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How to make your plank workout a little bit harder

After learning how to do a perfect plank, it’s time to check your form — and then make the move just a little bit harder.

To properly get your glutes, abs and lower back working together for an optimal workout, follow Men's Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel and Men's Health Associate Fitness Editor Brett Williams’ advice.

  1. Get into plank position (for a refresher, check out Day 1 of the plank challenge) and make sure your back is flat enough to safely rest a full plate of food on. Squeeze your glutes and core and don’t drop your body down (do this by tightening up your belly button and pulling your abs in).

  2. Stack your elbows directly under your shoulders and look down to keep your head straight and on the same plane as your back.

Click here for all five challenges.
Click here for all five challenges.

For Day 2 of the Yahoo Life plank challenge, we’re going to add time, reps and variation.

  • To start, hold the plank for 15 seconds and then repeat twice for a total of 45 seconds.

  • Next, try adding time and hold for 30 seconds.

  • To close things out, add in 15 seconds of shoulder taps while planking. As demonstrated in the video above, alternate raising one hand and balancing your body on one arm.

Come back to Yahoo Life for more planking and follow along with every day of the plank challenge here. Inspire those who are taking the planking challenge alongside you by sounding off in the comments.