top!
The three basic Pull Up Holds are:
Dead Hang – To do the Dead Hang, grab the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Your palms can be facing toward you or away. Then hang from the bar with your arms straight. Your shoulders will be a bit raised as you hang from the bar. Press your chest up and out as you draw your shoulder blades together. Feel your shoulders sink down and your neck elongates as you retract your shoulder blades and hold. You should feel your back work as you hang. If you struggle with this, you may need to start with just a basic hang.
Mid-Pull Up Hold – The Mid-Pull Up Hold is where you hold with your arms bent to about 90 degrees. Grab the bar and either pull up or set up with your arms bent to 90 degrees. Then hang, keeping your arms bent and chest pressed out. Don’t shrug or tuck your head as you hold. Really try to lead with your chest and feel the muscles of your back working. You can do a “mid” hold from really anywhere between the Dead Hang and full Pull Up and Hold.
Pull Up and Hold – To do the Pull Up and Hold, set up at the top of the Pull Up with your chin above the bar and your chest pressed out. Hold here with your chin over the bar or even the bar at your chest. Keep your core tight and let your legs hang down as you hold your chin above the bar. Make your back and core really work with this move. Do not let your shoulders start to shrug as you hold. If you start to lose the hold, lower yourself down as slowly as you can and then perform a dead hang for a few extra seconds. If you can’t yet handle your full weight for the hold, lightly touch a foot down to the ground.
Push Up Holds:
Push Ups are basically moving planks that also work your chest, shoulders and triceps.
And when you HOLD at different points in the push up, you force your abs, and core in general, to work hard to maintain that nice straight line from your head to your heels.
Not only will you feel your abs and upper body working, but you’ll even feel your quads, inner thighs and glutes potentially working!
And if you can’t yet do a full push up from your toes, you can do these off an incline even for the best results OR potentially set at the position and perform shorter holds! Knee push up holds are also an option, BUT an incline is better for a more core-intensive movement!
The three basic Push Up Holds are:
High Push Up Hold – Use this hold to improve your lockout and strengthen your core and shoulders. To do the High Push Up Hold, set up at the top of a push up with your feet together and your hands under your shoulders but outside your chest. Your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels (with your legs straight). Engage your abs, glutes, quads and back. Do not shrug your shoulders. Make sure your legs are engaged and you are driving back through your heels not coming forward onto your toes. Do not tuck your chin. To regress this move, hold from your hands and knees.
Mid Push Up Hold – This is a great move to work your core, chest, shoulders and triceps. This move will be harder on your core than the high hold because you have to keep it even as your chest, shoulders and triceps ares struggling to work. Set up at the top of a Push Up with your feet together and your hands under your shoulders and just outside your chest. With your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, bend your elbows to about 90 degrees and lower and hold. Do not let your hips sink or your butt go up toward the ceiling as you hold at that mid-point. Do not tuck your chin or let your elbows flare way out. You want your arms and body to create an arrow shape. Hold as close to 90 degrees as you can. Regress the hold by doing it from your knees.
Bottom Push Up Hold – This is the hardest of all three holds because you’ve got to keep everything engaged while holding an inch off the ground. This hold is great if you struggle to keep your core engaged as you press back up from the bottom of a Push Up. This is actually a great hold for any beginner looking to achieve their first full Push Up from their toes. To do the Bottom Push Up Hold, set up at the top of a Push Up and then, keeping your body in a nice straight line and everything engaged, lower down until your chest is an inch off the ground. Make sure to engage your glutes and quads to keep your body in a nice straight line. Do not tuck your chin, let your hips sag toward the ground or your butt go up in the air. Do not let your elbows flare way out as you hold. You can also do this from your knees or off an incline even. Really focus on engaging your entire core as you hold.
Jack Burpee:
Burpees are not only killer cardio moves, but can also be used to target a variety of muscles. And the Jack Burpee is a great way to work your abs more as well as even your glutes!
Because you have to hold that plank position to perform the plank jack, your core is going to spend extra time under tension. And the plyo jack at the top will not only help get your blood pumping but also even work your glutes a bit more.
Beginners may modify the move by stepping instead of jumping and may perform a basic jumping jack or even step jack.
To do the Jack Burpee, start standing with your feet together. Then bend over and place your hands on the ground as you jump your feet back into a high plank position with your feet together.
