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17 Best Plank Abs Exercises you can do at Home to Build a Strong and Toned Core

Build an iron core.

The plank can be as easy or hard as you make it; it’s your job to make it hard to get the most out of it. These plank abs exercises will help.

You want your whole body rigid for the plank, so you should maintain some tension in your shoulder blades, drive your upper arms, from elbows to shoulders, perfectly perpendicular to the ground, maintain a ton of tension through your core (obviously) and squeeze your quads to straighten your knees.

It’s better to hold a truly focused plank for 30 seconds to a minute than to hold a lousy plank for 4 consecutive minutes.

Upgrade your Body

If there’s one thing people forget to involve in the plank, it’s their glutes. And that leads to the most common flaw you see in a plank: the butt being the highest point in the plank and the loss of a truly flat back.

You avoid this by actively squeezing your glutes: That’ll drive your hips into a cleanly neutral position and help you maintain a truly straight line from shoulders down through legs.

Most Important Exercises

This is typically an ab exercise, after all, so attack it like one. Don’t just keep your core tight, but flex your abs, and work to feel them working. Think about using them to keep your ribcage closed; that’ll engage the entire core complex and make this a better workout.

Muscles Worked by Plank Ab Exercises

This targets a wide range of muscles, especially the rectus and transverse abdominis. The rectus abdominis are the front muscles in the abdomen that support the muscles of the spine and help keep organs in the abdomen area in place. They’re known as the “six-pack muscles” because they give your abs shape and definition.

On the other hand, the transverse abdominis (TVA) muscles are known as the “corseting muscles” because they cinch the waist and act as core stabilizers that support the low back. In fact, a weak TVA is often the culprit of lower back pain.

CrossFit Explained

Planks also target the trapezius and rhomboid muscles (upper back muscles) in your back, as well as the pectorals (chest) and serratus anterior (the serrated-shaped muscles that wrap around the side of your chest and shoulder).

PLANK ABS EXERCISES

1. Plank

Place your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists.

Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart.
Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
Hold here for a set amount of time.

Targets the deltoids, latissimus dorsi, glutes, and core.

2. Forearm Plank

Place your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel.
Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart.
Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
Hold here for a set amount of time.

3. Forearm Plank Rock

Start in a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
Rock your entire body forward a couple inches so your shoulders go past your elbows toward your hands.

Rock back a couple inches. That’s 1 rep.
Make sure to keep your core, butt, and quads engaged the entire time.

Targets the core, latissimus dorsi, glutes, and deltoids.

4. Lateral Plank Walk

Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.

Take a step to the right starting with your right hand and right foot and following with your left hand and foot, maintaining a plank position as you move. This is 1 rep.
Do a set amount of reps in one direction, and then repeat the same amount moving in the opposite direction.

Band is optional. 

Targets the core, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, and triceps.

5. Plank Abs Exercises: Iron Cross Hand Plank

Assume a pushup position but extend your arms out to your sides as far as you can without letting your chest touch the floor. Your body should form a T or a cross.

Brace your core—as if you were about to be punched in the gut—and maintain that contraction the entire time.

Hold this position for the prescribed amount of time.

6. Plank With Spinal Rotation

Start in a high plank with your palms flat, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged. Place your feet hip-width apart.

Rotate your entire body to the right into a side plank, so that your right shoulder is stacked above your right wrist and your left hand is extended toward the ceiling. Pause here for a second, then return to start. That’s 1 rep.

Targets the the core, glutes, latissimus dorsi, and deltoids.

7. Plank to Downward Dog Tap

Start in a high plank with your wrists under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
Push your hips up and back to move into a Downward Dog with your heels reaching toward the floor.
Keep your core tight and shift your weight forward to come back into a high plank.

Targets the core, deltoids, and rhomboids.

8. Side Plank

Lie on your right side with your right hand directly underneath your right shoulder. Extend your legs and stack your left foot on top of your right, and then squeeze your abs and glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Extend your left hand straight up toward the ceiling.
Hold here for a set amount of time.

Targets the the core (especially the obliques), latissimus dorsi, and deltoids.

