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7 INTENSE Ab Exercises (Most People Skip)

7 INTENSE Ab Exercises (Most People Skip)

by | Dec 8, 2024 | Blog, Core, Exercises

You clicked on this video for 7 intense ab moves.

I know, I know…Just tell you the moves. Well I’m going to.

Here’s move #1 of 7 in total that will focus on not just your abs, but especially that lower portion of your rectus abdominis….

Move #1: Weighted Crunches

The Pull Over Crunch is one of my go-tos as a weighted crunch variation, but I wanted to mention weighted crunches in general because so often we forget how key it is to progress those basic bodyweight moves to keep challenging ourselves so we see results.

Even adding a weight to the basic crunch can take it up a notch.

While we aren’t trying to do a 5 rep max out on loads, we do want those higher rep ranges of 15-20 reps to really challenge us and adding a weight is a great way to do this!

And if you want to add not only weight but create an extra challenge for yourself, try the Pull Over Crunch.

The reach overhead with the weight challenges your abs to resist extension and brace to protect your lower back.

This is HARD, especially with your legs extended out off the ground.

You’ll then pull the weight from overhead down in front of your knees as you crunch your knees and upper body together.

This pull over is going to work your entire core and even your serratus anterior.

Then extend back out but don’t relax back onto the ground.

That brace to keep your hips tilted toward your pelvis and not let your lower back take over is really what works those abs with the flexion to crunch everything together.

If you’re finding that your lower back or hips are taking over, try lighter or now weight and even try a bent knee variation with touching your toes down between.

You can even modify further with just the upper body crunch or single knee tucks.

But note, what you feel working during this and every move I share!

Because if all you feel is your lower back or hips, your abs won’t get the full benefit and you won’t see results build.

And remember, this move, and all 7 actually, are ADVANCED moves.

I will share modifications like the single knee tucks to make sure you’re using the level that makes YOUR abs truly work!

Now…Move #2: Leg Lowers +

Leg lowers are an amazing move to target that lower portion of our rectus abdominis, aka those lower abs.

And by adding on this little raise and spinal flexion at the top of that leg raise movement, we make our abs work even more not only to brace as we lower and resist extension but to actually power flexion.

To do this move, I love adding in a hold overhead to help brace those abs more, but you don’t need to.

If you don’t hold on overhead, placing your hands besides you on the ground will provide a bit more support than if you place them behind your head.

With your legs squeezed together and feet up toward the ceiling, feel yourself tuck your hip bones toward your ribs to feel like your abs flex and engage.

Lower your legs as close to the ground as you can, then feel yourself pull your legs back up toward the ceiling using your abs.

As you lift them straight back up, feel as if a string is lifting them higher and pulling your butt and back off the ground.

You want to feel your abs flex and lift your pelvis up.

Lower back down before you again do the leg lower toward the ground.

This truly is a killer move especially if you avoid using momentum.

If you feel your lower back engaging, try a bent knee version instead or even test out holding on overhead to help you create that core tension to start if you aren’t!

Move #3: Slider Body Saw

This stability and anti-extension plank variation is deceptively hard.

That lengthening or extended plank position as you avoid letting your butt go up in the air or lower back arch and hips sink to the ground really makes your abs work.

And by doing this off sliders over walking in and out, you reduce any traction that may help you control the movement or push off.

You’ll even feel into your arms and around your rib cage working as you lengthen sliding back then pull yourself back into the plank position.

Make sure you don’t shrug but feel down the sides of your back to move back forward.

And make sure you’re actually extending back. It is easy to try to cheat and just rock forward over our forearms over truly lengthening back through our shoulders and core.

To modify, you can do this walking back over using the sliders and even add in an incline to reduce resistance.

A plank rock is also a more static option to start whether off the ground or an incline!

Always ways to adjust a move, reducing the strength demands through different postures, positions and even ranges of motion!

Move #4: Dip Hold Curl Up

I love moves that work not only our abs but even have bonus areas they target.

And that’s why I love hanging abs and even dip hold ab variations.

But when we think about abs off the parallel or dip bars, we often think leg raises or knee tucks.

