15 Plank Variations You Haven’t Tried but Need to ASAP

For those who are unfamiliar with planks or have not performed them in a considerable amount of time, it is recommended that you begin with a modified version of the forearm plank.

Despite the fact that this relieves strain on your lower back, it will still provide you with an excellent core workout. After some time has passed, you will be able to go to the standard forearm plank.

Lie down on your stomach with your arms resting on the ground for support. Make certain that your elbows are positioned squarely beneath your shoulders.
In this exercise, you should press your forearms into the floor and elevate your chest off the ground while maintaining contact with the floor with your knees, toes, and elbows. You should keep your core tight and your neck in a neutral position (you should avoid looking up or down). Additionally, you should avoid lifting your hips or dropping them by tucking your pelvis closer to your spine.
This position should be held for thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to do so with keeping correct form, thus strengthening your glutes.
It is not necessary to use a yoga mat; however, if you find that it is more comfortable for your elbows and knees, you may want to consider investing in one.

When compared to the knee plank, the straight-arm knee plank is an advanced knee plank. Compared to a typical plank, this one demands a little bit more strength from the arms and the core, but it is much simpler to accomplish.

Position yourself so that you are lying on your stomach with your arms bent at your sides, your hands beneath your shoulders, and your palms resting flat on the ground.
Your torso should be lifted and your arms should be straightened by pressing your hands into the floor. Keep your knees bent to a certain degree and in contact with the ground. Your wrists should be aligned with your shoulders, your core should be squeezed, and your neck should be in a neutral posture (you should avoid looking up or down).
This should be held for thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to do so while keeping correct form.

If you are prepared to assume a plank position without any adjustments, the forearm plank is an excellent approach to experience the burn more intensely.

After lying down on the floor, position your forearms so that they are directly beneath your shoulders.
Raise your torso off the ground in a slow and controlled manner by applying pressure to your knees and forearms. During the process of raising yourself up, make sure to keep your neck and spine in a neutral position.
You should make sure that your body is in a straight line by tucking your toes under and lifting your knees.
Maintain this position for twenty to thirty seconds, gradually increasing the time until you reach one minute or more. In accordance with Guinness World Records, the forearm plank that was held for the longest period of time was nine and a half hours (2)!
To ensure that your neck is in a neutral position, it is recommended that you let your sight to fall toward your mat, which is approximately one foot in front of you.

You can attempt increasing the difficulty of the exercise by moving to a straight-arm plank, which is also referred to as a full plank. This will help you build up your strength.

With your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees slightly behind your hips, begin on all fours with your hands in this position.
As you raise one knee at a time off the ground, press your hands into the ground and continue to do so. To ensure that you are in a straight line from your heels to your head, straighten both of your legs. It is important that your body appears as though you are performing a pushup in an upward position. Make sure that your hands and shoulders are in the correct position, that your legs are powerful, that your feet are hip-width apart, and that your core is moving.
Continue to hold this position for at least thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to keep your form correct.

You are already familiar with the ability to perform a typical plank, but if you want to advance your workout, switching between forearm plank and full plank is a wonderful way to accomplish it.

Get into the forearm plank posture to begin.

When you want to pull yourself into the complete plank position, straighten one arm at a time. First, you should do things gently in order to perfect the changeover. In high plank, position your hands such that they are directly beneath your shoulders. This should be done by placing your hands where your elbows were.

In order to return to the forearm plank posture, bend one arm slowly and then the other arm simultaneously.

Perform this for a total of two to three sets, continuing for thirty seconds for each set. The pace should be increased in accordance with your degree of comfort as you make progress.

You should engage your core in order to reduce the amount of swaying that occurs in your hips as you switch positions.

Your obliques, which are the muscles that are located on the sides of your torso, as well as your hip abductors are the primary muscles that are targeted by the side plank, which is another terrific exercise.

