Strength Training
Power Planks; Variations on a Core Theme
Photo Credit: Nicolas Smith
Side Planks
Student strongly recommends side planks, as they target the serratus muscles of the back. He says that these muscles are often neglected in back workouts, but are crucial for maintaining a straight standing posture, without rounded shoulders. Side planks are also a great exercise for the often-neglected obliques. This exercise can be done with either elbows on the floor, for an easier version, or with arms extended in the traditional plank position. If you choose to extend your arms, be very careful to keep your wrists straight and locked.
Start in a plank position, making sure that you are in a perfectly straight alignment from head to toe. From this position, lift one arm off the floor and rotate sideways, bringing one shoulder toward the ceiling, as you raise that arm and extend it directly upward. You should end up completely perpendicular to the floor, with only one hand or forearm and the sides of your feet on the floor. Push the weight-bearing shoulder down and out, pressing your shoulder blade down. If you are doing the exercise on your elbows, spread the fingers of the hand on the floor, and try to distribute your weight across the entire forearm. Hold this position for a moment, making sure you stay straight—your hips should not droop toward the floor or hike up toward the ceiling, nor should you tip forward or back. Next, rotate back to the starting position and switch sides, lifting your other hand off the floor and bringing your other shoulder toward the ceiling.
Once you have mastered the basic side plank, you can add to it. Do the exercise as above, but once you are in the sideways position, lower your hips straight down, touch the lower hip briefly to the floor, and lift back up to the flat position. As you do this, be very careful to stay stacked—do not let your body tip front or back.
To add an upper body element, place a dumbbell in the hand that will be in the air in the side plank. Start in a standard plank position, but bring the dumbbell up and back until your arm is extended at your side, with the dumbbell near your hip. From that position, rotate into a side plank, keeping the dumbbell at your side. At the top of the side plank, lift the dumbbell straight up toward the ceiling in a lateral raise, keeping your arm extended throughout the movement until your arm is vertical. Lower your arm back to your side, rotate back to the standard plank, and lower the weight back to the floor. Do a full set on one side before switching to the other.
Plank Exercise Quick Links
Knee Drops
Mountain Climbers
Side Traveling Planks
Dumbbell Planks
Side Planks
Back to Intro and Basic Plank Overview
Student strongly recommends side planks, as they target the serratus muscles of the back. He says that these muscles are often neglected in back workouts, but are crucial for maintaining a straight standing posture, without rounded shoulders. Side planks are also a great exercise for the often-neglected obliques. This exercise can be done with either elbows on the floor, for an easier version, or with arms extended in the traditional plank position. If you choose to extend your arms, be very careful to keep your wrists straight and locked.
Start in a plank position, making sure that you are in a perfectly straight alignment from head to toe. From this position, lift one arm off the floor and rotate sideways, bringing one shoulder toward the ceiling, as you raise that arm and extend it directly upward. You should end up completely perpendicular to the floor, with only one hand or forearm and the sides of your feet on the floor. Push the weight-bearing shoulder down and out, pressing your shoulder blade down. If you are doing the exercise on your elbows, spread the fingers of the hand on the floor, and try to distribute your weight across the entire forearm. Hold this position for a moment, making sure you stay straight—your hips should not droop toward the floor or hike up toward the ceiling, nor should you tip forward or back. Next, rotate back to the starting position and switch sides, lifting your other hand off the floor and bringing your other shoulder toward the ceiling.
Once you have mastered the basic side plank, you can add to it. Do the exercise as above, but once you are in the sideways position, lower your hips straight down, touch the lower hip briefly to the floor, and lift back up to the flat position. As you do this, be very careful to stay stacked—do not let your body tip front or back.
To add an upper body element, place a dumbbell in the hand that will be in the air in the side plank. Start in a standard plank position, but bring the dumbbell up and back until your arm is extended at your side, with the dumbbell near your hip. From that position, rotate into a side plank, keeping the dumbbell at your side. At the top of the side plank, lift the dumbbell straight up toward the ceiling in a lateral raise, keeping your arm extended throughout the movement until your arm is vertical. Lower your arm back to your side, rotate back to the standard plank, and lower the weight back to the floor. Do a full set on one side before switching to the other.
Plank Exercise Quick Links
Knee Drops
Mountain Climbers
Side Traveling Planks
Dumbbell Planks
Side Planks
Back to Intro and Basic Plank Overview