How To: Elbow Plank

Name an exercise for the abs other than sit-ups and crunches.

I’ll give you five seconds.

5…4…3…2…1

Ooooooooh, time’s up!

In the eternity you were given to answer, one of the exercises you could have said is planks.

Though it may not look like it, planks work the rectus abdominis like sit-ups and crunches but what the exercise has over them is that it does so without recruiting the hip flexors as much or placing as much stress on the spine. That’s one advantage. Another is that planks don’t strengthen your six-pack alone, as recruitment takes place of the obliques, transverse abdominis, and several other muscles within the abdomen that attach to the spine and pelvis.¹ Those muscles constitute the core and improved stability, better posture, and reduced susceptibility to back pain and injury are all benefits of making them stronger.

There are many different types of planks and they each vary in their degree of benefits, which can only be enjoyed if you do them correctly. Speaking to that, as easy as it looks to hold yourself up in a plank position, it’s just as easy to perform the movement wrong, which is the case for most people when it comes to this particular exercise. So you’re not like those people, what say you to learning how to perform the most popular version of the plank, that being the elbow plank?²

Good, glad to hear you’re game!

INSTRUCTIONS

1). Place an exercise mat on the ground and get down on all fours with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.

2). While bending your forearms so they’re flat on the ground, walk your feet back until your legs are extended behind you and close together.

3). When your body makes a straight line from your shoulders to your heels, tilt your hips under, flatten your back, squeeze your glutes, and think of pulling your belly button into your spine as you keep your body from touching the ground by propping your lower half up on your toes and the weight of your torso resting on your forearms.³

4). Hold the position for as long as possible while making sure to breathe.

NOTE (1): It doesn’t matter whether you ball your hands into fists or flatten your palms on the ground. Do what’s comfortable. Just don’t clasp your hands together!

NOTE (2): There’s no added benefit to holding a plank for longer than 2 minutes. So if you can plank for longer, it’s not necessary.

NOTE (3): If you feel the plank more in your shoulders than throughout your entire body, then you may want to make sure you’re squeezing your glutes and following all of the other instructions. Additionally, you might want to try squeezing your shoulder blades together, as well as actually flexing your abs.

For a workout routine that possibly includes elbow planks, as well as other exercises geared specifically to your goals, training experience, injury history, and available equipment, then find out more HERE

Glossary: abs, arms, chest, crunches, exercise, exercise equipment, goal, lats, muscle, plank, traps, routine

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Monster Longe

Monster Longe is a personal trainer in San Diego. He has been lifting weights for +25 years and training clients in the gym and online for about half of that time. When not working with clients or making content that's easy to read, understand, and apply to everyday life, he enjoys long walks and leaving buildings crushed and entire city blocks decimated in his wake.

How To: Elbow Plank

INSTRUCTIONS

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