ULTIMATE

PLANK GUIDE

40
PLANK VARIATIONS
FOR LONGER,
LEANER, SEXIER
MUSCLES ALL OVER!

PUSH UP PLANKS
PAGES 02-24

SIDE PLANKS
PAGES 34-41

FOREARM PLANKS
PAGES 25-33

REVERSE PLANKS
PAGES 42-46

ABOUT
Planking has become a fitness craze
for good reason. This strength training
exercise works every large muscle
group, including the biceps, neck,
shoulders, lower back, chest, abs,
glutes thighs and calves. Plus, there
are hundreds of variations to modify
and challenge the plank position to
accommodate every fitness level.
Planks can be done equipment-free
so theyre a great at-home move,
or they can be enhanced by adding
dumbbells, discs, stability balls and
medicine balls to the mix, just to
name a few.
This guide provides 40 muscletoning plank variations. Adding these
exercises into your routine will yield
great allover sculpting results.

01

PUSH UP PLANKS

Core engaged; belly button into spine

HOW TO:
1. Start by lying on your stomach
with palms on the floor next to
your shoulders, feet and legs
together with toes down on
the floor.
2. Lift your body up until your
arms are fully extended and
hands are below shoulders.
Weight should be balanced
evenly between hands and toes,
keeping your body in a diagonal
line from head to feet. Engage
core and do not let hips sag or
butt rise above torso level.

02

Hug all your muscles into

the midline of the body
Thighs pushing up

Heels pushing back

Hands under elbows

Elbows under shoulders

ROCKING PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Move forward slowly, rising
higher on your toes and driving
your shoulders and head forward,
pushing past the distance of
your hands.
3. Slowly move back to start
position so your shoulders are
aligned with your hands again and
the weight is evenly distributed
between feet and hands.

03

PLANK UP DOWNS
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Lower your right arm down to
steady weight on your forearm.
3. Pause, then lower your left
arm down to steady weight on
your forearm. Pause, then bring
right arm back up to be fully
extended. Then bring left arm
back up to be fully extended.
Repeat sequence.

04

PLANK KNEE
TWISTERS
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Drive your right knee forward
under your body to get as
close to your left shoulder as
possible while keeping proper
form. Do not raise your butt
higher than your torso to bring
your knee in farther. Let your
form determine your distance.
3. Return right foot back to
starting position and repeat
movement with left leg.

05

TRAVELING
PUSH UP PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Move your right arm to the
right side to be in a wide push up
stance position. Hold your plank
for a second then dip down into a
regular push up.
3. Return to plank position and
repeat on left side. Continue
alternating sides each rep.

06

BOSU PLANK TILTS

1. Grab a Bosu ball and turn
it over. Get in push up plank
position with your hands resting
on the turned over Bosu ball. Your
hands should be positioned on
the outside of the Bosu ball with
fingers facing out and gripping
the ball.
2. Tilt the Bosu ball to the right
while keeping proper form.
3. Pause for a second, then tilt
the ball to the left. Continue
alternating sides each rep.

07

BOSU PLANK
KNEE TWISTER
1. Grab a Bosu ball and turn it over.
Get in push up plank position with
your hands resting on the turned
over Bosu ball. Your hands should
be positioned on the outside of the
Bosu ball with fingers facing out
and gripping the ball.
2. Drive your left knee forward
toward your chest, and then extend
it across your body to the right side.
3. Bring your leg back to position 2
with knee toward your chest, then
return leg back to starting position.
4. Repeat with your right leg.
Continue alternating sides each rep.

08

REPTILE PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Drive your right leg toward
your right elbow with your knee
pointing out to the side.
3. Return right leg back to
starting position and repeat the
same movement on your left
side. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

09

MISSION
IMPOSSIBLE PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Slowly walk your hands and
feet out as wide as they can go
where youre still able to lower
your body.
3. Once youre in a controlled
position, lower your body down
towards the ground so its just
hovering, and hold.

10

SUSPENDED
CROSS TAP
1. Get into push up plank position
with your shins resting on top of
a stability ball.
2. Keep your hips square to
the floor and raise your right
hand to touch your left shoulder.
Return hand back to start
position and repeat with your
left side. Continue alternating
sides for each rep.

