A high plank may be one of the best exercises to annihilate your core, but it can also put a lot of strain on your wrists too. This is pretty common, as your forearms and hands are helping to support your entire body weight. Dropping down from your hands to your forearms is one option, or you could try this wrist-friendly workout instead.
These five exercises from Fitness Coach, Elise Young, won’t just target your ‘six-pack’ muscles (the rectus abdominis and external obliques) but also the muscles deep in your abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis— those all-important core muscles that aid stability and protect the spine.
A word of warning, just because this workout doesn’t include a high plank, don’t mistake it for being ‘easy’, it’ll still leave your midsection burning afterwards! You’ll need to grab a dumbbell (it doesn’t need to be too heavy) or if you’re at home, just fill up a water bottle.
Aim to complete three to four rounds of the exercises below, taking a 15-20 second rest in between each one and a 40-60 second rest between rounds. If you’re not sure how to do any of the exercises, watch the short video above, especially for the partial sit-up. Also, make sure you have something soft beneath you to support your back. This is the workout:
- 10 partial single-arm sit-ups
- 15 leg lifts
- Side plank (on forearm) with dumbbell reach
- 15 reverse crunches
- 30-second forearm plank with dumbbell pull-through
If these exercises feel a little too advanced, these four moves are a great alternative for beginners (no planks are involved, either). Otherwise, check out these three core exercises that, according to a fitness coach, we should all be doing.
-
Three exercises to 'life-proof' your shoulders, according to a mobility expertHealthy shoulders mean better movement, more strength and less injury
-
Build unshakeable core strength with a kettlebell and these three exercisesAdd this to the end of your workout to fire up your midsection muscles
-
Supercharge your aerobic engine with this three-move rower workoutImprove your cardiovascular fitness and burn through calories
-
Arnold Schwarzenegger's 30-minute dumbbell workout for full-body gainsIncrease your strength and muscle mass in the time it takes to make tea – what’s not to love?
-
Sculpt your arms and shoulders with this low-impact, strength-style Pilates workoutThese four simple dumbbell exercises will help leave your upper body toned and stronger
-
This two-move no-run cardio workout blasts through calories and builds strength all overNo need to run to get fit, this bodyweight workout ramps up the heart rate for a calorie burning boost
-
This no-plank, three-move bodyweight workout builds serious core strength and stabilityA fitness expert says these exercises build core strength like a gymnast – impressive!
-
One kettlebell, seven exercises and 30 minutes to build muscle all over and increase strengthA simple strength workout that gets the job done