While amazing options, this small, simple looking and deceptively killer move for our abs, especially our lower abs is too often overlooked…

Because it doesn’t look like much!

The tuck to pull UP and push the bars away, rounding through the spine is what really targets those abs using spinal flexion.

That pull up and in will make your abs shake if you focus on doing it intensely to almost pretend you’re sucking your body up.

Don’t just bend at your hips.

Pull your body up by rounding your back to hollow out your abs. Think about even curling up.

To modify this, do a foot assisted version to reduce the resistance on your upper body and core.

If you don’t have parallel bars, you can also do a slider variation off the ground, pushing the ground away with your hands as you lift your butt to slide your legs on the sliders back to tuck up.

For those of you without monkey arms, you may need stands or kbs or dumbbells.

Move #5: Incline Bench Abs

This is an amazing way to progress those reverse crunches and add in diversity if you also love hanging abs!

This is a killer lower ab move that also works your serratus or the muscles around your ribs.

That slight incline that challenges you to curl against gravity is what kicks this up a notch.

Just don’t rush through as you tuck and lower down. Really focus on the curl.

You will want to pull down hard on the top of the bench as you start with your knees bent and toes resting on the ground.

Use your abs to slowly curl your knees up toward your elbows, rounding your spine off the bench.

Touch your elbows then lower down with control.

The more you focus on even your upper body pulling on the bench, the more you can feel your abs over your hip flexors, especially if you struggle with your hips wanting to engage with leg raise movements.

And to modify this, lower the incline back to a flat bench variation or even off the ground.

Move #6: Ab Extensions

Ab extensions are another way to do extended planks, and a great way to mix things up.

That extended plank position is so key to include if you do really want to target those lower abs.

The most common version of ab extensions are done with the ab wheel as roll outs.

But you can also use sliders, a stability ball or even suspension trainer.
The provide changes to postures and even instability to help you create progression with this move.

Whichever tool you use, make sure that as you set up on your knees, you’ve engaged your glutes and slightly tuck your hips up toward your ribs.

Keep this ab engagement through the full movement.

Extend your arms out overhead on the ground keeping the brace and even a very slight tuck your chin down over looking out in front of you.

Then to move back up, really focus on pulling your hands back under you with the sides of your back while feeling the muscles around your ribs.

Your abs are working hard here to stabilize and avoid movement of your spine!

To modify, you can do a single arm extension, so reaching one arm out at a time or even limit the range of motion you work in.

Using a wall to guide you and stop the movement can help you work in a range of motion you can control.

But you do want to strengthen through the biggest range of motion you can!

And last but not least…Move #7: Bench V-Ups

This full body crunch allows you to work in a bigger range of motion than off the ground because you’re seated on a bench.

And you will feel your quads even often with this killer ab move. Just make sure you don’t rely soley on your arms to support you in the crunch but pull yourself up with your abs.

Seated on the bench, put your hands on the back of the bench behind you with your legs squeezed together and out straight in front of you.

With your feet hovering off the ground, lean back. Then crunch your torso toward your legs.

You will round through your spine as you crunch up.

Then as you lean back and extend out, your abs will work to avoid your lower back arching or engaging.

Really focus on your abs pulling your legs and upper body together each time you v up.

To modify, you can do a bent knee or even single leg version.

Off the ground is also always an option, especially if you don’t have a bench.

And to bring this full circle, you can even advance this move further by making it a weighted bench v-up, holding that weight even between your feet.

Just go light! This can really start to target your quads and hip flexors more to maintain that leg position.

You may find a slight knee bend, but not actively bending at your knees as you do the move is key!

Now go enjoy these moves and make sure you focus on what you feel working! Even consider adding in 3-4 for 30 second intervals and 2 rounds through as a finisher to your workout this week!

Want more amazing workouts always at your fingertips? Join my Dynamic Strength program!

–> Learn more about Dynamic Strength

The Most Underrated Plank Exercise

The Most Underrated Plank Exercise

by | Jul 2, 2023 | Blog, Core, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Pain Relief

The plank is an amazing core move and a fundamental we need to include. 

