How to Do the Pike Plank Exercise

Whereas plank workouts are finest identified for his or her ab-tightening talents, they’re actually a full-body motion that additionally employs the triceps, shoulders, chest, and quads. The pike plank is a difficult variation on the essential plank.

“This particular plank entails all the advantages of a daily plank whereas ramping up the depth and interesting extra muscle groups without delay,” says Jonathan Valdez, RDN, ACE-certified private coach, and proprietor of Genki Nutrition.

Whereas shifting by way of the pike place — through which your physique kinds an upside-down letter “V” — you’ll work your core, interact your chest and shoulders, and really feel a stretch by way of your hamstrings and calves.

Right here’s the best way to grasp the pike plank.

Pike Plank Train: Step-by-Step Directions

• Begin in a plank place, together with your palms on the bottom straight beneath your shoulders and your ft hip-width aside.
• Give attention to making a straight line from the highest of your head to your heels, with out letting your hips drop or your decrease again arch excessively. Draw your belly-button in towards your backbone, and squeeze your core to take care of the plank place.
• Maintaining your core engaged, drive your hips up and again into an upside-down “V” place — much like downward canine, besides your heels don’t must be flat on the bottom in pike place. Whereas within the pike place, your head must be according to your arms, together with your gaze trying by way of your legs.
• Pause whenever you attain your full vary of movement, after which decrease again to plank.

Progressions & Variations of Pike Planks

When you’ve mastered the pike plank, there are just a few variations that may show you how to get much more out of this transfer. Listed below are three of our favorites.

1. Forearm pike plank

Begin in a plank place together with your forearms on the bottom and elbows straight beneath your shoulders. Observe the steps above.

2. Stability ball pike

Begin in a plank place, together with your palms straight beneath your shoulders and shins resting on high of a stability ball. As you progress into the pike place, preserve your toes pointed and use your core to tug the ball towards your palms, till your toes are on the ball. Roll again to the beginning place and repeat.

3. Plank-to-pike bounce

Begin in a plank place in your palms together with your ft collectively. Soar your ft right into a pike place, holding your legs straight all through the motion. Soar again to the beginning place, holding your again flat as you land. Repeat.

4. Slider plank pike-up

Begin in a plank place, together with your palms beneath your shoulders and your ft on high of sliders. (If you happen to don’t have sliders, strive plastic meals container lids or use tea towels on a non-carpeted flooring.) As you progress into the pike place, use your core to slip your ft towards your palms. Slide again to the beginning place and repeat.