11

PIKE LEG KICKS

1. Begin in push up plank
position. Raise butt and hips
up and flatten your feet to the
ground. Your body will be in an
inverted V.
2. Raise your right leg up behind
you, hold for a second, then
bring that right leg down and
drive your knee toward your right
elbow in one swift motion.
3. Bring your right leg back to push
up plank position. Repeat steps
with left leg. Continue alternating
sides each rep.

12

PLANK ROWS
1. Get into push up plank position
holding dumbbells in each hand.
2. Drive your right elbow straight
up, brining that dumbbell up
to the outside of your chest to
complete a row.
3. Return arm back to starting
position and repeat with your left
side. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

13

SIDE TO SIDE
SPEED PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Keeping your feet together as
much as possible, jump your legs
into the air and land softly to the
right side, keeping your hands in
the same position. Both legs will
be positioned farther to the side
than your right hand.
3. From this position, jump your
legs back into the air and land
your feet farther to the side than
your left hand.
4. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

14

PLANKING
KNEE TUCKS
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Drive your right knee up
toward your chest, landing your
right foot flat on the ground next
to your right hand. Your knee will
be at your shoulder.
3. Return your right leg back
to start position and repeat
movement with your left leg.
4. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

15

ALTERNATING
PLANK TUCKS
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Drive your left knee straight
toward your chest.
3. Extend that left leg back
behind you, raising it a little
higher than parallel to the floor.
As you extend your left leg, also
extend your right arm forward.
4. Bring your left leg and right
arm back to start position.
5. Repeat with opposite leg and
arm. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

16

ROTATING MEDICINE
BALL PUSH UP PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position
with a medicine ball under your
right hand.
2. Drop down and complete a
push up.
3. After you raise back to starting
position, roll the medicine ball to
be underneath your left hand.
4. Drop down and complete a
push up.
5. Continue alternating sides
each rep.

17

ARM EXTENSION
PLANK
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Lift your right arm out to
the right side, keeping your arm
parallel with the floor. Hold for a
few breaths, then return to
start position.
3. Repeat with left arm. Continue
alternating sides each rep.

18

PLANK JACKS
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Jack, or jump, both feet out to
the side like a traditional jumping
jack, keeping your hands in the
same position.
3. Jump both feet back to start
position at the same time. Repeat.

19

PLANK TWIST
ON CHAIR
1. Start in push up plank position
with hands rested on a sturdy
chair and toes on the floor.
2. Keeping your back flat and
your abs engaged, bring right
knee under chest, driving it to
your left elbow.
3. Kick your right leg back behind
you in one swift motion until it is
parallel to the floor.
4. Return right leg back to floor
and repeat with left leg. Continue
alternating sides each rep.

20

CHATURANGA
PUSH UP
1. Start in push up plank position.
2. Roll forward on your toes and
drop your whole body down until
you are hovering over the ground.
Your elbows should be tucked in at
your sides.
3. Keep your elbows hugged into
your sides, keep your shoulders
pulled back away from your ears,
and keep your core engaged.
HELPFUL TIP
To stretch your lower
back between every
few reps, raise into a
downward dog before
starting the sequence
over again.

4. Hold for a breath, then lift your

head and shoulders up to the ceiling
and transition into upward dog.
5. Push your hips back and lower
your chest to the floor, pressing your
body back into starting push up
plank position.

21

SHIFTING PLANK
WITH TOWELS
1. Start in push up plank position
with a paper plate, hand towel
or gliding exercise disc under
both hands.
2. Slide your right arm
forward, then rotate right hand
in small circles.
3. Slide right arm back to starting
position and repeat with left
hand. Complete 6-10 circles with
each hand per rep. Continue
alternating sides each rep.

22

WHEEL ROLLOUT PLANK

1. Grab a power wheel. Get in
push up plank position with your
knees on the ground, and hold
the power wheel on the ground
with it resting slightly in front of
shoulders and chest.
2. Drive your upper body forward,
pushing the wheel forward on the
ground until youre approximately
45 degrees from the ground.
3. Keeping the wheel on the floor,
reverse the movement to return
to start position. Repeat.

