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Tag: Core Exercises

  • This Supercharged Plank Delivers Cardio and Core Work – No Equipment Required – POPSUGAR Australia

    This Supercharged Plank Delivers Cardio and Core Work – No Equipment Required – POPSUGAR Australia

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    You’ve got your jumping jacks dialed, and you know how to do a plank . . . but have you tried plank jacks? This intermediate bodyweight move has likely cropped up in your workouts at some point – and whether you loved or hated it, it has some impressive benefits.

    You get all the strength benefits of a plank (think: a strengthened core, shoulders, back, and legs) plus the benefits of cardio. All this, using just your bodyweight.

    That said, plank jacks are not easy, and it’s important to do them right so you don’t increase your risk of injury. In some cases, that can mean modifying the move to a low-impact version. To help you do exactly that, keep reading for how to do plank jacks correctly, plank jack variations to try, and tips for incorporating them into your workout routine.

    Experts Featured in This Article

    Cristina Chan is a F45 Training trainer and teaches classes at F45 Training Dana Point.

    Benefits of Plank Jacks

    This core-plus-cardio move will get you sweating, raise your heart rate, work your arms and legs, and build strength in your core. Add a resistance band around your legs, and you’ll fire up your glutes as well. Yes, this simple bodyweight move can do all that.

    Take it from F45 Training trainer Cristina Chan: “Plank jacks are a combined cardio and core-strengthening exercise that helps increase core strength and stability as well as cardiovascular strength.” Reminder: Core stability is hugely important whether you’re a pro athlete or just going about your daily life since it creates a stable base from which your limbs can move safely and effectively.

    Because plank jacks offer a way to get your heart rate up without equipment or even standing up, they’re a great cardio option for those who are working out at home or want to stay off their feet due to injury or space.

    How to Do Plank Jacks

    No matter which type of plank jacks you try, be sure to keep your shoulders over your wrists, your hips down, your arms locked out, and your core engaged, Chan says. Because this is a pretty difficult move, it’s a great option to incorporate into HIIT workouts or when you want to do some cardio at home. You can try it for the indicated number of reps below, or try it for a set amount of time: for example, a 30-second interval of work followed by 30 seconds of rest.

    Here’s how to do the classic version of plank jacks:

    • Start in plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
    • Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your feet out wide and then back together. Try to keep your pelvis steady and don’t let your hips rise toward the ceiling or dip toward the floor.
    • Do a total of 30 plank jacks. That’s one set. Do three sets total.

    Plank-Jack Variation: Low-Impact Plank Jacks

    Whether you’re a beginner, returning to workouts after a break, or dealing with an injury, this low-impact variation of plank jacks is a great place to start.

    • Start in plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
    • Step your right foot out to the side, then step your left foot out to the side.
    • Then step your right foot back to center and your left foot back to center.
    • Try to keep your pelvis steady (don’t let it rock from side to side) and don’t let your hips rise toward the ceiling or dip toward the floor.
    • Alternate which foot you start with for each rep.
    • Do a total of 20 reps. That’s one set. Do three sets total.

    Plank-Jack Variation: Resistance Band Plank Jacks

    Add a mini resistance band or hip band around your thighs (easier) or ankles (harder) to recruit your glutes more during this move. If jumping your feet out is too difficult, try stepping your feet out like in the low-impact version explained above. (You’ll still feel it in your glutes and core, promise.)

    • Start in plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together. Loop a small resistance band around both legs.
    • Jump your feet out wide, resisting the pull of the band, and then back together. Try to keep your pelvis steady and don’t let your hips rise toward the ceiling.
    • Do a total of 20 reps. That’s one set. Do three sets total.

    Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at PS. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining PS, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.

    Related: Wake Up Sleepy Glutes With These 10 Bodyweight Butt Exercises

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    Lauren mazzo

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  • Why Mountain Climbers Are Worth Your Time – Plus, Variations For Every Level – POPSUGAR Australia

    Why Mountain Climbers Are Worth Your Time – Plus, Variations For Every Level – POPSUGAR Australia

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    If you need a simple bodyweight exercise that gets your heart rate up and also builds strength in your entire body, meet the mountain climber.

    It’s a classic exercise you’ve probably done before, and fitness pros love it because it will strengthen your core while simultaneously working on your cardio and muscular endurance. This move is a great addition to any ab workout, especially if you’ve already mastered beginner ab moves like crunches and planks. And it’s a great addition to any HIIT workout because it’ll have you out of breath in no time. Mountain climbers also make a great warmup exercise, especially when paired with some other mobility drills.

    Curious how to do them, exactly? Keep reading to better understand the benefits of mountain climbers, which muscles are worked by mountain climbers, some variations on mountain climbers, and how to do mountain climbers with correct form so you can get the most out of this exercise.

    Benefits of Mountain Climbers

    Mountain climbers are a great compound movement, Cristina Chan, certified trainer at F45 Training, says. Compound moves are ones that work multiple large muscle groups, which translates to strengthening more muscles at once, as well as increasing the demand you’re putting on your body.

    Mountain climbers, specifically, “help with strengthening big muscle groups like your hamstrings, quads, back, shoulders, and glutes, as well as your core,” she says. