Use these progressions to spice up your Planks.

Let’s face it, the standard Front Plank can get boring. Doesn’t mean we should stop doing them. They’re among the simplest and most effective core-stability and strengthening exercises. 

If you’re looking to add some variety and a bit of challenge, here are a few progressions you can try. 

1️⃣High Plank from knuckles - Bruce Lee style! Keep your wrists straight and shift most of your weight onto your first two knuckles. 

2️⃣Medicine Ball Plank - Keep the ball directly below your chest, activate your shoulders by tucking your triceps in toward your armpits, contract your glutes and abs to keep your core braced. 

3️⃣1-arm Med Ball Plank - The spiciest of these three! Be super-careful to protect your shoulders with this one. As much as possible, try to keep your shoulders and hips square to the ground rather than rotated up. 

I typically do these in progressive rounds of core circuits. That might look like:

Round 1: 

*Plank - 1 min

*Dead Bug - 1 min

*Hip Bridge - 1 min

Round 2: 

*Med Ball Plank - 1 min

*Dying Bug - 1 min

*Supine March - 1 min

Round 3: 

*1-arm Med Ball Plank - 30 sec ea

*Dead Bug Alternating Reach - 15 ea

*1-leg Hip Bridge - 30 sec ea