About This Plank Routine
The plank is one of the most efficient core exercises you can do. In a single hold, you engage your entire trunk, from your shoulders to your hips. This quick plank routine gives you three essential variations in under two minutes, perfect when you want core activation without a lengthy workout.
What This Routine Targets
Planks work more than just your abs. They engage your shoulders, chest, back, and the muscles that stabilize your spine. This routine includes the hand plank for overall stability, elbow plank for deeper core engagement, and side plank for oblique strength and lateral stability.
What’s Included
This ninety-second routine includes three classic plank variations. Each hold lasts thirty seconds. The progression moves from hand plank to elbow plank to side plank, hitting your core from different angles in minimal time.
Who Should Try This
This routine fits anyone who wants a quick core workout they can do anywhere, anytime. It works as a standalone mini-workout, as an addition to longer training sessions, or as a daily core maintenance habit.
Tips for Best Results
Keep your body in a straight line during each plank. Avoid letting your hips sag or pike upward. Engage your glutes and brace your core as if someone might tap your stomach. Quality of position matters more than duration.
Hand Plank
Duration: 0:30
Hold a high plank to build full-body tension and sharpen your core control.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Start on hands and knees, then step both feet back to form a straight line from head to heels.
- Brace your core and press the floor away through your palms.
- Hold the strong plank position with steady breathing.
Tips
- Gaze slightly ahead of your hands to keep the neck neutral.
Adjustments
- Drop to your knees while maintaining a long line from knees to head for a lighter version.
Elbow Plank
Duration: 0:30
Hold a solid forearm plank to build core strength and full-body tension from shoulders to toes.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Start on all fours, then lower forearms to the floor and step both feet back.
- Engage your core to create a straight line from head to heels.
- Distribute weight evenly between forearms and feet and hold with steady breathing.
Tips
- Stack elbows under shoulders for stability.
- Avoid letting your hips sag or lift too high.
Adjustments
- Drop to your knees while keeping a straight line from knees to head if you want a lighter option.
Elbow Side Plank
Duration: 0:30
Hold a powerful side plank on your forearm to challenge your obliques and shoulder stability.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on one side with legs extended and feet stacked.
- Place your bottom elbow under your shoulder, forearm flat on the floor.
- Engage your core and lift your hips to form a straight line from head to heels while the top hand rests on your hip.
- Hold with steady breathing, then switch sides halfway through.
Tips
- Keep hips high and stacked so your body stays aligned.
Adjustments
- Drop your bottom knee to the floor if you want extra support.
Building Core Strength
Shake out your arms and enjoy the instant posture boost. Even brief plank sessions strengthen your core over time.
Do this routine daily or add it to any workout. Consistent short sessions build the core stability that supports better posture, reduces back pain, and improves performance in everything else you do.
