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Planksare great for your core, which you probably already know.
Katie Thompson
But something that people don’t shout from the rooftops enough?
In fact, you’re able to get atotal-body workoutby just doing plank variations and nothing else.
The workout below includes five different types of planks that work your body in slightly different ways.
Together, they’ll hit most of the major muscle groups in your body.
Before you jump in, let’s quickly talk plank form.
This will help you keep your abs engaged and avoid arching your lower back.
Also, do an upper-body check.
Your shoulders should be relaxed, not pulled back so that your shoulder blades touch nor rounded forward.
Think about engaging your back muscles to keep your upper back strong and flat.
(These visualsmight help you with form, too!)
OK, now that you’ve got a perfect plank, try the workout below.
The Workout
Do each exercise for 30 seconds before transitioning into the next.
Then, repeat the whole circuit again, for a total of 5 minutes of planking goodness.
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