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Over the next 10 days, no matter where you are starting from, I challenge you to get stronger with your planks - to be able to hold your planks longer - to try out some new plank variations - but most importantly … let’s have FUN together over the next 10 days ‘playing with planks’ :)
Today is day ONE - and it’s a super important day as we are going to get your BASELINE for your plank. Over this challenge, the only person you are competing with is yourself. We are all starting from a different place - a different fitness level - a different comfort and ability with planks. So today let’s figure out your baseline time for holding a high plank.
Firstly, let’s talk PLANK FORM. If you’ re not using good form through this challenge, you’re not going to get the same benefit out of it. SO let’s kick things off right.
Ok in your plank, you’re basically making a plank through your body - a nice straight line from the tip of your head down to your heels. Key points:
Your shoulders should be directly over your elbows and wrists
Your eye gaze should be about 6-12 inches ahead of your hands
Your core should be braced, your back flat and your hips tucked under
Tighten up your quads and glutes
Your feet about hip distance apart - and pressing some of the work into your heels
MODIFICATION OPTION: Yes - if you need - you may drop to your knees, but ensure that your hips are still tucked under and you still have that nice straight line from your head to your knees on the ground. You’re welcome to use this modification option at any point through this challenge - through any of the variations.
INTENSIFICATION OPTIONS - Are you a plank master already? You’re welcome to kick your planks up at any point by using a bosu or stability ball under your upper or lower. Through your balance off! Challenge yourself to really fire up that core to help stabilize your body. You can use this extra core challenge at any point over these 3 weeks - in any plank variation I throw at ya.
So now that we’ve talked about form, modifications and intensifications … let’s get to today’s challenge - getting your HIGH PLANK BASELINE.
You’ll need a timer for this. I want you to give this a go THREE times. Get into your high plank, and just hold. Feel your quads and glutes kick in. Feel your core fire up. Feel the shake in your arms. Keep that eye gaze looking ahead. Hold as long as you possibly can. Grab your time for how long you planked. Rest & recover - and do it again.
Get 3 plank times and jot them down! Then calculate the average. (add all 3 times together and divide by 3). We WILL be using this number moving forward SO make sure you’ve got it. Own it and be proud of it!!
Comment below when you’ve got your baseline high plank number - and be ready to ROCK IT moving forward.
Day TWO - whoop whoop! So how did you do yesterday with working on your form and getting your baseline? Please ensure you have that before we get started today. As today we’re getting right to work playing with our planks …
Today we are going to start eliminating a pillar of support. You know that tables are super strong as they have 4 pillars, right? Imagine if you took 1 away? Well - when you’re in your plank, you’re balancing on 4 pillars. So you guessed it - we’re going to take 1 away today.
Get into your perfect high plank position (yes you can use the modification or intensifications we talked about yesterday if needed). From your perfect plank, lift up 1 hand and tap your opposite shoulder. Then with control, lower it back down.
Practice this for a bit - get the feeling of moving to 3 pillars. See how slow you can move through this - and how controlled you can be. Imagine there’s a glass of water on your back, and try your best to keep your upper body still to not spill it.
Once you’ve got the feeling, then start counting - 10 shoulder taps, alternating hands to opposite shoulders. (If you’re still new at planks, then each tap counts as 1. If you’re experienced, a right and a left count as 1).
10 shoulder taps.
Then - repeat your static high plank like you did yesterday - but today your goal is to BEAT YOUR BASELINE time by 5 seconds!! Know your target and go for it!
Repeat this 2 times:
10 shoulder taps
Baseline +5 seconds high plank
And that’s your day 2! Are we having fun yet playing with our planks? See you tomorrow …
Welcome to day 3 - playing with planks! Yesterday we started challenging our balance & stability by lifting our arms in our shoulder taps. Today we continue playing with lifting our pillars, but today we are lifting our feet and tapping to the side.
Ready? Let’s go!
Always be sure to have your perfect plank form before starting any variation. Shoulders right over wrists, eye gaze forward, core braced, hips tucked under. Once you’re solid with that, lift 1 leg and tap it to the side, then back in, and repeat with the other leg.
Try it out for a few times to get the feeling. You should really feel your quads and glutes tighten up to help with stabilizing and control.
Ready to start counting? Rock out 10 foot taps - same as we did with the shoulder taps. So if you’re new to planks, count each tap as 1. If you’re experienced, then a right and a left tap count as 1.
10 foot taps. Then give another go adding 5 seconds to your baseline. Yes - today is still just 5 seconds. Set your goal and go get it!
So to sum up … today’s challenge:
10 Plank foot taps
Baseline high plank + 5 seconds
Repeat twice.
Drop an emoji below when you’re done :)
Day four … are we having fun yet? Let’s continue the ‘playing with planks’ party and start building on our planks. Today we’re combining 2 moves together into 1 - moving back and forth between them.
We always start in our perfect plank position (I’ll say it again just to be sure … shoulders over wrists, eye gaze ahead of hands, hips tucked under and core braced).
Then - reach your hips up and push back into downward dog. Now your head should be framed between your arms, reaching your chest towards your thighs, your tailbone reaches to the ceiling. Ahhhh - enjoy that stretch for just a quick moment.
Next, tighten your core and pull your hips back down to plank - shoulders return over wrists, eye gaze goes ahead of hands, and hips tucked under.
Keep moving between these 2 moves - focusing on reaching your hips up in downward dog, then pulling and tucking your hips under in plank. Do this 12 times.
For your high plank today, we’re adding 10 seconds to your baseline! I believe in you!! You CAN do it!
Today’s challenge:
12 Downdog to planks
Baseline high plank +10 seconds
Repeat twice!
