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No. 1 Abs Exercise - forces your abs to activateThe side plank is one of those "must do" exercises. Dr. Stuart McGill (leading authority on lower back and core rehabilitation) states this as one of his favourite exercises. Not only does the side plank force your abs to activate but it also encourages your abs to stay tight while you breathe, a very important separation for your breathing mechanics. One drill that I like to do with my clients is to elevate the heart rate with something cardio, like kettlebell swings, and then move straight into this exercise. The abs are forced then to work as the breathing continues. I will tend to put some kind of side plank movement into all my core workouts. You can see it being used in a circuit fashion with other core exercises in my Triple Sevens Density Workout. Another benefit of this exercise is that is works deep into the shoulder girdle improving shoulder stability. Those with acute shoulder problems may want to avoid this exercise. However, it can be used as a great shoulder rehabilitation exercise by performing the plank from the knees. The side plank shown in this video is one of the more advanced variations. You can progress the exercise as follows: 1. Static Side Plank from the knees 2. Static Side Plank from feet 3. Rotation Side Plank from the feet 4. Static Side Plank from the hand and feet 5. Rotational Side Plank from the hand and feet For the static side plank work for time, so 10 second sets is a good start. With the rotational side plank you can work for reps, 5 reps is a good start for these. Keep the hips high and go for it. Don't forget to leave me a comment below: |