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Best Plank Variations

This Is the Ultimate Move For Sculpting Arms and Abs — Try These 30 Variations

Jul 26 2018

The ultimate bodyweight move, the plank is one of the best total-body moves you can add to your routine, especially if strong abs and arms are one of your goals. Add these effective variations to challenge your muscles even more.

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Plank

  • Balance on your hands and toes with your body in one straight line, hands underneath your shoulders and feet hips-width distance apart.
  • To make this move even more challenging, elevate your feet onto a step, bench, block, or ball.
  • Hold for as long as you can with correct form.
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Plank Jacks

  • Begin in plank position with your feet together. Keep your upper body stable and engage your abs.
  • Begin doing jumping jacks with your legs. Hop them wide, then hop them together. This counts as one rep.
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Mountain Climbers

  • Start in a traditional plank — shoulders over hands and weight in your toes.
  • With your core engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest, with your toes just off the ground. Return to your basic plank. Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward. This counts as one rep.
  • Keep switching legs and begin to pick up the pace until it feels a little like running in place in a plank position.
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Plank With Shoulder Tap

  • In a plank, alternate bringing your hand to the opposite shoulder without allowing your torso to twist.
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Plank to Pike Jump

  • Begin in plank position with your feet together. Keep your upper body stable and engage your abs. Don't let your lower back arch.
  • Keep your weight in your hands as you draw your navel toward your spine.
  • Use your abs to pull your your hips directly up while keeping your legs straight, and jump your feet forward, landing in pike position.
  • Jump your feet back to plank, keeping your core tight and stable. This counts as one rep.
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Ball Pike to Plank

  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your shins on the ball.
  • Do not allow your lower back to arch. Keep your feet, pelvis, and shoulders in one long line.
  • On an exhale, pull your abs deeply to your spine and use your abs to fold your body in half, pulling the ball forward toward your hands as your pelvis up in the air.
  • Your toes will move onto top of ball and your back will become perpendicular to the floor like a handstand. Allow your head to fall between your arms, keeping your neck long and in line with your spine.
  • Lower yourself back into a plank position and do not allow your pelvis to sag below your shoulders.
  • This completes one rep.
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Plank With Alternating Shoulder and Knee Tap

  • Begin in a plank variation with your feet slightly wider than your hips.
  • Bring your right hand to your left shoulder, then place that hand back on the mat. Bring your left hand to your right shoulder and return it to the mat.
  • Bring your right knee and your left hand toward one another under your body. Return to a plank, then switch sides so your left knee meets your right hand. This counts as one rep.
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Arm Circle Planks

  • In a plank position, reach your left arm back, and then circle it overhead, bringing your palm back to the floor; repeat on the other side. This counts as one rep.
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Spiderman Plank (aka Creepy Crawler)

  • In plank, bring your knee to your elbow and then alternate sides. This counts as one rep. If this is too challenging, just lift your leg open to the side.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

Plank Side Walk

  • Begin in plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
  • Simultaneously cross your right hand over your left as you step your left foot to the left. Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, so you're back in plank position. Your hands move together as your feet step apart.
  • Repeat this for five steps to the left and five steps to the right to complete a rep. Be sure to keep your hips low as you move, drawing your navel toward your spine.
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Frogger

  • Begin in a plank position. Jump your feet to the outside of your hands, coming into a deep squat and keeping your hands on the floor.
  • Jump your feet back to a plank. This counts as one rep.
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Plank With Bunny Hop

  • Begin in a plank position with your feet together.
  • Pull your abs in and jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
  • Jump your feet back to plank to complete one rep.
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Two-Point Plank

  • Start in a plank position. Lift your left leg off the ground so your heel is even with your pelvis.
  • Keeping your torso steady, reach your right arm forward. Really brace through the abs by pulling your navel to your spine. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Now repeat on the other side. This counts as one rep.
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Up-Down Plank

  • Come into plank position with your arms and legs straight.
  • Beginning with the right side first, lower your elbow to the floor where your hand was. Then lower your left elbow to the floor where your left hand was (now you are in elbow plank, with your forearms parallel).
  • Come back into the starting plank position on your right hand and then on your left. This completes one rep.
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Plank Row

  • Start in a plank position with your legs wider than hip distance; the wider stance makes you more stable. Hold onto your dumbbells, keeping your wrist locked to protect the joint.
  • With your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilizing your torso as you lift your left elbow to row; feel your left shoulder blade sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
  • Keeping your neck long and energized, return the weight to the ground, and repeat the movement on your right side. This counts as one rep.
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Plank With Lateral Arm Reach