From that high plank position with your feet together, jump your feet out wide. Do not let your butt go up in the air as you jump your feet out. Jump your feet back together then jump your feet into your hands and come up back up to standing.
As you lift your hands and come back to standing, perform either a basic Jumping Jack or a Plyo Jumping Jack. If you do the Plyo Jack, you will jump up off the ground as you spread your legs wide and swing your arms up to the side and overhead.
To regress the movement, step back into a plank position instead of jumping back. You can also step your feet out to the side and back in when doing the Plank Jack. And at the top, perform a Basic Jumping Jack or even no Jack at all.
The quicker you do the movement and the bigger and higher your Plyo Jack is at the top, the harder the move will be.
There are 3 parts to a proper core training routine – Activate, Integrate and HIIT. These three moves are perfect to Integrate. To learn more about all three components, click here.
The Side Plank…we love to hate it, but it is a must-do move if you want to build core stability and strength.
It’s a unilateral move that can correct imbalances and really works the abs, obliques, glutes, lats, and shoulders.
However, it is a tough move that many of us don’t do correctly, leaving us feeling like it is impossible to do or not as effective as it should be!
Because, like with all planks, it isn’t just about holding LONGER, but engaging the right muscles HARDER.
Let’s first take a look at the basic Side Plank and proper form. Then I’ll go over some great ways to modify the move to build up as well as some fun variations you can include in your workouts!
The Basic Side Plank Form:
To do the Side Plank, start lying on your side with your top leg in front of your bottom leg, propped up on your elbow with your elbow under your shoulder. Rest on the inside of your front foot and outside of your back foot and then flex your feet as you lift up.
Lift your body up into a straight line, driving through your feet and elbow. Do not shrug your shoulder as you hold. Make sure that shoulder is aligned right over your elbow. Feel the side of your back under your armpit engage to support your shoulder as you lift up. You may even feel the muscles down the side of your rib cage.
Make sure too that you aren’t rotating toward the ground. Squeeze your butt and keep your body in a nice straight line as you lift up and hold.
Feel your glute and oblique working to lift that bottom hip up. You want to engage everything down the side of your body from your shoulder to your feet. Brace your abs, feeling everything engage.
Too often we just “rest” on the sides of our feet. But especially as we progress the plank, we need to create tension even through our lower leg. This not only helps us stay up and engage our glute, but it also prevents unneeded stress on our knees. So flex your feet to create tension all the way down.
Hold here and focus on what muscles are working. If you feel yourself compensating or your form breaking down, rest or regress. Do not try to focus on how long you hold, but instead on how well you are engaging everything!
From here you can progress or advance the Side Plank by stacking your feet or even lifting your top leg. This can put more force on the spine so make sure your abs are working before progressing to this movement. You do not want your lower back getting overworked or bearing too much load. You can even do the Side Plank from your hand just make sure to keep your hand stacked under your shoulder to protect your shoulder and neck.
Beginners can also regress this move by doing it off an incline or by even dropping their bottom knee to the ground. The incline is a great way to learn to engage everything from your shoulders down to your feet.
However, doing the side plank from your knee is also a great modification especially if you don’t have an appropriate incline near by.
Best to do the version that allows you to do this move with proper form over compensating and letting your bottom hip drop or your chest rotate toward the ground.
Remember form is how you get the most out of the move and the right muscles working to get stronger!
So a quick summary of some important things to remember when working on your Side Planks…
Side Plank Quick Form Tips:
Create tension all the way down your body, even flexing your feet to engage the outside of your lower leg.
Stack your shoulder over your elbow and feel the side of your back engage. Do not let your elbow get above your shoulder toward your head so that your upper trap takes over.
Do not let your bottom hip sag. Feel your oblique and glute on your bottom side lifting you up.
Brace your abs and engage your glutes to extend your hips. Do not let your chest rotate toward the ground!
THINK about the muscles working and engage harder instead of focusing on just holding longer!
After learning to do the Side Plank, and hold harder not just longer, you can mix things up and even target your core in different planes and from different angles with some of these fun variations!
5 Side Plank Variations:
These Side Plank variations are a great way to build core stability and strength and even work your core in multiple planes of motion!
Side Plank Hip Dips with Rotational Reach:
To do Side Plank Hip Dips with Rotational Reach, set up in a side plank from your forearm with your feet unstacked and your top leg in front of your bottom leg. Make sure your elbow is under your shoulder so you can engage your back to support your shoulder instead of just using your shoulder and even irritating your neck.
