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6 plank variations for a toned body –

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Anyone who has tried to hold a one-minute plank knows that those 60 seconds can feel like an hour. But the temporary discomfort is worth it: despite the movement’s simplistic appearance, it engages all of your core muscles. “It’s one of the most popular core-strengthening exercises in fitness, and you can do it at home or at the gym. The great challenge of this exercise is to stay as long as possible to greatly stimulate the muscles of the abdomen, lumbar and hips. Core stability is critical for day-to-day tasks.” tell the personal trainer joao carlos.

PLANK BENEFITS

Improves posture: As you develop a more stable core, you may start to notice an improvement in your posture.
Improves muscle endurance: As the plank is an isometric exercise, it helps increase muscle endurance, especially the core.
Stronger and Stable Shoulders: The shoulder muscles are often overlooked, but they are essential for simple everyday movements. Performing a plank also improves stability and overall shoulder strength.

HOW TO DO PLANK

Matheus Viannaa personal trainer, explains that for beginners, the ideal thing is to perform the plank exercise with your knees resting on the ground and your hips in line with your shoulders and torso so that you activate the muscles correctly without getting hurt.

If you are not a beginner, lie on your stomach, support your forearms on the floor and position your head in line with your eyes looking down with your body aligned, then lift your hips. Leave the foot position further apart to ensure greater stability.

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6 Plank Variations for a Toned Body

Plank variations are very important to vary the stimuli that the musculature ”suffers” to favor constant evolution. Therefore, a Physical Education professional is important to better guide training.

1

SIDE PLANK

(Airam Dato-on/Pexels)

By keeping only one foot and one arm flat on the ground, this plank variation challenges your balance and activates your obliques.

Lie on the right side of the body, right hand resting on the floor in line with the right shoulder, both legs extended to the left side and feet stacked. Engage your core, support with your right hand and feet, and lift your hips and knees off the floor, simultaneously raising your left arm toward the ceiling. Look at your left hand and keep a straight line from head to heels.

two

ELEVATED PLANK

When you want to lighten the load on your upper body, try this plank variation. Placing your hands on a chair or bench takes some of the weight off your shoulders and wrists, so it’s a little less tiring.

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Place both hands shoulder-width apart on a chair or bench. Take one step back at a time to get into a raised plank position with your feet hip-width apart and your weight resting on your toes. Squeeze your glutes together, engage your core, actively step away from the chair or bench, and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

3

FOREARM PLANK

(Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

This plank variation is recommended for people who suffer from wrist problems as it takes all the pressure off the wrists and adds it to the forearms.

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Start in a tabletop position on the floor with your hands resting directly under your shoulders, knees bent and resting directly under your hips, and feet hip-width apart. Lower one forearm to the floor at a time, elbows in line with shoulders. Firm your palms on the floor. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten your legs to be in a forearm plank position, squeezing your glutes together and engaging your core. Actively push yourself away from the floor and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

4

WIDE POSITION PLANK

If you’re dealing with shoulder pain or discomfort, simply widening your posture into a plank position can bring you more balance and stability.

Start in a tabletop position on the floor with your hands parallel to your shoulders, knees bent toward your hips, and feet hip-width apart. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten your legs to be in a high plank position on your palms, squeezing your glutes together and engaging your core. Move one foot to the side of the mat at a time. Actively push yourself away from the floor and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

5

FLOATING PLANK

This advanced plank variation involves lifting (and holding) one arm and the opposite leg off the ground, forcing you to hit your core to stay balanced and upright.

Start in a tabletop position on the floor with your hands stacked directly under your shoulders, knees bent and parallel directly under your hips, and feet hip-width apart.
Lift both knees off the floor and straighten your legs to be in a high plank position on your palms, squeezing your glutes together and engaging your core. Step away from the floor and keep a straight line from head to heels. Keeping your core engaged, raise your left leg to hip height, then raise your right arm to shoulder height or parallel to the floor.

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6

REVERSE PLANK

This plank variation is essentially an inverted high plank, so it works all the same muscles, including the core and the glutes.

Sit down with your legs straight out in front of you, feet together and toes pointed toward the ceiling. Place your hands on the floor behind your butt, fingers facing your body, and look straight ahead. Engage your core, press your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your legs together, and send your toes toward the wall in front of your body. Keep lifting your chest higher, look up at the ceiling. Keep a straight line from head to heels.

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