Variations of Plank to Strengthen Abs and Upper Body. If you want to work your core, plank position (top of a push-up) is a great move.
You'll not only feel it in your abs, but it works your back, arms, shoulders, and legs. Here are seven variations to make it even more challenging. Get low: Instead of balancing on your hands in a straight-arm position, bend your elbows and lower onto your forearms into dolphin plank. This plank variation targets your core and arms even more. Be sure to engage your abdominals to prevent straining your lower back, and if it's too intense, lower one or both knees to the floor.
Move: Bent-leg Side Plank. Move: Up-Down Plank. Plank Exercises. Extreme Planking. The Rock-Solid-Abs Workout - Abs Workout: The Secret Formula for a Flat Stomach. Like most women, I've always been determined to get a defined, flat stomach.
But after years of doing 500 crunches during every workout, I learned that determination only gets you so far when the approach is wrong. Even an entire hour of crunches won't match the body benefits of a 10-minute plank workout. The plank is one of the best exercises for a flat, toned stomach because it works all the muscles in your core, including the rectus abdominus (the "six-pack muscles" you can see), transverse abdominus, internal and external obliques, hips, and back. Why not just focus on the six-pack muscles? Strengthening your entire core is not only crucial for sculpting a flat stomach, but these muscles also provide support for the entire body in everyday movements, reduce back pain, and improve posture.
Here are some of my favorite plank variations. Related: Get more tips for a toned tummy with SHAPE's free iPad app. Attack of the Love Handles. Working your obliques helps to shape your torso while strengthening the muscles that help to support and protect your back.
Perform these 5 moves in a row with no breaks. Try doing 2-3 sets! Mermaid On your knees, extend your right leg straight out to the side. Place your hands behind your head. 14 Uber Lower Abs Exercises To Flatten Your Belly And Carve Out A Sharp V-Cut - Lean It UP. 14 Uber Lower Abs Exercises To Flatten Your Belly And Carve Out A Sharp V-Cut *Update, 7/12: Looking for exercises to smash the top half of your core?
We’ve released ‘The 12 Best Upper Ab Exercises; Miracle-Gro To Annihilate Your Rectus Abdominis & Cultivate A Six-Pack That Pops. Blogilates: Lower Ab Workout. Tone Your Abs Without Crunches Photo 23. Slim Your Waist. POP Pilates: Bikini ready abs. Stand Up for Flat Abs. When you want to sculpt lean, sexy abs, doing crunches is highly overrated.
Why? On-your-back moves target just one part of your midsection and leave out the deep-lying muscles that cinch in your waist. This upright abdominal workout, created by Bernardo Coppola, a celebrity personal trainer in L.A., engages all the muscles you need for a bikini-worthy middle--minus the neck strain. You'll be strengthening your entire core, the dozens of muscles that make up your hips, pelvis, lower back, and abs. And this will improve your posture and ensure you perform everyday tasks, such as lugging heavy grocery bags or running to catch a bus, more efficiently. GET STARTED * Watch this video to learn how to do the exercises * Download a printable version of the workout. Blogilates: Flat Abs. Blogilates: Fabulous Flat Abs. LwefetD1xU1qd45ayo1_1280.jpg (960×1280)
BB3_abs-abs-abs.jpg (2550×3300) Nike Training Club: Crunch-less Ab Exercises. Best Abs Exercise. The possibilities are endless with planks!
This interesting variation comes from fitness expert Suzanne Bowen, creator of BarreAmped. "I especially love this exercise because it flexes the spine (which contracts the abs and stretches the lower-back muscles) and then extends the spine (which stretches the abs and contracts the lower-back muscles). This back and forth works the abs at a very intense level and also helps to create balance between the back and front," she says. Get into full plank position.
Lift your left leg off the floor. You can use your keyboard to see the next slide ( ← previous, → next) 13 top trainers share their most creative, crazy-effective core moves Promo Subtitle 13 top trainers share their most creative, crazy-effective core moves. Image Alt Text The Best Abs Exercises You've Never Seen Before Title Text. The Exercist - Abs.
Move: Downward Dog, Leg Lift to Knee Tuck. Move: Butterfly Twist. Move: Superman. Move: BirdDog. Move: Active Cat.