But holding longer only helps us build strength to a point.

And just because a move is a must-do basic, doesn’t mean we can’t have fun using other variations especially to target specific muscles of our core more. 

Because the basic plank doesn’t help us work on that rotational core strength nor does it include any lateral flexion.

And learning to power and control both of these movements is key if we want not only a toned, strong core but also to improve our shoulder, hip, knee and even ankle stability.

So if you want to work those obliques and glutes even more with both a rotational and lateral flexion movement, while improve your shoulder stability try this amazing plank variation – the Plank with Oblique Knee Tuck! 

In this video, I’ll show you how to perform this move and modify it to fit your current fitness level so you can build a strong core!

And I’ll share my “secret” to finding a way to modify ANY exercise to fit someone’s needs and goals. 

How To Do The Plank With Oblique Knee Tuck:

This plank variation actually combines the basic front plank with the side plank as you transition from side to side with this rotational exercise.

And then it advances the basic side plank by adding in that oblique knee tuck.

Because you are stabilizing on just one arm and one leg, this move needs to be built up to slowly so that you aren’t overloading your shoulder or knee.

It is a challenging plank variation to work on your shoulder, hip and knee stability and will really work those obliques and glutes!

To do the Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks, set up in a forearm front plank from your elbows and toes.

Stack your elbows under your shoulders but outside your chest and focus on engaging your back to really lock your shoulders in place. Your hands will be in toward each other as your elbows are wider. This will feel more comfortable as you rotate.

You can even start with your arms fully perpendicular to your body under your shoulders.

Flex your quads as you drive back slightly through your heels and perform a small posterior pelvic tilt to feel your abs light up.

Maintain a nice straight line from your head to toes.

Then rotate to one side. Make sure your elbow stays stacked under your shoulder and your hips don’t drop as you twist.

As you move into that side plank, also make sure your foot that stays on the ground is flexed. This protects your knee and ankle to create better tension up your leg to engage your glute.

Squeeze your butt forward as you lift your top leg up and reach your top hand overhead.

Then tuck your elbow and knee together. You will crunch them together slightly in front of you, but do not allow your bottom hip to sag.

You want that bottom oblique and glute working!

After performing the tuck and reaching back out move back to face the ground and rotate into a side plank on the other side to perform the oblique knee tuck.

Do not rush this move. Take it slow to really stabilize and feel those obliques and glutes working!

So How Can You Modify This Move?

Adding movement to a plank exercise creates a new stability challenge. And side planks themselves are already very challenging.

You do not want ego to get in the way. So just because you can do a full plank from the ground, doesn’t mean you’ve necessarily earned this variation. 

The rotation into the side plank and then supporting yourself with only your bottom leg as you tuck the top leg, requires more strength and stability than we realize. 

If you find yourself losing balance or rushing, try first modifying with your elbow up on a bench, stair or incline. 

By lifting up your elbow, you reduce the resistance on your upper body and put less strength demands on your entire core. 

I prefer the incline to modify because it allows you to learn to engage everything down to your feet. 

When you do a knee plank variation, you don’t learn how to create tension into your lower leg.

As you build up and get comfortable with the movement pattern, you can move back to the ground. 

We have to remember it isn’t just strength sometimes but that mind-body connection we first need to work on with movements. We need to build that smooth coordination and get muscles engaged efficiently and correctly to progress.

So slow things down and use that incline.

However, if you find that you can do the full plank off the ground but that you lose balance as you alternate sides, you can even modify by doing one side at a time. 

Just rotate from that front plank to the same time to help you maintain that balance. Then after all reps are complete, switch to the side plank on the other side.

Now what if due to injury, an incline variation still isn’t right for you?

Because I know that not every move is right for every person, I wanted to share some tips to help you learn how to adjust any moves you ever need… 

So my secret to modifying moves?

Not being married to an exercise and instead always prioritizing the muscles I need to train and movement patterns I want to work on.

With this plank with oblique knee tuck, I always want to first see how I can simply regress the exact movement. 

But when this isn’t possible, I go back to why the move was being used in the first place.

Was it that I wanted rotational core work? That extra oblique and glute medius work? That lateral flexion?