Crush it friends!! Comment when you’re done …
Happy day 5!! We’re almost through week 1 already and you are doing amazing!!!
Today we’re bringing in the SIDE PLANK! You ready?? Let’s go!!
Your plank variation today is the side plank opener. We start in a low plank, with your forearms stacked horizontally on the ground. Ensure you have proper plank form first - then reach 1 hand up to the ceiling and open into a side plank so your whole body is perpendicular to the floor. Modify if needed - you are welcome to drop your bottom knee - but be sure to keep that nice straight plank line from your head to the floor.
Pause for just a moment in side plank, then control as you roll back to plank. Then open up to side plank on the other side. Keep rolling from side to side - but ensure you have control. Repeat 12 times. (Newbie plankers - each side counts as 1. Experienced plankers, you know the deal. Right and left is 1!!)
Today’s challenge:
12 Side plank openers
Baseline high plank + 10 seconds
We’d love to see you in your plank! I’m sure you’re feeling stronger by now - and we want to celebrate you! Post a plank selfie to share :)
Wowzers - we’ve made it to day 6! Tomorrow is rest day, so this is your final challenge in week 1. If you’ve been playing with us and crushing out your planks each day, I’m so proud of you for getting to this point!
Today we are definitely upping the fun with HIP DIPS! This is one of my fave plank variations and I’m excited to share it with you.
Start in a low plank position - take a moment to ensure you have perfect form first! Then drop 1 hip to the side, just barely touching the floor, and pull it back up to center. Then repeat to the other side. Take a few to get the feeling of it. Really be using your core to control and pull back up. TIP!! Have your feet a little wider in this one, and use them to help as you dip side to side.
Modification!! Yes - this IS a harder move. If you need to modify, instead of dipping side to side, drop 1 knee down, then press back up, and repeat other knee. So do alternating knee drops instead of hip dips.
And for your timed plank challenge - we’re upping to base plus 15 seconds!! Yes. You. Can!!
Your challenge today:
16 hip dips
Baseline high plank + 15 seconds
Repeat 2 times
Comment below - which was your fave plank from this week?
Day 7 - REST
REST day!! Hooray!! Today you get the day OFF of planks!! Take it - enjoy it! Or, if you missed a day this week, use today as a catch up. Otherwise, I’ll see you back in the planking fun party on Monday.
But before I send you off to rest … comment below … what are you most proud of this week?
Welcome back!! Let’s kick off Week 2 with a whoop whoop!! I hope you enjoyed your rest day and you’re ready to have even more fun with our planks this week ;)
Today is BASELINE day! You saw what we did with the high plank baseline last week, and we are going to do a similar thing this week, but with LOW plank.
First let’s do a check-in on form. Yes I talk about plank form a lot - because it’s SOOO important!! If you’re out of alignment … if you’re watching your feet and your hips are up … you just aren’t going to get the benefit of the move. So please make sure you’ve got the form down. Take a picture of video of yourself and see - are you in that nice straight line? Are your hips tucked under - not drooping down or lifted up - but perfectly in line with your spine? Are your shoulders over your elbows (low plank) or wrists (high plank)? Is your eye gaze just ahead of your hands? Adjust and work on it.
And remember your modification and intensification options. Modification - drop to your knees (but still keep those hips tucked!) .. and intensification is to add some extra balance challenge with a bosu or stability ball.
Today your challenge is to hold strong in a LOW PLANK and time yourself. You get 3 tries at it, and be sure to jot down those times! Then add all 3 up and divide by 3. That’s now your BASELINE time for this week.
Go crush it. Get your low plank baseline and we’ll see you tomorrow for more planks :) Comment when you’re done …
Question for you - how did you find your low plank baseline compared to your high plank? Which are you stronger at? Do you have a preference yet? A lot of people seem to think a low plank is easier - but personally I find the high plank to be easier. It’s always good to work on both - and that’s what we’re doing through this 10 day challenge.
Today we’re back in our low plank. You plank variation is Low Plank Side Punches. Focus on the control and stabilization as you punch side and back in, then to the other side and back in. Remember - there’s a glass of water resting on your back - CONTROL! Do not allow the wobbles in your upper body as you extend to each side.
TIPS to help stabilize - keep your feet a little wider than hip width apart - and press back into your heels. Tighten your glutes & quads - you should really feel your thigh muscles kick in as you punch side. Keep your eye gaze ahead of your hands, hips tucked under, and elbows right under your shoulders. BREATHE!!!
Today’s challenge:
10 side punches
Baseline LOW plank + 5 seconds
Repeat THREE times!
Yes - we’re repeating the challenge 3 times this week. This is week 2 of the challenge - we’re kicking it up a notch. You’re welcome :)
Comment below when you’re done …
It’s time to bring the booty to the plank party! Welcome to day 10 of our playing with planks challenge. I’m excited for today’s challenge as I love to work booty! Ready? Let’s do this …
In today’s variation we’re rocking plank leg lifts. As always, be sure to start with perfect plank form! Then - lift 1 leg at a time, controlling back down. Note that the lift comes from the booty! Feel the squeeze through the back of your legs (hamstrings & glutes), and use that squeeze to lift the leg. It’s not a big high kick - doesn’t need to be a big move. Just enough to challenge your balance in your plank as you lift each leg - and then to feel the booty fire up!
For counting, same as usual. If you’re still new at planking, you may count each lift as 1. Otherwise, a right and left is 1!
Today’s challenge:
10 Leg lifts
Baseline low plank + 5 seconds
Repeat 3 times
Drop a booty emoji below when you’re done :)