23

PLANK CURL
ON STABILITY BALL
1. Get into push up plank position
with your shins resting on a
stability ball.
2. Using your abs, draw your
knees into your chest. Your
shins and feet will slide the ball
forward and your butt will be
pointed straight up in the air.
3. Pause for a breath, and then
drive your feet backwards to
lower your butt and return to
start position. Repeat.

24

FOREARM PLANKS

Hug all your muscles into

the midline of your body

HOW TO:
1. Get into push up position, but
instead of your hands resting on
the floor, drop to your forearms
with your elbows directly
underneath your shoulders.

Butt aligned with

upper body

Heels pushing back

2. Make a straight line from your

head to your toes, and balance
your weight between your
forearms and toes.
Elbows under shoulders

25

BESTIE PLANKS

HELPFUL TIP
If you do not have a
partner available, get
into forearm plank
position 4-5 inches
from a wall and raise
your hands to meet
the wall.

1. Come into forearm plank

position face to face, with
partners hands 4-5 inches
apart from yours.
2. Lift your left hands and
bring them together, meeting
in the center.
3. Return your hands to the
floor and repeat on the right side
to complete one rep. Repeat,
and continue to alternate sides
each rep.

26

ROTATING STABILITY
BALL PLANK
1. Get into forearm plank with
your elbows and forearms resting
on top of a stability ball.
2. Keep your abs in tight and
body as still as possible and
use your arms to roll the ball in
small circles.
3. Do 3 circles to the right, then
3 circles to the left to complete
one rep. Continue alternating
directions each rep.

27

KNEE TAP PLANK

1. Start in forearm plank position.
2. Only bending from the knees,
drop your knees to the floor, then
return back to forearm plank
position. Repeat.

28

BOOTY LIFT PLANK

1. Start in forearm plank position
and place your right ankle behind
your left.
2. Using your glutes and
hamstrings (not your lower back),
lift your right leg higher than
your butt. Lower leg down,
resting your right ankle behind
your left and repeat. Repeat
sequence on other leg after
your reps are completed on the
first side.

29

ALTERNATING
REACH PLANK
1. Start in forearm plank position.
2. With your gaze straight ahead,
reach your right arm forward,
keeping level with your shoulder.
3. Return right arm back to
start position and repeat with
your left arm.

30

HIP TWISTER PLANK

1. Get into forearm plank position.
2. Keeping your abs in tight
and your shoulders above your
elbows, rotate your torso as you
drop your left hip to the ground.
3. In a controlled motion,
rotate your torso to the opposite
side, dropping your right hip to
the floor.
4. In between rotations, stop in
the middle to get control of your
balance if necessary.

31

INVERTED V PLANK
1. Start in forearm plank position.
2. Keep abs in tight and press
down through your shoulders
and arms as you lift your hips up
to the ceiling and your chest in
towards your feet.
3. Return to forearm plank
position and repeat.

32

DONKEY
KICK PLANK
1. Start in forearm plank position.
2. Bend your right knee, flex
your foot (foot parallel to floor),
and press your foot up toward
the ceiling. Be sure to keep your
pelvis and hips straight by lifting
with your glutes and not your
lower back.
3. Lower your right knee slightly
and repeat this movement,
making sure your hips dont sag
or your butt doesnt rise above
torso level. After completing your
reps on this side, switch and
repeat sequence on left leg.

33

SIDE PLANKS
HOW TO:

Hand underneath shoulder

Hips are squared and
raised to keep rest of body
in a straight, diagonal line

SIDE PUSH UP PLANK

1. Lie on your left side and lift

your body off the ground with
your left hand on the mat directly
under your shoulder.
2. Keep legs straight and stack
your right foot on top of your left.
3. Place your right arm flat on top
of your right side (or place right
hand on right hip or raise arm in
air), and support the weight of
your body on the outer left foot
and left hand.

34

Weight rested on
outside of bottom foot

Core engaged;
belly button to spine

SIDE PLANKS
HOW TO:
SIDE FOREARM PLANK

Elbow underneath shoulder

Hips are squared and

raised to keep rest of body
in a straight, diagonal line

1. Lie on your left side and lift

your body off the ground with
your left elbow on the mat
directly under your shoulder.
2. Keep legs straight and stack
your right foot on top of your left.
3. Place your right arm flat on top
of your right side (or place right
hand on right hip or raise arm in
air), and support the weight of
your body on the outer left foot
and left forearm.