Then perform two hip dips, dropping your hip down to the ground before lifting back up into the side plank. Do not let your chest rotate toward the ground and really use that bottom side to lift back up as high as you can. Do not relax on the ground when you lower though.
After performing the two dips, reach your top hand down toward the ground and under your body as if reaching for the wall on the other side. As you reach under, pivot your feet as if moving into a front plank. Reach under then rotate back open into the side plank and repeat the hip dips.
Side Plank with Front and Back Toe Touches:
To do the Side Plank Front to Back Toe Touch, set up on your side and prop yourself up on your forearm with your elbow right below your shoulder. Your legs should be out straight and feet stacked. Then, driving through your forearm and the sides of your feet, lift your bottom hip up off the ground as high as possible while keeping your body in a nice straight line.
Squeeze your belly button in toward your spine and keep your glutes tight. Do not let your chest rotate forward toward the ground or your top hand touch the ground. Keep your top hand on your hip or reach it up toward the ceiling.
Then, holding the Side Plank, lift your top leg up toward the ceiling, then bring it forward to lower down and tap the ground in front of you. Raise it back up center then lower down to tap the ground behind you. Move slowly, lifting and lower with taps front and back.
Side Plank Adductor Lift:
To do the Side Plank Adductor Raise, set up in a side plank from your forearm and feet. You will want you elbow to be under your shoulder and your feet unstacked with your bottom foot in front and even slightly angled forward. Lift up into the side plank position with your top hand on your hip and your chest not rotated toward the ground. Drive through the sides of your feet and flex your feet to engage even your lower leg.
Holding this position, lift and lower that bottom leg, raising it up a few inches then putting it back down at a controlled pace. Stay up in the side plank the entire time and don’t let your hips sag. Do not place your top hand down to assisted.
Side Plank Tree Pose:
To do Side Plank Tree Pose, set up in a forearm side plank with your elbow under your shoulders and legs out straight and stacked. Flex your feet to create tension all the way down your leg.
Lift up into the side plank position and bend your top leg and place your foot flat on the inside of your upper thigh. Open your top knee up toward the ceiling and squeeze your butt as you drive your foot into your leg and keep your bottom hip up. Try not to rock open or rotate toward the ground.
Side Plank to Tabletop Toe Touch:
To do the Tabletop to Side Plank Kick, it may be easiest to set up first in the side plank from your hand. Stack your feet and engage your back to support your shoulder. You can reach your top hand overhead.
From the side plank position, lift your top leg up and kick it forward as you reach your raise hand to touch it. After touching your hand to your foot, straighten them back out.
And as you bring your arm back out and straighten your leg back out toward the side plank position, bend your knee, rotating your body open toward the ceiling as you put that foot on the ground behind. You will move into an almost turkish bridge position.
From here, raise your straight leg up (the one that was your bottom leg in the side plank) and reach the opposite hand to touch your toe. You are doing a kick from a tabletop position and reaching your hand to touch your toe.
Place the straight leg back down and move back into the side plank position and kick the top leg forward as you reach to touch your toe to repeat the move.
Love these Side Plank Variations and want even more fun ones? Ready for a strong, lean core that not only looks amazing but keeps you injury free? Learn more HERE!
Focused core work is important if we want to build a strong, lean core that not only looks amazing but also helps us run faster, lift more and prevent aches, pains and injuries!
We need moves that really activate and work our abs and glutes while strengthening everything between our shoulders and our knees, down our frontsides AND our backsides.
The more muscles we can work at once, and the more planes of motions we can move in, the stronger our core will be and the faster we will achieve results.
That is why I love these 10 Bodyweight Core Moves. They work your core from every angle and even get your blood pumping so you can burn fat as you strengthen your core.
10 Bodyweight Moves To Redefine Your Core
I use these 10 Bodyweight Moves in my 28-Day Core Burner to help clients get faster results. These core intensive exercises work both your anterior and posterior chain. They include rotational and anti-rotational moves and really work your core from every direction.
They work your balance and not only work your abs, but also your oh so important glutes. These moves will give you more bang for your buck in less time!
1. Single Arm Plank Jacks:
This is a great cardio-core move that will also build shoulder stability and work on anti-rotational core strength. You’ll feel this working everything between your shoulders and your knees as you start to sweat!