When you have a goal for every move you include, you can easily swap in another move or moves that achieve those same goals whenever you need. 

If you did still want a balance and stability component while working on that lateral crunch, but that didn’t require strain on the shoulders, maybe you include a standing oblique knee tuck where you stay balanced on one side. 

Or maybe you wanted more of the rotational element to target your obliques and glutes unilaterally but can’t get down on the ground so you include a cable hip rotation. 

The point is, when modifying, you aren’t as much concerned with the exact exercise as the GOAL for the movement.

And whenever possible, you keep the exercise as close as possible to train that exact movement, build the mind-body connection and build up. 

But when that isn’t possible, you simply stay focused on the goal for including the move so you can see the same benefits!

There is always a way to find a movement variation to match our needs and goals. 

That’s why I love this amazing plank with oblique knee tuck when you want to work your glutes and obliques even more. 

And the rotational movement and lateral flexion are a great way to target your core in multiple planes of motion.

But if you can’t get down on the ground to enjoy this amazing plank move, give these non-floor core moves a try.

–> Non Floor Core Moves

The 3 Best LOWER AB Focused Planks

The 3 Best LOWER AB Focused Planks

by | Apr 3, 2022 | Blog, Bodyweight, Core, Exercises, Pain Relief, Travel Workouts, Workouts

Looking to mix up your core training and find something you really feel working those abs, especially the lower abs, while also helping you avoid an achy lower back?

Then you’re going to love these 3 amazing plank variations.

Planks can be both great isometric exercises, but also more dynamic movements to target and strength our abs.

And with some specific variations, we can target that lower portion of the rectus abdominis even more!

That’s why I want to show you 3 ways to use planks to target those lower abs…including one move that is a great untraditional and challenging plank option even if you can’t do traditional planks due to shoulder issues!

And at the end I’ll share a great quick burner layout so you can use these 3 moves at the end of your workout!

 

3 Lower Ab Focused Planks

1: Dolphin Planks

If you really want to target your lower abs, you need to include exercises that utilize the posterior pelvic tilt.

This tilting of the pelvis, tucking the hips toward the ribs, really engages that lower portion of the rectus abdominis while also working your glutes. And it is a great way to learn how to brace to protect your lower back from aches and pains as well.

While you can use the posterior pelvic tilt in a plank as an isometric hold, doing a plange plank, you can also include this tilting as a dynamic movement during the plank.

This dynamic plank variation using the posterior pelvic tilt is the Dolphin Plank and a great way to challenge your abs.

You will use that tuck up to engage those lower abs, but also challenge your abs to protect your spine as you test out your spinal extension, slightly dropping your hips toward the ground.

This forces your abs to brace as you extend, but be mindful you don’t end up simply engaging your lower back!

To do this move, set up in a plank from your forearms and toes with your feet together. Make sure your shoulders are stacked over your elbows and your upper back is engaged so your shoulders aren’t shrugged.

Drive back through your heels as you flex your quads to hold in a nice straight line. To improve your base, you can widen your feet out to shoulder width.

Then tuck your pelvis under toward your ribs, rounding through your entire spine even to tuck. Do not push your butt up in the air and end up shifting your shoulders back behind your elbows.

You really just want to round through your spine as you tuck your hips toward your ribs, engaging your abs and glutes.

Even think about drawing your belly button in as you exhale to pull your abs in hard.

Then begin to lower back down into that plank position. As you lower though, try to go a little past that straight line as if extending to slightly drop your hips.

You want to feel your abs almost FIGHTING against you lowering to prevent your back from really arching.

You’re testing out your ab brace as you extend.

Then tuck right back up, tilting your pelvis again.

Do not push backward as you do this movement. Keep your shoulders stacked over your elbows.

Pause in each position to really feel your core working. Really move slowly through the movement to focus on feeling your abs.

If you feel your lower back, either modify to the static plange plank hold or use an incline.

To modify this move an incline works best. The higher the incline the less pressure or strain there will be on your shoulders and even core so you can really focus in on those abs working.

