Are you ready to step-up your plank game? Is that a HELL YES, I hear? Ok cool, let’s do this. 

We already know planks are great for your core strength. They are arguably one of the best core exercises you can do. I talked last week about how you can get the most out of your plank –  read about it here.

But what happens when planks become too easy? You make them harder. Today we’ll use a basic principle from physics to make your core work harder and give you better results. 

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Level 2 Hardstyle Plank – Elbows in front of shoulders

The level 2 hard style plank keeps everything the same as the original variation, but slightly changes the elbow positioning.

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Original Hardstyle Plank – Elbows under the shoulders

Instead of shoulders directly under the shoulders, the level 2 plank has the elbows a few inches in front of the shoulders. By moving the elbows forward you are lengthening the lever and making it much more difficult for your core to keep you in proper position. The more difficult it is to stay in position, the more muscles  you activate. This leads to a sexy and tight midsection that keeps you fit and protects your body from injury. 

Why Gymnasts Have Short Limbs 

Longer levers make movements more difficult. It it for this reason most gymnasts have very short limbs (i.e. short levers). They have a mechanical advantage over those with longer limbs. The tall gymnasts (who have long arms = long levers) have to work much harder to perform the same moves. Tall people with longer levers have more trouble doing doing pull-ups for the same reason – they have to work harder to get their body above the bar. 

In the case of level 2 planks, we’re going to use the longer lever principle intentionally in order to make the plank harder and recruit more muscles through the core. Read more here to see how much more core activation you get with this type of plank. 

 Now onto the goods. Here’s Julie on the beach giving a plank demo in her bikini. Planks in Bikinis. I like the sound of that already! 🙂  Watch below.

Get a few planks into your Thursday routine and we’ll see you back here soon!

Nick

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