We all know about the standard exercise known as the plank. Some people do this exercise from their hands, and some people do it from their elbows.
Planks are a phenomenal exercise for core strength. They can also be great for encouraging good posture and increasing performance across the board.
One of my favorite variations of the plank is plank walks.
Plus, it's an exercise that you can easily adjust the intensity on. You can decrease the intensity by using a box, a wall, or by holding yourself up from your knees ... and you can increase the intensity by rotating to one side, adding weight, or making the movement dynamic.
Regardless of how you choose to do your plank walks, it will be an excellent way to exercise your core as well.
While I call them plank walks, they can also be referred to as hand planks or plank up-downs.
So, if you're looking for a way to challenge your core, give these a go! I'll run you through exactly how to do them and the several benefits they have to offer.
Benefits of The Plank Walk
Planks in general can offer quite a few benefits when you do them consistently.
Some of the main benefits you may notice can include:
• Increased strength (especially in your core)
• Improved balance and posture
• Prevent risk of lower back pain
• Improving overall exercise performance
When done properly, nearly every plank variation will target your core muscles. This is a huge reason why plank walks can be helpful in preventing, and in some cases, reducing low back pain.
On top of that, they can also help strengthen your arms, legs, glutes, and a lot more. It's an exercise that forces your full body to work together, which is something I encourage.
Believe it or not, over 70% of people have some sort of posture issue (1). Isn't that crazy?
Well, walking planks can be performed to help your body learn to keep better posture. They can strengthen your neck, back, chest, and shoulders to keep your body in a more neutral position all day.
By this, I mean plank walks can help prevent slouching or hunching your back when you sit or stand for a long time. With how many of us sit at a desk all day, this can be super advantageous.
But other than the several benefits plank walks can offer ... you can also do them anytime, anywhere.
Plank Walks Can Be Done Anytime, Anywhere, In Many Different Ways
The best part about any planks walks, or really any type of plank, is that you can do them nearly anywhere! As long as you have enough room to lay down, you have enough room to do a plank walk.
On top of that, there are multiple variations of walking planks that you can do. Again, this can help increase or decrease the intensity to suit your fitness level.
I'll make sure to cover some of the popular variations later. For now, let's get into how to do a plank walk. That way, you can add them to your next workout or your overall workout program.
How To Do A Plank Walk
On the ground, lay on your stomach with your palms flat underneath your shoulders. From here, lift your hips off the ground and support your bodyweight on your hands and toes. Brace your core, quads, and glutes to keep your back straight.
Lower down to your elbows one at a time until your weight is supported by your elbows and toes. Next, raise back up to your hands one at a time until your weight is supported by your hands and toes again.
Repeat this for a set number of reps. Also, make sure to perform this movement and in a slow and controlled manner.
Another tip is to make sure you are keeping your hips level the entire time. One thing that can help with this is by making sure to keep your quads, glutes, and abs engaged.
This is something I coach others to do all the time to promote proper form.
Not too difficult, huh? If you do enough of them though, it can start to get real tough real quick. But what are some other ways to switch up the plank walk?
Plank Walk Variations: Making It Harder
If you're looking for ways to challenge yourself more, there are quite a few variations you can try.
Adding a Rotation
One way you can make plank walks more difficult is by adding a rotation at the top. As you return to your palms, shift your weight to one side of your body. You'll do this by stacking one foot on top of the other and swinging your arm outward as you rotate your body to one side.
Hold for a second before bringing your toes and arm back to the ground. You'll repeat this on each side of your body to complete a full rep of your plank walk.
Adding Weight
Another way you can make plank walks more difficult is by adding weight. Whether you balance a weight plate on your back or put on a weight vest ... it will add an extra element of challenge to your plank walks. Just make sure to keep your core tight and form correct throughout the whole movement.
Plank Walk Variations: Making It Easier
If you're looking for ways to make plank walks slightly easier, there are also a few variations you can try. For the most part, they all use leverage to your advantage to make the exercise easier.
Using a Box or Bench
As far as the exercise goes, you'll do it the exact same way. For this variation though, you will place your hands on an elevated surface such as a box or a bench. The greater the elevation, the easier these will be.
Knee Plank Walks
Similar to using a box or a bench, the plank walk itself will be done the same way as normal. This time though, instead of balancing on your toes, you'll balance on your knees. This can make the plank walk much more suitable for beginners or those of us who aren't ready to take on a standard plank walk.
One Final Tip For Walking Planks
No matter what your fitness goals are, plank walks are an exercise you can add to help achieve them. This is especially ture if you're looking to build a stronger core.
However, earning your goals will require a lot more than exercise alone. Whether you want to build muscle, burn body fat, or improve overall health ... your nutrition is also going to be a factor.
I know it can be hard to know exactly where to start or what to do with so much conflicting information out there. On top of that, getting the advice and tools you need can be time-consuming and expensive. The good news is, that's where we can help!
In fact, we created the 1st Phorm App for that exact reason: to give you the ultimate all-in-one tool for achieving your goals. Inside the app, we'll connect you with your own advisor. This is your personal coach to help program your nutrition, answer your questions, and hold you accountable.
When it comes to reaching your goals to look and feel your best, the 1st Phorm App simplifies the process. You'll also get access to so many helpful features like:
• Nutrition programming and tracking
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References:
(1) Susilowati, Indri Hapsari et al. “The prevalence of bad posture and musculoskeletal symptoms originating from the use of gadgets as an impact of the work from home program of the university community.” Heliyon vol. 8,10 (2022): e11059. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11059
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