Who doesn’t want a tight and toned mid-section?  Consistent exercise combined with eating the right balance of carbs, fats, and proteins will get rid of the belly fat.  But what about toning the muscle under the fat?

Planks have become very popular as a top exercise for toning the abs.  Unfortunately, most people are not getting the most tummy toning out of the plank.  Many ladies even tell me that planks hurt their lower back.  If you follow the technique in this post, you will never have to worry about low back pain from planking again. What you will have is muscle soreness in those abdominals.

In this video I will teach you a technique that will take the stress off your back and put more work on the abs.

The trick is to incorporate a tilt of the hips (pelvic tilt) that will activate the abdominals to the max.  Most people doing a plank drop the the belly and have a curve in the lower back (sway back).  This can cause low back pain with little to no benefit to the belly.

Not only does this technique work the abs more, it also requires you to tighten the glutes so that the butt is also getting a great workout.

How often?
I recommend that you do this version of the plank 3 days per week.

How long?
Do it for as long as you can hold it without dropping your belly and getting that curve in the low back.  You may want to lay sideways next to a mirror in order to keep an eye on the low back at first.  Once you get the feel of it you will no longer need a mirror.

Don’t Forget:
The plank is one of those exercises that encourages us to hold our breath.  We are holding our muscles tightly so we have a tendency to also hold our breath.  Don’t forget to continue breathing the entire time you are planking.

Kick it up:
Use a timer so that you can keep track of how long you can hold the plank.  Try and beat it each time you do your plank.

Doing planks 3 times per week  will get your core nice and strong.  Your posture will improve.  With a stronger core you can expect to decrease or completely eliminate any low back issues.  The plank will have you standing taller which will decrease the size of the abdominal area. That makes the plank one powerful exercise!

Happy Planking!  I would love to hear your questions or comments in the comment section below.