Hey Fit Peeps!
Rain!!!!!!! Yay!!! Ok- now we basically have less outdoor training options and really have to get creative indoors. If you’re thinking of doing a long-run, you’d need to go to the gym during off-peak hours so you don’t get asked to get off the treadmill after 30mins!
Alright, we’ve almost not touched on core conditioning so today, I’m going to bring you something that will awesomely kill those abs!! The Abs Plank!
Abs Plank
The plank strengthens your entire body by also working on your shoulders, arms and glutes. They make your core pop, strengthen your lower back and also build your back shoulders! What’s more – no equipments needed and you can get creative to increase the intensity (or the shivering of your entire body LOL) by just changing some basic moves!
How To Perform An Abs Plank
- Get into push-up position on the floor
- Bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms
- Make sure your elbows are directly beneath your shoulders
- Maintain a neutral spine from your head to your feet. Many people have the tendency to pike or sag while holding the plank position!
- Keep your abs and buns tight ☺
- Hold this position for as long as possible
Workout Of The Day (WOTD) Challenge
2 minute Plank Challenge
Hold your plank for 2 minutes! Repeat it 5 times!
Alright – not everyone – not even me started my planks on 2 minutes. So if you’re new, start with a more realistic hold (20 secs or 30 secs. Rest 5 secs. Repeat) You just keep increasing your time as you progress. You might even want to start with the knee-plank – I know I did ☺ What’s the trick? DON’T GIVE UP.
The longer you can hold the plank, the more resilient your lower back will be to injury, and the better your abs will look once you burn the fat off them.
For those of you who have already some basic core strength, here are some variations for you to try!
Lift one leg / one arm up or one leg and one arm simultaneously 
By simply raising one leg / one arm / both in the air, you are increasing the urge for your body to rotate. This will make your core work harder in balancing.
Weighted Planks on Bosu Ball This is my staple plank exercise these days. I balance my feet on the Bosu Ball (or Swiss Ball) and I place a weight on my middle back. Again, the weight increases the demand of the core to fight the urge of sagging, thus working the core harder. Sometimes, just for added intensity, I lift my arms and legs too!
So have fun feeling your entire body shiver and shake as you try to hold your planks as long as you possibly can!
Facebook and Twitter #WOTD to let me know how you’re doing with the new challenge!