  • Start in a plank position.
  • Keeping your torso stable, slowly reach your left arm out to your side. Brace through your abs by pulling your navel to your spine. Hold this position for five seconds. If you feel too unstable, try moving your right hand so it is under the centre of your chest rather than under your right shoulder.
  • Keeping your torso stable, bring your arm back to the plank position. Do not round your back or twist your spine.
  • Repeat this same motion on the other side, extending your right arm to your side. This counts as one rep.
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Elbow Plank

  • Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
  • Step your feet out one at a time, coming into a plank position.
  • Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
  • Hold for 30 seconds, and work your way up to one minute as you get stronger.
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Elbow Plank With Leg Lift

  • Start in an elbow plank. Lift your left foot about six inches off the ground, keeping your pelvis parallel to the floor. Hold for five seconds, then lower the leg.
  • Try the lift with your right leg.
  • This completes one rep.
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Elbow Plank With Donkey Kick

  • From elbow plank position, bend your right knee, flex your heel and press your foot up toward the ceiling without moving your pelvis. Lower the bent leg slightly, and repeat for a total of 15 to 20 pulses.
  • Switch sides and pulse another 15 to 20 times to complete the rep.
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Elbow Plank With Side Step

  • Start in an elbow plank and alternate stepping your legs to the side, keeping your toes off the floor. To modify, tap your toes to the floor.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

Elbow Plank With Knee Drive

  • Start in an elbow plank and bring your right knee into your nose; your pelvis will rise toward the ceiling. Place your right foot back on the ground.
  • Alternate sides, bringing your left knee in. This counts as one rep.
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Side Plank Right

  • Balance on your right hand and the outside edge of your right foot, with your body in one straight line. To modify, stagger your feet and bring your top leg forward.
  • Hold for 30 seconds on each side to complete one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

Side Plank With Leg Lift (Right Side)

  • Balance on your right hand and the outside edge of your right foot, your the body in one straight line. Raise your left arm and leg in the air.
  • Hold for 30 seconds on each side to complete the rep.
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Push-Up and Rotate

  • From a plank position, perform a push-up. At the top of the push-up, rotate to the left, coming into a side plank and reaching your right arm to the ceiling.
  • Return to the plank position, do another push-up, and rotate into a side plank on the right. This counts as one rep.
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Side Plank Leg Lift

  • Place your right elbow on the ground. Extend both legs out so that your body is in one straight line and you're balancing on the outside edge of your right foot.
  • Flex both feet if you can, and either rest your top hand on your upper hip or extend it in the air. Keeping your spine lengthened and your abs engaged, lift your left leg up just higher than your top hip. Then slowly lower it back to your bottom leg.
  • This completes one rep. Be sure to perform a set on both sides.
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Elbow Plank With a Twist Right

  • In an elbow plank on your right side, twist to bring your left elbow to your right hand.
  • This completes one rep. Be sure to perform a set on both sides.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

Side-Plank Crunch

  • Begin in a side elbow plank with your left elbow down and your right hand behind your head.
  • Keeping your torso stable and your waist lifted, bring your right leg up toward your shoulder to lightly tap your right elbow.
  • Lengthen your right leg back to the starting position to complete one rep. Be sure to perform a set on both sides.
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Reverse Plank

  • Begin sitting on your butt with your legs straight. Bring your palms a few inches behind you, fingertips facing the toes.
  • Press into your feet and lift your butt off the ground. Try to keep your body in one diagonal line. You can also do this exercise on your elbows if it bothers your wrists.
  • Really squeeze your butt to help keep your pelvis from sagging.
  • Hold for 30 seconds to completes one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

Reverse Plank With Leg Lift

  • Begin sitting on your butt with your legs straight. Bring your palms a few inches behind you, fingertips facing the toes.
  • Press into your feet and lift your bum off the ground. Try to keep your body in one diagonal line. You can also do this exercise on your elbows if it bothers your wrists.
  • Alternate between lifting your right leg up and then your left to complete the rep. Move with control, making the movements slow and steady and keeping the hips lifted.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

Circling Plank

  • Begin in an elbow plank with your forearms resting on the top of a ball.
  • Keeping your core strong and your body still, use your arms to roll the ball in small counterclockwise circles.
  • Circle in the other direction to complete the rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

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