While lying on your side, position your hips, knees, and feet such that they are stacked. Your legs should be practically straight. Check that your elbow is positioned squarely under your shoulder and that your forearm is in a flat position. In the event that this is too challenging for you, you can either retain your other arm at your side or lift it straight into the air.
As you rise your torso, press your hand and forearm into the ground underneath you. Continue to keep your hips high and your core tight, and make sure that your legs are completely straight. If you want to look good, your body should be in a straight line.
After attempting to maintain this position for twenty to thirty seconds, switch sides.
To make things simpler, maintain your knees in contact with the floor while you hold the rest of your body up. This will make the exercise much simpler. To minimize putting strain on your knees, you should bend your knees when you are performing the modification with your knees on the floor. Your feet should be pointing backward.

modifications such as straightening your arm or lifting and lowering your hips are two examples of modifications that can be used to increase the difficulty of the exercise and contribute to increased stability.

When you walk sideways while holding a plank position, you will improve your core muscles as well as the muscle groups in your upper and lower body. The deltoids, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and even the calves are included in this category.

At the beginning of the exercise, assume a full plank position with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. You may avoid injury and get the most out of your workout by using your glutes and abdominal muscles.
Start shifting laterally, or to the side, by simultaneously moving your right hand and foot to the right. This will allow you to shift laterally.
Bring your left hand and foot together in the middle of the plank position, and then return to the plank position.
One set consists of performing five steps to the right, followed by five steps to the left. Make it a goal to finish three to five sets, or as many as you can without risking injury in one minute.
To ensure that you are performing this motion correctly and to efficiently target your muscles, it is recommended that you take your time with it. Ensure that you maintain a tight core during the entire process.

You may target multiple muscle groups with planks that include shoulder taps. These muscle groups include your hip flexors, abdominals, back, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Within the context of the typical straight-arm plank, this motion presents an additional challenge.

To begin, assume a typical plank position with your arms straight. If you feel the need for additional stability, widen your legs.
Raise your right hand off the ground and bring it to rest on your left shoulder while maintaining a tension in your core. After then, bring your right hand back down to the ground.
In order to contact your right shoulder, lift your left hand and touch it.
For the next twenty to thirty seconds, continue to switch hands.
When performing this action, you should avoid moving your shoulders or hips. Keeping your body in a straight line is the objective of this exercise.

If you find that this exercise is too challenging for you, try beginning on your knees (in a straight-arm knee plank) or adopting a wider stance. By bringing your feet together, you can make the challenge more challenging. Because of this, it is more difficult to keep the stability.

This full-body workout stimulates a number of different muscular groups, including your glutes, hamstrings, abdominal muscles, obliques, triceps, and shoulders. Rather than facing downward, you will arrange yourself so that your stomach is facing upward until you reach the ceiling.

While seated on the floor, maintain a lofty posture and extend your legs in front of you. Position your hands so that they are behind you on the floor, with your fingertips pointing in the direction of your feet.
In order to elevate your hips and create a straight line from your heels to your shoulders, engage your glutes, core, and arms muscle groups. It is important to make sure that your shoulders are brought down and away from your ears. In order to prevent your hips from dropping, you should slightly tuck your pelvis.
This should be held for twenty to thirty seconds, or for as long as you can while still keeping the correct form.
If you want to take your workout to the next level, try adding a leg raise to your routine. While you are holding the reverse plank position, start by bending at the hip and then lifting your right leg toward the ceiling. When you lift, be sure that your hips remain stable and that your upper body remains powerful. Using control, bring your leg back down to the floor, and then repeat the exercise with the opposite leg.

Placing your hands on an elevated surface, such as a step or bench, will make the task much simpler for you.

Experience the burn in your obliques, abdominal muscles, and lower body by performing these "Spider-Man" planks.

Get into the full plank posture to begin.
If you want to go back into the plank position, you should first pull your right knee toward the outside of your right elbow and then push it back. While you are moving your leg, you should make sure that your knee is open out to the side. This will allow your inner thigh to hover over the floor.
When you bring your knee forward, exhale, and when you bring it back, inhale more deeply.
To begin, perform eight to twelve repetitions on each side. As your strength increases, you should strive to complete up to twenty repetitions on each side.
As a helpful hint, take your time. The key to success in this move is correct form and movement that is under control. It is important to keep your hips raised and to avoid swaying from side to side in order to maintain appropriate form.