9. Plank Hop

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that’s how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, feet together, and core engaged. This is starting position.
Engage your abs and squeeze your quads to keep your legs together as you jump your feet forward and to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow.
Jump your feet back to start, and then jump your feet forward and to the left, bringing your knees toward your left elbow.
Jump your feet back together. This is 1 rep.
Continue alternating sides. Start with a slow pace and focus on form. You can speed up the jumps as you get more comfortable with the movement.

Targets the core, latissimus dorsi, glutes, and deltoids.

10. Plank Shoulder Tap

Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.

Tap your right hand to your left shoulder while engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips as still as possible so that they’re not swaying from side to side.
Do the same thing with your left hand to right shoulder. That’s 1 rep.

Continue alternating sides.

To make this easier, try separating your legs a little more.
Targets the deltoids, latissimus dorsi, triceps, and core.

11. Forearm Plank to Dolphin

Start in a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads. This is the starting position.
Press through your forearms and lift your hips up and back, creating an inverted V shape with your body. Your head should now be between your shoulders.
Pause for a second and then slowly lower back into a forearm plank.
Continue this movement for a set amount of time.

Targets the core, deltoids, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, and quads.

12. Plank Jack

Start in a high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
Jump your feet out and in (like jumping jacks). Try not to let your butt and hips bounce up and down as you jump your feet in and out.
Continue for a set amount of time.

Targets the the deltoids, latissimus dorsi, triceps, glutes, hip adductors (inner thigh muscles), glutes, and core.

13. Plank Abs Exercises – Plank Up Down

Start in high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged. Place your feet hip-width apart.

Lower your left arm down so that your forearm is on the floor. Then, do the same with your right. You should know be in forearm plank position.
Place your left hand back on the floor to extend your arm, and follow with your right arm, so that you end back in high plank. That’s 1 rep.
As you move, keep your hips as still as possible so that they’re not swaying from side to side. To make this easier, try widening your legs a little more.

Targets the core, latissimus dorsi, glutes, deltoids, and triceps.

14. Plank Abs Exercises – Plank Toe Tap

Start in a high plank with your palms flat, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you with your feet together, and your core and glutes engaged. This is the starting position.
Step your right foot a few inches out to the right. Then, bring it back to the starting position.
Step your left foot a few inches out to the left. Then, bring it back to the starting position.
Continue for a set amount of time, trying to keep your butt and hips from lifting up or sagging down as you step.

Targets the the core, latissimus dorsi, glutes, hip adductors (inner thigh muscles), and deltoids.

15. Plank Abs Exercises – Rainbow Plank

Keep your core and butt tight and your hips lifted. Rotate your hips to the left side and tap the floor. Repeat on the right side. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides.

16. Plank Abs Exercises – Forearm Side Plank Hip Dip

Start in a forearm side plank by propping your body up on your right forearm, with your elbow stacked underneath your shoulder and your hand in front of your body. Extend your legs and stack your left foot on top of your right, and then squeeze your abs and glutes to lift your hips off the floor.

Extend your left arm overhead or place it on your left hip. Your shoulders, hips, and feet should all be in a straight line.
Slowly dip your hips toward the floor, keeping your core tight and your back flat. Then, lift your hips back up. This is 1 rep.
Do all your reps on one side and then repeat on the other side.

Targets the core (especially the obliques), glutes, latissimus dorsi, and deltoids.

17. Plank Abs Exercises – Forearm Side Plank With Twist

Start in a forearm side plank by propping your body up on your left forearm, with your elbow stacked underneath your shoulder and your arm extended out in front of your body. Extend your legs and stack your right foot on top of your left, and then squeeze your abs and glutes to lift your hips off the floor.
Place your right arm behind your head, with your elbow bent and pointing up toward the ceiling. This is the starting position.

Rotate your torso toward the floor, bringing your right elbow to meet your left hand. Don’t let your hips drop—the movement should just come from your core.

Then, reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Continue for a set amount of time, and then repeat on the opposite side.
Targets the core (especially the obliques), glutes, latissimus dorsi, and deltoids.

Read More: 6 Important Kettlebell Shoulder Exercises to Bulletproof your Body

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