This is an advanced move though. Beginners may need to start with the Basic Plank Jack or even a Plank Step Jack. It can even be done with your hands up on an incline to modify!
To do Single Arm Plank Jacks, set up in a high plank position with your hands a bit closer together under your shoulders and your feet together. Brace your abs and make sure your body is in a nice straight line.
Then jump your feet out wide, and as you do, lift one hand to touch your opposite shoulder. Resist the urge to really rotate as you lift the hand or let your butt go up in the air. Try to keep your hips down and your core as square to the ground as possible.
Jump your feet back together and place the hand back down. When you quickly jump your feet out again, this time lift the other hand to touch your opposite shoulder. Jump quickly back in and lower the hand back down. Keep repeating the jack with your feet, alternating which hand you lift to tap your shoulder.
Beginners can do a basic Plank Jack without the shoulder tap. For the Basic Plank Jack, click here.
2. Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge:
This rotational exercise will work…well…basically everything! It works your abs, the muscles around your rib cage, your glutes, you shoulders and your quads. Heck even your back!
To do the Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge, set up in a high plank position with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your hands under your shoulders. Then drive one knee in and across your body to the opposite elbow, like a cross-body mountain climber. Move to straighten that leg back out and, as you do, kick it back over your body to rotate open into the Turkish Bridge.
So if you tucked your right knee in, you will then rotate your right leg back over your body to the left as you lift your right hand up off the ground so you can fully rotate open.
You’ll lift your hand up toward the ceiling as you place the foot of the leg you kicked over flat on the ground. That knee will be bent as your other leg stays straight. Keep your hand on the ground under your shoulder and bridge your hips up by squeezing your glute. Make sure the foot of the leg you kicked over is flat on the ground to help you engage and load that glute. Pause here briefly and really focus on bridging up as your hand stays under your shoulder.
Then bring the leg back over and in for the cross body mountain climber. Feel around your rib cage work as you rotate as well as your abs in the mountain climber and glutes in the bridge portion. Move at a controlled pace so you can feel everything working.
Beginners may need to do the move with their hands up on an incline or even break it down and do a set of Cross Body Mountain Climbers followed by a set of the Turkish Bridge.
3. Warrior III Abs:
Balance moves, such as the Warrior III Abs, not only strengthen your feet and legs, but also help you build core stability. On top of that, the Warrior III Abs will also work your glutes and improve your hip mobility!
To do Warrior III Abs, set up in the Warrior III position, balanced on one leg with your raised leg driving back toward the wall behind you and your hips square to the ground. Reach your hands out overhead, reaching toward the wall in front of you.
Staying hinged over, crunch the knee of your raised leg in toward your chest as you pull your elbows in toward your knee. Really use your abs to crunch your elbows toward your knee. Do not stand up though as you crunch.
Then extend back out. Stay balanced on your standing leg and try to stay hinged over as you tuck and extend. Do not touch your toe down unless needed to stay balanced. Beginners may tap it down between reps to rebalance or even reach their hands out in front to lightly touch the wall.
4. Side Plank Adductor Raise:
Your inner thighs, or adductors, are important core muscles that contribute to hip and knee stability. One great way to work them to build stability, as you strengthen your glutes and obliques, is with the Side Plank Adductor Raise.
To do the Side Plank Adductor Raise, set up in a side plank from your forearm and feet. You will want you elbow to be under your shoulder and your feet unstacked with your bottom foot in front and even slightly angled forward. Lift up into the side plank position with your top hand on your hip and your chest not rotated toward the ground. Drive through the sides of your feet and flex your feet to engage even your lower leg.
Holding this position, lift and lower that bottom leg, raising it up a few inches then putting it back down at a controlled pace. Stay up in the side plank the entire time and don’t let your hips sag. Do not place your top hand down to assisted.
If you need to modify, bend that top leg and place the foot flat on the ground behind you OR even regress fully to a side lying adductor lift. Both are shown below.
5. Dolphin Planks:
This plank almost makes you look like you’re doing everything wrong. You are going to sag your hips AND round your back at the top. But talk about a way to kill your abs!
The plange plank position, or rounded position at the top where you draw your belly button in, is going to get your abs shaking. And then when you dip your hips, you are just lowering down and stopping just before your abs disengage. AKA you are making your abs work to brace and stabilize as you move up and down in the plank position and getting your core intrinsic stabilizers to really work!
