3 Plank Exercises You Can Workout At Home: Train Your Abs Muscles
Most men have a fondness for ab workouts. The dream of having six-pack or eight-pack abs is something every man aspires to. Meanwhile, women often seek a more toned physique that exudes strength and health.
Advertisements often showcase models with flawless, hanger-like bodies, completely free of excess fat, leaving one to lament the unfairness of it all.
If you no longer want to silently envy others, know that you can work on your abs through exercise. To combat the belly that comes with middle age and stubborn love handles, many people practice sit-ups at home day and night. However, is just doing that really enough and effective?
This time, we will introduce three simple plank exercises you can do at home. Let’s work together towards achieving those perfect abs!
For those who fear arm pain or prefer a tidy space on the floor, consider using a yoga mat!
Benefits of Plank
Plank can be considered the most popular core exercise right now, as you can effectively train your core muscles at home in just ten minutes.
Planks can indeed strengthen your abs. This exercise mainly sculpts the lines of your waist, abdomen, and glutes. More importantly, it helps maintain scapular balance, enhancing the attractiveness of your back.
Although the plank can strengthen your abs, it’s crucial to ensure that your exercise method and posture are correct. If your form is incorrect, the exercise may not be effective and could even cause muscle damage.
- Plank
Pay attention to your hands, hips, and feet. Your hands must be placed directly under your shoulder joints to avoid using them as a force point. Your hips should form a straight line with your back and waist; being too low can hurt your lower back, while being too high means you won’t effectively engage your core muscles.
- Side Plank
Although the plank seems simple, it has many variations, and the Side Plank is another popular core exercise. The external and internal oblique muscles are often underutilized, and they are the muscles associated with the coveted “mermaid line” or “abdominal line” that many women desire. The Side Plank can help create a more beautiful waistline, eliminating any excess fat!
- Three-Point Plank
If you’ve mastered the first two planks, you can increase the difficulty by reducing one support point, using only your two hands and one foot to support your body.
With only three points of contact, your core muscles will require more effort to balance. You can lift one foot and maintain this position for 10 to 15 seconds before switching feet. Make sure that the rest of your body remains aligned as in a standard plank.
Lastly, I recommend a piece of fitness equipment for training your abs: the ab roller. With a simple design, this small tool can effectively train your muscles and joints, delivering significant results but also posing a risk of injury. Therefore, proper form is crucial when performing ab roller exercises to strengthen your abs, waist, and glutes without causing injury. The following four exercises, done in a sequence of 70 repetitions, might help you achieve your goals.
No Comments