Top 13 Plank Exercise Progressions For Core Strength

The Must Do Exercise To Build A Stronger Core

On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m showing you the top 13 plank exercise progressions for core strength.

Are you are currently going to the gym and hitting your abs with a lot crunches and sit ups?

Crunching and sit up movements are fine, however you also have to remember that one of the main functions of the core is to stabilize your trunk, which includes the spine and pelvis.

Since your core is basically the center of your entire body, it’s also important to keep your transversus abdominis muscle really strong.

What Does The Transversus Abdominis Do?

The transversus abdominis is a deep muscle of the abdominal wall that wraps around the sides of the abdomen and provides core stability, supporting the spine and pelvis, and helping to maintain proper posture.

The plank is one of the best exercises you must do to build a stronger transversus abdominis and core.

Today I’m going to show you how to properly do the forearm plank exercise.

However, if the traditional style forearm plank is too easy for you, I’m also going to show you the top 13 plank exercise progressions to make it even more difficult.

As you continue to progress your core strength, use these 13 planks progressions to increase the intensity of your planks.

How To Properly Do A Forearm Plank

Here’s how to do the traditional style forearm plank:

1. Get down on the floor on your knees.
2. To start off, you want to ground your forearms into the floor, then extend your legs straight back, with your toes pressed into the floor.
3. Elbows should be positioned directly below your shoulders, not behind or in front of them.
4. Forearms should be parallel to each other and firmly planted into the floor.
5. Focus on pressing your forearms and toes through the floor.
6. Your glutes and core need to be turned on, with your lower back tight, and quadriceps and hamstrings tensed to ensure your hips stay parallel, without sagging down or having your butt up in the air.
7. If you notice your knees are bent during the plank, it usually means you are not flexing your quadriceps and hamstrings to keep it tight.
8. Keeping the muscles in your legs contracted will also help turn on your core and glutes.
9. Your neck should also be in neutral position, not extended up or flexed down.
10. At this point your core needs to feel rock solid.
11. When it comes to a perfect plank, remember to think straight lines.
12. Once you have this form locked in, hang out in this position for the desired time.

That is how to do a traditional forearm plank correctly.

How To Progress The Forearm Plank

When it comes to progressing the forearm plank, rather than just going longer, to make it more difficult and challenging, it’s more important to increase the intensity.

Once you can perform the traditional forearm plank, with proper form, for over 2 minutes, I prefer to progress the intensity of the plank, rather than just extending the duration.

To show you how to increase the intensity of the forearm plank, I put together a whole bunch of challenging plank variations to advance your core strength and take it to the next level.

Top 13 Plank Exercise Progressions

Check out the top 13 plank exercise progressions, in random order.

If you want to see the full step-by-step exercise video demonstrations for all of these plank exercise progressions with coaching cues, click the links below:

1. Swiss Ball Stir The Pot
2. Swiss Ball Knee Drive
3. Swiss Ball Body Saw To Diagonal Body Saw
4. Step Down Step Up Straight Arm T-Plank Rotation
5. Body Saw Forearm Plank With Sliders
6. Forearm Side Plank Dips
7. Twisting Forearm Plank
8. Straight Arm T-Plank Rotation
9. Forearm Side Plank With Reach Through
10. Forearm Plank With Diagonal Arm Lift
11. Single Leg Forearm Plank
12. Forearm Side Plank
13. Reverse Plank With Leg Lift

There you have it.

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Thanks for hanging out with me, keep Living Lean!