To do Dolphin Planks, set up in a plank from your forearms and toes (advanced) or knees (beginner). Make sure your shoulders are stacked over your elbows. Brace your core and engage your back as you hold your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels or knees.
Then sag your hips toward the ground without completing relaxing onto the ground before rounding your back up toward the ceiling. You want to sag your hips only as low as you can without your low back taking over. You should feel your abs still engaging.
When you round up at the top, you aren’t simply sticking your butt up in the air. You want to round your entire back and perform the pelvic tilt. It is almost like you are doing the “cat” in the cat/cow stretch. Do not push backward too much as you do it. Keep your shoulders stacked over your elbows.
Then lower back down and sag your hips before rounding back up. Pause in each position to really feel your core working. Beginners can do this from their knees, off an incline or even modify and do the Vomiting Cat on their hands and knees.
6. Posterior Plank Mountain Climbers:
Often when we think about working our core, we think about working our abs and the front of our body. But our posterior chain is also important to work because one of the most important muscle groups of our core is the GLUTES!
Posterior Plank Mountain Climbers not only work your abs but also your posterior chain, including your glutes, back and hamstrings. The move also works on hip extension and will open up your chest. It is a great move to reverse all of the forward flexion we do sitting hunched over our computers and phones!
To do the Posterior Plank Mountain Climbers, sit on the ground with your legs out straight in front of you and your hands down behind your butt on the ground.
Then, driving up through your heels and your hands, press your hips up toward the ceiling and press your chest out. As you bridge up, squeeze your butt and lift your hips up as high as you can while keeping your legs straight and your chest pressed out. Do not shrug your shoulders at the top as you press your chest out.
Hold at the top with your body in a nice straight line. Do not hyperextend your back. Then slowly tuck one knee in toward your chest. Tuck it in as far as you can.
Then straighten the leg back out. Place the foot back down then tuck your other knee in. Feel your glutes and hamstrings working to hold you up as your abs work to tuck your knee in. Beginners can start with a tabletop variation as they tuck instead of the full Posterior Plank.
7. Cross Body Knee with Lateral Raise:
This standing core move is great if you can’t get down on the ground. Plus it is a unilateral move that will work your abs and glutes, especially your glute medius. Unilateral moves are great to help correct imbalances and make sure that each side of your body pulls its own weight!
To do Cross Body Knee with Lateral Raise, you’ll want a chair or wall right in front of you that you can lean forward and place your hands or forearms on.
Leaning forward bring one knee up and across under your body toward your opposite elbow, drawing your abs in as you tuck. Then kick the leg up and out to the side as high as you can but do not rotate as you kick laterally. Feel your glute working to lift. Do not really lean away but instead keep yourself balanced by leaning onto something.
After kicking out, lower your leg down and tuck your knee back in toward your opposite elbow, feeling your abs and not just your leg work to draw the knee in and across your body. Move at a controlled pace. Tucking and then performing a lateral raise or lateral kick.
8. Side Lunge with Knee:
Working your legs and abs at the same times is the perfect way to build a strong core AND burn more calories in less time. Anytime you can get more muscles working at once, especially BIG muscle groups, you up your calorie burn as you build strength.
The Side Lunge with Knee will get your blood pumping as you strengthen your legs, glutes and abs, especially your obliques.
To do the Side Lunge with Knee, start standing tall then lunge out to the side, sitting your butt back as you hinge forward slightly and load your glute. Push your butt back and sink down, bending your outside knee as your other leg stays straight. You can reach to the ground or keep your hands at your chest. It can even be helpful to reach the opposite arm toward the heel you lunged out with to help you sit back.
Then quickly drive back to standing and, without touching your foot down if possible, drive that knee up and in across your body. You can rotate your upper body toward that knee almost as if pulling someone’s head down and across your body into your knee. Touch the toe down if needed then repeat the lunge back out followed by the quick knee drive.
Feel your legs working with the lunge and your abs working with the knee drive and rotation.
Beginners may not sink as low in the lunge or step out as far. They may also touch their toe down to balance between the lunge and knee drive.
9. Curtsy Lunge to Leg Lift:
Moving in every plane of motion is key to building a strong core that prevents injury. And this Curtsy Lunge to Leg Lift not only gets you moving in different directions, but it also combines a compound leg move with a more glute-focused movement to really make sure your glutes are working. It really targets the glute medius with the Leg Lift, which is an important muscles to strengthen for hip stability!
