It’s common to see people sweating it out in the gym to get a well-toned body and a flat stomach.
To reach this goal, lots of people stress on crunches and sit-ups for a flat tummy.
What they don’t realize is that doing even 1 hour of crunches won’t give you the benefit a
10-minute plank workout can. Do you feel like doing 500
crunches every workout is a waste?
Well, not entirely.
Crunches do work, but not that well.
They only target the front and sides of your abdomen.
A Plank, on the other hand, targets all your core muscles.
So, to help you in getting a flat stomach in just 1 month,
bestie brings you a guide to complete plank workout.
To make it easy to follow, we have divided it into 3 levels with 4 basic-level exercises,
3 intermediate and 2 advanced level ones.
Follow this approach to burn that belly fat in no time and
replace it with well-toned abs. Level 1: Basic Plank Exercises
To get well-defined abs and a flat stomach, working out your core is very important.
Planks burn more calories than other stomach targeted exercises as they target more muscles.
Start by doing each basic level exercise for 30 seconds.
Once you are able to hold it for at least 1 minute, start increasing the number of sets.
Level 1 of this plank workout plan will help you stabilize your core, spine and pelvis muscles.
We’ll start with the basic exercises and go on to increase the level of difficulty.
Let’s dive in. Number 1: A Traditional Plank
Get into a pushup position and bend your elbows.
Keep your body in a straight line and rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands.
Imagine someone getting ready to punch you right in the gut.
To brace yourself, tighten your core.
Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
You can breathe deeply while doing it.
This plank works on the core muscles rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis,
internal and external obliques.
These muscles are responsible for giving you that
externally visible “‘six-pack” and that’s what we want, right?
Number 2: Leg Lift Plank
Leg lift planks are effective in strengthening your core and toning the whole body.
It also improves posture and burns down body fat quickly by accelerating metabolism.
To start, first get into plank position.
You should be on your forearms and have your abs tight.
Tighten your glutes and lift a foot a few inches.
Hold it in the position for a few seconds.
Your foot stay flexed all this while. Perform 10 lifts with each leg.
Number 3: Side Plank
This is a simple yet effective exercise for your obliques.
Side planks are called unilateral exercise.
In simpler terms, they target one side of your body at a time.
Your whole-body weight in a side plank is just
supported by 2 points instead of 4 in the case of a regular plank.
This makes it more challenging than a traditional plank.
To understand better, let’s look at the technique.
To perform a side plank, start by lying on your left side.
With your knees straight, lift and balance your body just on your forearm and left elbow.
Keep your feet together.
Now, slowly raise your hips.
Keep going till your entire body is in a straight line.
Keep holding this position for 30 seconds and then relax.
Ready for the next one?
Number 4: Arm Lift Side Plank
Let’s take it a step higher.
For this one, start with the side plank position we just taught you.
Feet stacked with left elbow below your shoulder.
Got it?
Now, lift your right hand as high as you can.
Keep your core and foot flexed with toes pointed down slightly.
Once you have it lift your arm to the maximum, lower it slowly.
Repeat this 10 times with both arms.
Once you start doing these exercises on a daily basis, you’ll feel the need to eat better.
To make smart choices with your diet,
watch our video on “8 Foods to Avoid for the Flat Belly You've Always Dreamed of”
It is important to stick to these exercises until you feel ready for the next level.
Make sure you are able to do all 4 of them with 1 minute of holding time in one go.
Once you have built up stamina, it’s time for the next level.
Level 2: Intermediate Plank Exercises
Exercises in this category bring in multiple benefits.
Apart from strengthening your core, they also work on your arms and legs.
By giving you a better balance and concentration, they will help your form be on point.
Next 3 exercises have to be incorporated in the workout
plan after you have perfected the first 4 basic exercises.
Number 5: Straight Arm Plank
A straight arm plank can be called the mother of all the planks.
This is basically all about holding a position for a longer duration.
Being an isometric exercise, there is no actual muscle movement involved here.
It is great for improving your posture,
tightening the midsection and reversing postural deficiencies.
So how do we start?
With a pushup position.
With hands-on the floor, set your feet together.
Put your weight on your toes while keeping the body form straight.
Don’t forget to keep the body engaged and squeeze your glutes.
Hold this plank for about 30 seconds.
Number 6: Straight-Arm Plank with Shoulder Touch
If you suffer from back-pain and wanna increase your flexibility, this exercise is for you.
It tightens your mid-section while making your glutes, arms and shoulders stronger.
To perform a Straight-Arm Plank with Shoulder Touch,
start again in a pushup position while keeping the posture straight.
With weight on your toes, drop your shoulder blades down.
Now, lift your right hand slowly and give your left shoulder a tap.
Make sure you keep your lower body still.
If your hips don’t lie while doing it, then you need to practice balancing your bottom more.
After the tap, bring your right hand
back to the starting position and repeat the same with the left hand.
Keep alternating it for 30-40 seconds.
Number 7: Straight-Arm Plank and Raise
For this exercise on number 7, you have to go a step higher.
In pushup position like number 6, with arms straight and weight on the toes,
raise and straighten your right leg.
Hold this position for 10 seconds before switching legs.
Keep alternating legs until you feel tired.
It is a multifunctional exercise with prime focus on increasing spinal stability.
It also improves shoulder strength along with core and back muscles.
Sounds cool, right?
So, keep practicing these basic and intermediate level exercises until
you are able to hold each one for at least 1 minute, in one session.
With that stamina, you can take your workout to the next level.
Level 3: Advanced Level Exercises
Do you feel you have good control, balance,
strength and stamina to take your flat stomach goals a step higher?
If yes, then incorporate these 2 advanced level exercises in your workout plan.
Number 8: Walkout from Pushup Position
This advanced-level exercise incorporates resistance to strengthen muscles.
With full-body movement using arms and legs it’ll make your core more robust.
To get the benefits, the correct technique is important.
Start in the pushup position.
Keep your hands a little wider than your shoulders.
Reach as far as you can, walking your hands out and then walk back.
Do about 10-12 reps of this exercise.
It is a dynamic motor exercise which gives you better lumbopelvic control and spinal stability.
Try it and you’ll realize why it is an advanced level exercise.
Number 9: Alligator Drag
This exercise is as strong as its name.
You can call it the boss of all plank workouts.
It clubs the best every type of plank has to offer.
Cardio, stability, strength training, and additional calories burn it offers,
altogether fastens your fat loss drastically.
Here’s how to do it.
You need a good amount of space for it.
Find a 10 to 20 yard long stretch of floor.
According to what your floor is made up of, grab anything that would slide on it easily.
For the wooden floor, a towel would work the
best and a plastic bag would be suitable for a carpeted floor.
Once you have it, start by keeping your feet on what you chose, say, a towel.
Take a pushup position and walk yourself forward by just using your hands.
Nope, no foot movement allowed!
Walk at least 8 to 10 yards and rest for 60 to 90 seconds.
You can take more time if you need it.
Now go back to the starting position doing the same alligator walk.
This was one set. Repeat it once again.
Now keep practicing.
No matter how tempting it might look like to jump straight to the 9th pick,
start with number one and climb your way up.
This way you will not over-strain your muscles.
Stick to this regime for a month and come back here to tell us about your results.
We promise that this workout won’t disappoint you.
So, what do you think about home workouts?
Do you think they work if you have enough
dedication or hitting a gym with equipment is necessary?
Let us know in the comment section.