You can also do this starting on your hands and knees but be conscious that, while it may look like the cat cow stretch, you are truly engaging your abs to round up. I like to call this variation the vomiting cat because I want my clients drawing in their abs as if trying to really hollow out their belly!

2: Lower Ab Plank

This move is not a traditional hands and feet or forearms and feet plank. But it is an amazing core isometric hold and a move that is great to target those lower abs.

I personally call it a Lower Ab Plank so wanted to include it as an option because often when people have shoulder injuries and can’t do planks they feel a bit lost about what options are out there.

So if you need to take your upper body and shoulders out of the equation, this is a great option to target those lower abs…although don’t forget about using the incline as well to regress moves and build up!

This exercise is advanced though and you need to have mastered that basic pelvic tilt hold to brace so you don’t feel your lower back or hip flexors only working.

To do the move, you will lie on your back with your arms down by your sides or hands behind your head.

To start you can raise your legs straight up toward the ceiling and tilt your hips towards your ribs to press your lower back into the ground. Or you can start with your knees bent to really set up the posterior pelvic tilt before extending your legs.

Maintaining that pelvic tilt, lower your legs down so they are only an inch or two off the ground and hold. Better to even hold up a few inches higher to keep that ab brace and even squeeze your glutes.

Focus on really bracing those abs as you hold.

If you feel your lower back taking over, raise your legs up higher or even bend your knees. You can even start with just one leg extended.

Lifting your head to perform an upper body crunch can both make the move harder, but also help by flexing your spine.

Make sure to breathe and focus on engaging those abs, keeping that tilt. You do not want your lower back taking over. If it does, your lower back and not your lower abs are getting worked by this move.

Better to modify and focus on those abs than do a harder variation where you compensate!

3: Body Saw

Extended planks or long lever planks have actually been shown to increase ab activation over the traditional plank, especially of the lower portion of the rectus abdominis.

That’s why it’s key to include some extended plank positions in your routine.

You just want to be very conscious you don’t overload your neck and shoulder OR let your butt start to hike up in the air as you do these moves.

One great dynamic way to include the extended plank position in your routine over simply holding is with the Body Saw.

The great part about this plank variation, like with all plank variations, is you can also modify this move off an incline.

And if you have wrist issues you can do it from your forearms or you can also give yourself more space and change things up by doing this movement from your hands to work your arms more!

To do the basic Body Saw plank from your forearms, set up in a plank position from your forearms and toes with your feet close together and elbows under your shoulders.

You want a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Make sure to engage your back to support your shoulders and make sure they aren’t shrugged.

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 shoulders 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 standard plank position. You do not need to walk more forward than simply back so your shoulders are over your elbows.

Make sure you feel your abs bracing as you extend back. Do not push your butt up in the air or let your hips sag toward the ground.

Repeat walking back out.

Remember you can modify the move off an incline to reduce the strain on your upper body and core.

To advance this move as well, you can also add in sliders, sliding back instead of walking. That reduces traction and even makes that pull back in so much harder! Just make sure you can control the move before progressing!

SUMMARY:

Using these 3 plank variations you can really work your abs while targeting that lower portion of your rectus abdominis even more!

To use these as a workout….

Lower Ab Burner:

Set a timer for 20 seconds per move starting with the Body Saw then the Dolphin Plank and ending with the Lower Ab Plank.

Rest 20 seconds between rounds to make sure you can really focus on bracing hard each round and complete 2-3 rounds through.

You want to focus on short intervals so you can engage everything hard over just focusing on holding for longer and letting your lower back or hips become overworked!

The BEST results happen when our diet and our workouts WORK TOGETHER!

Check out my RS Formula for FABULOUS results:

–> 3-Step RS Formula

 

The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

The Best Oblique Exercise (You’re Not Doing)

by | Dec 21, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Runner's

A few of the most common moves I see done for oblique work are the Pallof Press, side planks and teapots (love them or hate them…which is a topic for another day).

But my favorite is actually a unilateral balance challenge and bodyweight exercise.

This move requires no equipment and is deceptively hard.

But if you regress to progress, and take the time to master it, it will take not only your core strength, but also your scapular, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle stability to the next level.