To do the Curtsy Lunge to Leg Lift, start standing tall with your feet together. Then lunge back, stepping your foot across and behind your front leg so you sit back into your front glute. You aren’t lunging straight back, but are instead crossing behind as you keep your chest facing forward. Keep your front foot pointing straight ahead too. If you rotate open as you cross behind, you won’t get the benefit of the curtsy lunge.
Sink down into the lunge, sitting back in your front heel as you feel your front glute load. Then drive through your front heel to come back up to standing. Lightly tap the toe down to balance if needed and then raise your leg out to the side for a lateral raise.
Feel your glute on the side lifting your leg laterally then touch the toe down and repeat the lunge. You will shift your weight toward your standing leg, but don’t lean way to the side just to lift your leg up higher. Beginners may not sink as deep in the lunge.
10 .Spiderman Mountain Climbers:
I love cardio-core moves that also work on your mobility. That is why Spiderman Mountain Climbers are a must-do move. They will work on your hip mobility as they strengthen your legs, shoulders and abs (plus they’ll really get your blood pumping!).
To do Spiderman Mountain Climbers, start in the high plank position from your hands and feet. Then, keeping your core engaged, step one foot up and outside your hand into a nice low spiderman or runner’s lunge. Try not to let your butt go way up in the air as you step your foot outside.
Beginners will then quickly step back into plank and then step the other foot forward into a lunge on the other side. They will move as quickly as possible, stepping their foot all the way outside their hand.
More advanced exercisers will jump from lunge to lunge. The faster you jump between lunges and the less you pause on each side, the harder the move will be. Still try to keep your butt down and make sure to land in a lunge with your foot outside your hand each time.
Want quick 10-Minute Bodyweight Core Burners using these moves?
There are so many great plank variations out there. And of course I like mixing things up and using a variety to challenge my body, and my mind, in different ways.
BUT I also have my go-to options. Plank moves I like to include way more often not only in my own workouts, but in my clients.
These moves are my favorites because they are functional moves that cover everything I think a core training program needs to get results.
They work the core from every angle.
They work the core in every plane of motion (sagittal, frontal and transverse).
They work everything between your shoulders and your knees aka all of the muscles of your core.
They work not only your abs but also your glutes.
They build shoulder stability.
They are compound moves that even get your blood pumping a bit to help you burn more calories.
They can be easily modified or advanced for any level.
They are a combination of unilateral and bilateral moves.
They force you to learn to engage your core as you balance, twist, turn, bend and even extend!
They even work on improving your mobility and strengthening through that full range of motion!
So what are these 5 Plank Variations I always use!?
(If you’re ready to skip to the good stuff and get some workouts using these plank variations, you’ll want to check out my 28-Day Core Burner Program!)
Plank with Reach Back and Out:
This plank in particular is one of my favorites.
Why?
Because it works on shoulder stability, glute activation, hip extension and core anti-rotational strength.
To do the Plank with Reach Back and Out, set up in a Front Plank from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. For this move, you will want your feet wider to create a more stable base. Beginners can do this move from their knees.
Then from the Plank position, reach one hand back and across toward the opposite ankle, pushing your butt back and up toward the ceiling as you reach. Then reach back forward and out toward the wall in front of you, dropping your hips back into a nice plank position.
Do not drop your hips too low and feel your low back engage. Keep your core tight to protect your low back as you come back into that nice plank position. Reach back and across with the same hand until all reps are complete on that side.
Side Plank Hip Dips:
So why is the Side Plank with Hip Dips one of my favorites? A. It’s a frontal plane movement. B. It’s a great move to work obliques AND your glute medius (aka a butt muscle) which is an important hip stabilizer.
To do the Side Plank Hip Dips, set up in a side plank from your forearm with your elbow right under your shoulder. Do not let your elbow get way out beyond your shoulder or you will place more strain on your shoulder. By keeping the elbow “stacked” under the shoulder, you allow your back and lat to help support your weight.
You can then either stack your feet and lift up onto the side of your bottom foot or you can place the top foot in front on the ground and lift up onto the sides of both feet. Unstacking your feet will make it a bit easier to balance. Beginners may need to place their bottom knee down on the ground.
Keeping your body in a straight line and your chest open and not rotated toward the ground, drop your hips down toward the ground and then lift them back up into the Side Plank.