Another technique that will target your obliques is the one that begins here.

Get into the full plank posture to begin.
Extend one of your legs and bring your knee toward the elbow of the opposing leg.
To return to the starting position of the plank, push your leg back. Ensure that your abdominal muscles and glutes remain contracted throughout the entire workout.
You should continue to switch sides for twenty to thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to keep your form correct. Aim for two to three sets.
Tip: Do all in your power to maintain a neutral position for your spine and pelvis as much as you possibly can.

In addition to working your upper body and core, this is a terrific full-body workout that tackles your lower body as well.

You should begin with a light weight to verify that you are performing the exercise correctly. If you are new to working out, you should begin with a light weight.
Make sure that each hand is holding a dumbbell as you assume the full plank posture.
To execute one row, lift the dumbbell with your right arm and bring it to the side of your waist or toward your hip.
Bring the dumbbell back to the position it was in when you began.
The opposite arm should be used to perform one row.
Do eight to twelve repetitions on each side. Aim to complete two to three sets.
One helpful hint is to keep your core engaged during the entire exercise. This will allow you to complete the dumbbell row with greater control. Consider using a lighter dumbbell if you find that you have to swing your body in order to raise the dumbbell. This exercise can also be performed without the use of any weights at all. In the event that your opposite leg rises off the floor, you should use a lighter dumbbell and maintain a firm gluteal contraction.

Mountain climbing is a sport that engages your entire body. They are a particularly efficient form of workout that also includes a heart-rate surge. Throughout the entirety of the exercise, you should be sure to keep your wrists, arms, and shoulders stacked.

Make sure that your hands are directly beneath your shoulders when you begin in the full plank posture.
Position your hands so that they are slightly wider than your shoulders, and utilize your upper body and pelvis to stabilize yourself.
As you continue to engage your core, lift your right foot off the ground and pull your right knee closer to your chest. When you rotate your hips or shoulders, avoid doing so. Put your left knee in the same position as your right knee, and then return to start position.
Carry on with this movement for twenty to thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to keep your form correct.
As you become more accustomed to the situation, you will be able to increase your speed. Although the quicker you go, the more cardiovascular benefit you will receive, it is important to ensure that you still maintain appropriate form in a safe manner.

In the course of your strength training regimen, plank jacks will get your heart rate up.

Make sure to begin in a high plank or a forearm plank.
The distance between both feet should be greater than hip-distance apart.
You should immediately hop them back into the plank posture they were in before.
Make it a goal to finish two to three sets of thirty seconds, or for as long as you are able to keep your form correct.
As you progress through the exercise, it is important to remember that you should neither elevate or drop your hips out of the position of a straight line.

When it comes to improving strength and stability, Swiss ball jackknives are also an outstanding choice. Having said that, this kind of maneuver is considered to be more sophisticated and ought to be carried out with prudence.

You should begin by assuming a full plank position and placing your lower legs or feet on an exercise ball. In order to make the workout more challenging, you should move the ball further away from your head. Engage your abdominal muscles to keep your body stable and to bring your spine into alignment.
Elevate your hips in a gentle manner by engaging your core and applying pressure through your shoulders. Your feet should be used to roll the ball forward, and your knees should be pulled toward you. Take extra precautions to avoid sagging your hips or rounding your back.
In order to return to the initial plank posture, you should extend your legs while rolling the ball backward. During the entirety of the exercise, you should make sure that your shoulders remain directly over your wrists.
As a result of the difficulty of this motion, it is possible that you will only be able to do a few repetitions at a time. As you grow stronger, you should keep increasing the amount of repetitions you perform.
To enhance the difficulty of the exercise for your abdominal muscles, try moving the ball further away from your center of gravity. The goal is to start the movement from your lower abdominal muscles rather than your hip flexors.