It’s seriously one of the most amazing compound oblique exercises out there and one of the most awkward feeling as you get your balance – The Single Arm Rotational Plank with Knee Drive.

This rotational core exercise is an amazing way to really target your obliques and abs while also working your adductors, quads, Serratus Anterior, shoulders, back…and so much more.

However it is more challenging a unilateral move than we give it credit for.

If you can’t control the advanced variation and perform it slowly, please make sure to use the modifications I mention. You don’t get better results by rushing a movement or by doing a harder variation you haven’t earned.

The best results happen when we are intentional with our exercises so we can get more out of every movement. And you want to make sure you get all of the benefits you can from this move!

So…What are the benefits of this amazing move?

With this unilateral move, if you take the time to learn to control it, you will…

  • Improve your hip and knee stability, especially strengthening those adductors and quads.
  • Work your obliques and abs with both the rotational movement and the crunch. Your abs have to work hard to actually prevent unwanted extension of your spine as you even rotate to face the ground.
  • Improve your shoulder and scapular stability strengthening both the muscles of your shoulder but also of your upper back as well as your Serratus Anterior. You’ll feel that muscle really having to work as the shoulder blade protracts during your torso rotation toward the ground.
  • Correct imbalances because of the unilateral focus so you can make sure both sides are strong and working efficiently.

You’ll also find this movement really helps you improve your mind-body connection to recruit many different muscles at once to stabilize everything. I know it can be a frustrating coordination and balance challenge to start, but that is so key for actually improving our strength gains ultimately.

The more efficient and able we are to recruit the correct muscles to stabilize, the stronger ultimately we will be so we can run faster and lift more.

And bonus, if you are a runner, this is for sure a must-do core move if you’ve ever had knee, hip or lower back aches and pains!

Now…how do you do the Single Arm Rotational Plank With Knee Drive?

To do the Single Arm Plank Rotation With Knee, set up in a side plank position from your hand with your bottom leg staggered on the ground behind your top leg. You won’t be on the inside of that front foot like a regular side plank but will actually want to place the sole of your foot on the ground.

Make sure your hand is under your shoulder as you set up and you’re engaging your back to support your shoulder so you aren’t shrugging or straining it. This is key to supporting you as you rotate.

Then lift that back leg as if kicking it back and up toward the wall behind you as you rotate your chest toward the ground to counterbalance yourself. You will reach that top hand out as if almost trying to create a line across your body from your heel to your finger tips.

You should almost feel like you’ve rotated into a front plank position as you lift and reach out.

Then pivot back into the side plank position and, as you do, tuck the knee of your extended leg and elbow of your extended arm together, slightly crunching. You’re performing a little cross body crunch as you twist. Make sure your hand is still under your shoulder so that you’re shoulder isn’t straining as you twist.

After slowly tucking the knee to the elbow and feeling yourself pivot around that shoulder, extend back out.

You will feel all the muscles around your rib cage as well as your obliques, abs, adductor and quads especially as you crunch together.

Move slowly so you can stabilize. Do not rush if you feel off balance.

How can you modify this move?

How can you adjust this move if you feel your shoulder straining or adductor or groin becoming overworked?

A first little tweak you can make to the move is touching your foot down behind you instead of lifting it up. This little touch to pause and balance in the movement may be all the modification you need to start.

If you struggle with hyper mobility, especially in your elbows, you may also choose to modify this off your forearm.

However, if you don’t feel in control of any aspect of this movement, your next modification should be off an incline. The higher the incline, the more you can reduce the resistance of the movement.

As you feel stable, you can slowly lower the incline to progress the move.

You may even find you combine the incline with the foot tap to start.

The key is making sure you’re able to properly stabilize that shoulder to really focus on those obliques working to rotate and help you stay balanced!

The Most Underrated Core Exercise

The Most Underrated Core Exercise

by | Aug 5, 2021 | Blog, Core, Exercises

A strong core is one that can not only power rotation but also PREVENT IT.

So often our core training focuses on rotational moves. Maybe some anti-flexion or extension exercises too…

But if you actually want to be able to avoid injury, you’ve got to build a strong, stable core that can prevent unwanted or unneeded rotation.