Repeat making sure your body doesn’t collapse forward and your chest doesn’t rotate toward the ground. Your top hand can be raised toward the ceiling or on your hip.
Body Saw:
I love this more advanced plank. It shows that to advance the plank you don’t always have to hold for longer or add in weights.
And for a functionally strong core, you want to have core strength and stability even when stretched out. This plank variation will help you learn to brace your abs even as you extend to help you protect your low back. Plus the movement really gets the blood pumping a bit!
To do the Body Saw, set up in a Plank position from your forearms and toes with your feet close together. Your forearms should be right under your shoulders and your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels.
Then begin to walk your feet backward, taking small steps. Keep your body in a nice straight line and don’t let your hips sag toward the ground. Lengthen through your triceps and lats as you walk back. Walk back as far as you can while keeping your core engaged.
Then walk your feet back forward until you are back in the Forearm Front Plank. Do not let your butt go up in the air as you walk your feet back in.
Repeat, walking your feet back out. Only walk out as far as you can without your low back engaging. If your low back feels this move, don’t walk out as far. Start with only a few steps.
Plank with Rotational Reach:
This is another great plank to build shoulder stability, but this one instead works on rotational strength. I love this plank variation because it works the entire core and you’ll even really feel it working the muscles around your rib cage!
To do the Plank with Rotational Reach, set up in the high plank position on your hands and knees (beginner) or toes (advanced). Set your feet wider apart to create a more stable base. Then reach one hand under your armpit and toward the far wall beyond your side. You aren’t just reaching under your armpit to pat yourself on the back. You want to really reach toward the wall.
As you reach, make sure your hips stay down. Then pivot open, rotating into a Side Plank as you reach your hand up toward the ceiling. You will reach the hand that reached under your armpit up toward the ceiling, keeping your hips up as you move into a Side Plank. Pivot onto the sides of your feet as you reach or try to open up as much as you can on your knees. Beginners can even move to their feet if they can to do a more intermediate variation.
Then reach the hand back down and under your armpit, rotating your hips back down toward the ground and into the Front Plank position. Repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching and reaching the other way. Do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag toward the ground as you reach.
Inchworm Plank:
I love this plank because it is the opposite of the Body Saw and requires a lot of core strength to get your feet in closer to your head so that you can get your butt up higher. It also really works on your mobility to be able to walk in further. Plus, the walking in and jumping out will get your blood pumping and heart beating!
To do the Inchworm Plank, set up in a forearm plank from your toes with your elbows under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your heels.
Begin to walk your feet in toward your head, keeping your legs straight as you take very small steps forward. Your butt should go up in the air as you walk your feet in to pike up. Walk in as far as you mobility allows. Then jump both feet back out (beginners may walk back out instead).
Do not let your hips sag toward the ground as you return to the forearm plank. Then repeat walking back in before jumping back out.
Ready to build core strength using these Planks and even other fun core moves?
Ready to learn why just holding a plank for LONGER isn’t the answer?
Ready to get rid of that low back pain and get a stronger, killer-looking core?
The lower belly fat is generally the last, and hardest spot, to lean down and lose fat from. It is also the spot that most people would like to tone. Go figure.
But the lower abs aren’t only important to work for aesthetic reasons…The lower ab area includes our deep core intrinsic stabilizers, which are also generally weaker than we would like. And weakness in these muscles may be one big reason you suffer from low back, hip and even knee pain!
So whether you have pain or simply want more toned looking abs, you need to learn how to truly engage and work those deep core muscles. Which isn’t as easy as doing sit ups or crunches or planks.
You know when you do double leg lowers and you feel your low back working? So you put your hands behind your butt to help?
Well your low back takes over because your core isn’t engaging and working correctly. And putting your hands behind your low back may fix the issue, BUT it doesn’t actually train you to engage your core correctly.
It’s a temporary fix but not a true solution!
So instead of continuing to put your hands behind your butt so your low back doesn’t engage…and instead of continuing to feel your low back during crunches and sit ups and planks…Learn how to engage your core correctly and strengthen those lower abs!
How do you learn how to engage your core correctly?
Well there are generally two schools of thought – you learn Hollow Body (what I often call Pelvic Tilt) OR you learn how to brace.
People will tell you one or the other is better. But I believe that both are very important to learn.
