6 minutes
Working the central area of the body has great benefits. To do this, we present you 7 abdominal plank exercises that strengthen the entire core and that you can perform at home.
The abdominal plank exercises can be done at home, outdoors or wherever we feel comfortable. The goal is to strengthen the middle area of the body using own weight. For this we will know different types of abdominal plank that will help us to work all the core.
Core means ‘center’. In this case, we are talking about the core of the body. It is the area where the abdominal, lumbar, pelvic, gluteal and spine muscles are located.
They are those that give us stability. It is important to work these regions to maintain a better posture, have better balance and avoid pain. Go ahead and try the different types of iron!
Types of abdominal plank to work the whole core
The abdominal plank is an exercise isometric. That is, our body remains static or, at least, that is the goal.
The force of the whole body is used to achieve a rigid posture for a long time. In this way, all the muscles in the area of the core.
On the other hand, there are also the dynamic plates. In this case, you start with a rigid posture and add activity, be it arms, legs, or combined movements.
1. Traditional iron
The traditional iron is done in the prone position and the posture should be maintained for the right time. Generally, you start with 30-second sets.
The goal will be to increase the time as the muscles get stronger and we begin to feel in better shape. This exercise is used to work all the muscles of the middle zone: abs, back, chest, glutes and arms.
Let’s see how it is done step by step:
- Lie face down.
- Support your forearms on the floor or mat.
- With your legs stretched out, put the balls of your feet on the ground.
- Keep your back straight, aligned with your shoulders and hips.
- Fix the posture and maintain it for the stipulated time.
2. Inverted iron
This is the isometric iron supine. It means that we work statically and we are lying on our back.
Glutes, arms and back muscles are strengthened. It is done as follows:
- We sit on the floor or mat.
- We lean back.
- The arms are stretched out and the hands rest on the ground and turn outwards.
- The pelvis is raised so that the body is off the ground.
- The heels are resting on the floor and the legs are straight.
- The head should be in a straight line with the rest of the body.
- The position is held for the indicated time.
3. Side plank
Instead of lying face down, here we will do it on our side. This exercise requires greater use of strength and balance, since we will support a single arm on the ground.
The challenge is to maintain that position for as long as possible. Mainly, strength is worked and it is ideal to strengthen abdomen and legs.
This is how the traditional side plank is made:
- First, do the traditional plank position.
- We remove one hand from the floor and turn the body so that it is on its side.
- If we support the left hand on the floor, we raise the right so that it is aligned with the supporting one or vice versa. We can also bring that hand to the waist.
- We put one foot on the other.
- The body should be aligned from head to toe.
- Then the exercise is repeated but towards the other side of the body.
4. Dog pose
It is a widely used position in yoga. We position ourselves with our arms and knees on the floor, on all fours.
Later, we must raise the hips until you achieve the posture. This exercise helps strengthen your back, shoulders, and abdomen:
- Hands should be flat on the floor and arms outstretched.
- The feet remain on the ground.
- The hips are raised until the legs are fully stretched.
- The position is held for the target time.
5. Caterpillar walk
The initial posture is like that of the dog, but in this case movement is added. First, we must walk with our hands forward, almost until the body is in a lizard position.
Then the hands are steady for support and we walk taking short steps with our feet until you reach the starting position.
6. Traditional dynamic plate
In the dynamic variant of the classic plank you start with a fixed plank position, but then we add movement of the arms alternately. If the exercise takes too much effort, you can put your knees on the floor.
This type of abdominal plank, by varying movements and positions, will make the exercise more entertaining. Let’s look at each step:
- With your arms outstretched, rest your hands on the floor.
- Support the balls of your feet and keep your legs straight.
- Contract the abdomen.
- Support the elbow of one hand and then that of the other.
- Return to original position, with one hand first and then with the other.
- Repeat the exercise the number of times stipulated.
7. Iron Superman
You work in the traditional abdominal plank position for this variant that improves the stability of the core. The goal is to lift one arm and your opposite leg at the same time.
In this way, the opposite extremities will be left as points of support on the floor. Then, it is returned to the starting position and the arm and reverse leg are raised.
A) Yes, the exercise is repeated as many times as we set out to complete a series. The iron Superman It serves to strengthen the spine and achieve a better posture.
Do the abdominal plank and boost your core!
You already know 7 different types of abdominal plank that you can perform in the comfort of home. Leaving the home can also be a good plan if we choose a quiet place surrounded by nature. In any case, it is always advisable to consult with specialists.
In addition, take that time to do the training and work all the core it will bring us multiple benefits. The muscles are strengthened, we achieve greater strength, coordination, flexibility and resistance. At the end of each day we will feel better.
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