6 PLANKS TO SPICE UP CARDIO DAY
Get ready for a full-body challenge!
Oh yea, that’s right!! Spice up your cardio day by adding these planks into your workout! Get ready for a plank cardio kick!
First, let’s cover the basics about what is a plank and why it’s important to add planks to your workout.
What is a plank?
A plank is a full-body movement that works your core, glutes, legs, shoulders, and arms. It is a foundational exercise that builds strength in your core which is the muscle group that is responsible for holding your body together and upright. It helps you move, twist, run, bend, and kick throughout your everyday life. Planks do more than just build core strength, they also help you work on your stability, flexibility, and power. Just by holding the plank position and maintaining the correct form you are engaging every major muscle group in your body.
Form Tip
Begin by placing hands on the mat. Your wrists are aligned underneath the shoulders and feet are hip-width apart. You should form a straight line from your ears, shoulders, hip, and ankles.
Make sure to engage your core as if you are pulling your belly button into the spine. This will stabilize your midsection keeping your torso straight. You also want to engage your glutes and quads by squeezing them together so they can work together to stabilize the hips. And finally, push those hands away from the floor to engage your shoulders and keep them down away from your ears.
NOW ADD MOVEMENT FOR A CARDIO KICK
Add movement to the plank and you have yourself a cardio boost to your core exercise. By adding movement you are working your muscles even harder to stabilize and maintain the proper plank form while moving. This will inevitably increase the heart rate and give you a level of cardio spice to your core workout!
Give these a try for a cardio boost.
Check them out below!
1. PLANK JACKS
Begin in high plank position with wrists aligned underneath the shoulders, glutes and core engaged, and a neutral spine.
Take both feet and jump them out simultaneously forming a jack and quickly jump them back together to starting position.
Keep repeating for 15-30 seconds.
Perform 3 rounds total.
2. Mountain climbers
Begin in high plank position.
Bring one knee in towards the chest and then back to start. Alternate knees.
Keep going for 15-30 seconds.
Perform 3 rounds total.
You can take this one slower at first and then speed it up for a cardio boost!
3. Opposite Climbers
Begin in high plank position.
Bring one knee in towards the opposite elbow.
Back to plank position then alternate knee.
Keep going for 15-30 seconds.
Perform 3 rounds total.
Speed it up for a cardio kick!
(This one targets the obliques)
4. HIP DIPS
Begin in forearm plank position.
Engage the core and glutes squeezing them together.
Bring your hips down to the right side, back to middle, then left.
Once you have the move down go faster from right to left.
Make sure the core is engaged throughout the move.
Don’t let your hips or butt rise up. Keep it as stable as possible.
(Another oblique strengthener!)
5. Knee to Outside elbow / spider plank
Begin in high plank position.
Bring your left knee towards the outside of your left elbow.
Now alternate bringing the right knee towards the outside of your right elbow.
Keep repeating for 15-30 seconds.
Perform 3 rounds total.
(Another oblique crusher!)
6. SIDE ROTATION
Begin in high plank position.
Bring your right arm up and to the sky as you rotate your body into side plank.
Hold here for a second and squeeze the core and glutes.
Come back to start and rotate on the other side.
Keep repeating for 15-30 seconds.
Perform 3 rounds total.
(Challenge: Add dumbells)