I recommend learning how to brace, like someone is about to punch you in the stomach, AND learning how to engage your abs with the pelvic tilt, where you draw your belly button in toward your spine.
Both have different uses in my opinion and both are valuable!
For instance, bracing is very important when squatting and deadlift. You want to learn how to tense your abs and you can even use breathing to engage your core. Pelvic tilt isn’t really appropriate here.
But right now I want to focus on the Pelvic Tilt because this move is super essential to learning to keep your core engaged during most of the more isolated core work we do – whether it is leg lowers, sit ups or planks. And it is a great place to start if you are suffering from low back pain (or are even pregnant or have recently given birth).
How do you do the Pelvic Tilt?
There are two basic variations I like to do. One is lying down and what I call the Basic Pelvic Tilt. One is quadruped called the Vomiting Cat.
To do the Basic Pelvic Tilt, lie on your back on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Relax your arms down by your sides. As you lie on your back, you should feel a space between your low back and the ground.
Now draw your belly button in toward your spine as you “scoop out” your belly and press your low back into the ground. Feel your abs engage as you press your low back down into the ground. Hold for a count then release.
This engagement is what you should feel and do DURING double leg lowers. But to get to double leg lowers, you may need to start with the Basic Pelvic Tilt and slowly progress. First you can start with a march, keeping your knees bent.
Then you can progress and do a double knee tuck before moving on to scissors.
And finally, as long as you can keep your abs engaged throughout these, you will move to the double leg lowers.
Double Leg Lowers are something you EARN. They aren’t just a move you do if you don’t feel your abs! And as you earn them, you’ll work to keep your legs straighter and lower them closer to the ground.
Variations of the Double Leg Lowers are a great way to work your lower abs, and I include many variations of this move in the 25 Lower Ab Exercises video below, BUT you have to EARN these.
Start with the Basic Pelvic Tilt and learn the full progression HERE. Work toward those Double Leg Lowers, Lower Ab Planks and all the fun variations with the Basic Pelvic Tilt. And get even more out of those moves BECAUSE your abs are actually engaged and working!
Another great way to activate your core using a form of the Pelvic Tilt is with the Vomiting Cat. This is often used as a stretch for your back, but it can actually be a KILLER way to build your ab strength and work those lower abs.
And it has a great name…RIGHT!?! 🙂 Actually the reason for the name is because you are drawing your abs in almost as if you are trying to cough up a hairball…Just don’t actually cough one up!
To do the Vomiting Cat, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Then draw your belly button in toward your spine as you round your back up toward the ceiling. Tuck your hips under as you try to draw your abs in as hard as you can.
As I mentioned, you are trying to draw your abs in and round up as if you were a cat coughing up a hairball.
Hold as hard as you can for a count and then relax out.
With both of these moves, think about holding and activating everything instead of just trying to hold for longer.
Both of these are key moves to start with and use even in your warm up if you have pain or struggle to get your lower abs engaged and working. For beginners these are a MUST-DO!
From here you can even have some fun and use moves such as the Dead Bug (3:18), Butterfly Crunches (2:17), and the Plange Plank (4:46) shown in the video below…
Actually the Plange Plank is the perfect way to progress the Vomiting Cat even! Plus, if you want to get the most out of your planks, you’ll want to do the Pelvic Tilt (even more reason to always return to the basics!). Here is more on improving your planks.
And after learning to engage your core, here are 25 fun Lower Ab Exercise Variations to play around with!
Remember though as you begin to have some fun with these variations that it is key you actually FEEL your abs working. Don’t simply put your hands behind your butt and put a “band-aid” on the problem. Learn how to ACTUALLY engage your abs with the Pelvic Tilt and Vomiting Cat.
And try this quick 5-Minute Lower Ab Burnout and build a stronger core NOW! 🙂
5-Minute Lower Ab Burnout
Set a timer for 20 second intervals. Complete 3 rounds of the circuit below. Try not to rest, but go straight from one move to the next and then rest 20 seconds before repeating so you can make sure your abs keep working and your low back doesn’t take over.
This quick workout is perfect as a warm up to get your core working OR as a quick core burnout after you finish your workout!
And if you want even BETTER results from your lower ab workouts, aka you want even more defined, lean, strong-looking abs, you may want to consider dialing in your diet…because abs are definitely made in the kitchen as well!
If you want more information on my Macro Hacks to help reveal those lower abs, learn more HERE!