35

Weight rested on
outside of bottom foot

Core engaged;
belly button to spine

SIDE PUSH
UP PLANKS
1. Get into side push up plank
position with hand directly under
your shoulder.
2. Keep your abs in tight (belly
button to spine) and dont let
your hips drop imagine a
straight, diagonal line from your
top shoulder to your top foot.

36

SIDE PLANK
HIP DIPS
1. Get into side forearm plank
position with your forearm under
your shoulder.
2. In a controlled movement,
lower your hips to the floor as
you inhale. Exhale as you bring
your hips back to the original
position and repeat.

37

SIDE PLANK
TOE TOUCH
1. Get into a side push up plank
position with your hand under
your shoulder and your bottom
leg slightly in front of your top leg
with your bottom foot rested on
its outer side.
2. After you are balanced, raise
your top arm up and keep your
gaze straight ahead.
3. Kick your bottom leg up and
forward, slightly twisting your
upper body to reach your hand
to your foot.
4. Return leg to starting position
and repeat.

38

SIDE PLANK
SUPER CRUNCH
1. Get into forearm side crunch
with your elbow directly
underneath your shoulder. Rest
your top hand behind your head
with elbow pointing to ceiling.
2. Bring your top leg in with a
bended knee pointing toward
your top elbow. When bringing
your knee in toward your elbow,
keep your hips raised and your
abs in tight.
3. Return top leg to starting
position and repeat.

39

SIDE PLANK
KETTLEBELL RAISE
1. Get into side forearm plank
with elbow directly underneath
shoulder, but keep your bottom
hip and leg on the ground.
2. Hold a kettlebell in your
top hand.
3. In one controlled motion, raise
up into side forearm plank and
when balanced, raise your top
arm and kettlebell straight up
toward ceiling.
4. Lower arm and kettlebell back
to start position and drop bottom
hip and leg back to floor. Repeat.

40

SIDE PLANK STAR

1. Get into side forearm plank
position with top hand resting
on waist.
2. In a controlled movement,
raise top leg up as high as you
can while staying balanced,
and simultaneously extend top
arm straight up from shoulder
toward ceiling.
3. Return top leg and arm to start
position and repeat.

41

REVERSE PLANKS
GENERAL
HOW TO: INSTRUCTIONS

Elbows and hands under shoulders

Core engaged;
belly button to spine

1. Start with palms on the ground

directly beneath shoulders with
fingers facing feet.
2. Squeeze your glutes and
thighs as you rise up into a
reverse plank, balancing the
weight between your hands and
heels. Your body should be in a
diagonal line from your head to
your toes. Keep abs in tight and
hips aligned with torso.
Weight distributed evenly
between both heels

Glutes flexed and raised

to keep rest of body in a
straight, diagonal line

42

TABLE DIPS
1. Start in reverse plank
position, but instead of having
legs fully extended, bend at
knees so youre in a reverse
tabletop position.
2. Using your core, dip your
butt down to the floor, hold for
a second, then return back to
tabletop position. Keep your abs
engaged throughout the entire
movement and be sure your
movement is slow and controlled
to avoid lower back pain.

43

REVERSE PLANK
LEG LIFTS
1. Start in reverse plank position.
2. In a swift, controlled motion,
raise your right leg up as high as
you can while keeping balance,
then return back to start position.
Repeat and alternate legs for
each lift.

44

SINGLE LEG PLANK

1. Lie down on floor with your
knees bent and feet rested on
floor. Keep arms straight down
at your sides, palms down.
2. Lift your left leg up and lift
your body off the ground by
pushing through your right foot.
3. Hold for a couple seconds,
keeping your abs engaged and
your glutes flexed.
4. Bring your left foot down and
lower your body back to starting
position and repeat with your
right leg. Continue alternating
sides each rep.

45

REVERSE PLANK
ON CHAIR
1. Grab a sturdy chair. Get in
reverse plank position with your
feet resting on chair and hold.

46