How to Perform a Plank Exercise

For a strong stomach, you need to activate and strengthen all 4 abdominal muscles. You have a deep muscle called the transverse abdominus that stretches across your waistline, like a wide belt. This is the one to focus on if you’d like to trim that waistline! The oblique muscles run at a diagonal from your ribs to your hips on each side, and the rectus abdominus runs right down the middle. Try this back-saving routine that will activate and strengthen all 4 abdominal muscles:

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• a clock with a second hand

1. -Elbow Plank-
   The easiest to perform and most effective abdominal strengthening exercise is the plank. Start by lying on your stomach on a mat. Place your elbows on the ground, beneath your shoulders. Hold a straight line with only your elbows and your toes touching the ground, similar to the push-up position. Do this exercise in front of a mirror or with a partner to help you get the right line to start with. To advance the exercise, hold your upper body on your hands instead of your elbows and slowly pick one foot up off the floor at a time. Start by holding the plank for 30 seconds, twice, and work up to holding for 2 minutes.
2. -Side Plank-
   From the elbow plank position, rotate your body so that you are resting on only your right elbow and facing to the left. Maintain your straight line, and allow your top foot to rest in front of the bottom foot on the floor. This is a more difficult exercise, so start with a 15 second hold and repeat 4 times, alternating sides, and work up to a 1 minute hold.
3. -Single Leg Stretch-
   Lay on your back. Press your lower back down until there is no longer any space between your back and the floor, use one hand to check if necessary. Hold this position, focusing on breathing and keeping your hips and ribs right where they are. Still holding this “neutral pelvis” position, lift both knees toward your chest. With both hands resting on your right knee, extend your left leg straight out. Switch legs and hand positions. Focus on reaching toward the opposite wall with your toes, and keep that neutral pelvis! Start with 10 extensions with each leg, then rest. As you advance, increase the number of extensions you do before resting and keep your feet lower, closer to the floor.

Tips & Warnings

• These exercises will recruit and train all 4 abdominal muscles without causing any stress to the spine. Try them each 3 times per week for 2 weeks before you give up! Your stomach will feel tighter in just 2 weeks if you do them properly.
• This information is for general educational purposes only - please consult your personal physician before beginning any exericise program!