And that’s why ANTI-ROTATIONAL core work is so key!

Being able to control or prevent rotation will help you improve how you transfer force between your upper body and lower body.

So not only does this anti-rotational core work help protect your spine, but it also can help you improve your shoulder and hip stability as well.

Plus, to be able to power rotation efficiently, you first have to learn how to prevent and control it!

So if you even want to get stronger with your rotational moves? You want to include anti-rotational core work as well!

Because Anti-Rotational Core Work is so important, I think it’s key we include moves like this amazing plank variation – The Plank With Row.

The basic plank is a great anti-extension exercise. And by adding in the row, we can make it a great anti-rotational move as well.

And while I feel so often planks are an overrated movement because of how we use them, constantly focusing on holding longer over holding harder, I think some plank variations done for shorter intervals of work with intentionality and focus on what you actually feel working, can be the missing piece in our core training routine.

Plus, because they require no tools to perform, you can use them whether you train at home or at a full gym!

With the Plank with Row, you will work to build anti-rotational core strength and avoid your body’s urges to want to twist as you change your base of support to perform the row.

It is a great move to improve your shoulder, spinal and hip stability while also activating the muscles of your back. If you’re struggling to really improve your scapular control, this is a great way to work on it as you strengthen your abs, obliques and even glutes!

Here are 3 tips to help you maximize the benefit you get from this fundamental anti-rotational move.

3 Tips To Help You Master The Plank With Row:

Tip #1: Slow things down.

Often when we do reps of a movement, we just are focused on getting them done.

Or when we feel ourselves losing balance, we try to rush through.

But with this anti-rotational core move, it’s key we SLOW THINGS DOWN.

We want to focus on that mind-body connection and what we feel working.

When we feel unstable, we want to slow things down and focus on engaging muscles harder.

As you lift to row your hand up, focus on pulling the elbow down and back by using your upper back. Feel yourself drawing that shoulder blade toward your spine.

Focus on feeling your abs and obliques work to avoid rotating open as you row up.

Feel the side of your back on your supporting hand stabilize the shoulder.

Even feel your glutes flex to keep your hips stable as you drive back through your heels.

Slow down the movement to really fight the rotation and be present in your body and intentional with the movement.

You want to slow things down to prevent unwanted movement and learn to engage things properly.

Tip #2: Push the ground away.

Creating that solid connection with the ground through your hands and the balls of your feet will actually help you better activate everything to stabilize.

Don’t just get focused on the movement, focus on feeling yourself push that ground away to better stabilize your supporting shoulder.

And focus on driving your feet down into the ground to fight your hips desire to rotate as you row up. It will help you create more tension through your legs.

Part of including anti-rotational core work is learning how to transfer force between your upper and lower body.

That means knowing how to properly create tension through your core.

This starts at your foundation or your connection to the ground!

Tip #3: Set up with a wider base.

Our body is amazing in that it will find a way to replicate the movement we ask it to perform whenever possible.

However, this can mean it will recruit muscles it shouldn’t if we aren’t careful to MIMIC the movement we want to perform.

It’s why all too often people end up feeling their lower backs during planks when their abs should be working.

Sometimes we need to regress to progress so we can make sure we’re using the correct muscles and creating those more efficient recruitment patterns.

That’s why the base of support you create when first learning this movement is key.

You can always modify any plank off a bench to reduce the resistance. But with anti-rotational core moves, you can also change your base of support.

With this Plank with Row, you can start with your feet wider apart than shoulder-width and hands together under your chest.

This tripod position can help you have that base of support to really focus on fighting the urge to rotate as you row.

As you build up strength, you may find you bring your feet in toward hip width while slightly widening your hands out.

But don’t rush to change your base until you can fully control the move.

Doing a supposedly “harder variation” you haven’t earned will only backfire.

SUMMARY:

If you want to improve your core strength and stability, do not ignore the importance of anti-rotational core work!

Moves like the Plank with Row are a great way to improve your shoulder, hip and spinal stability not to mention strengthen your back, abs, obliques and even glutes!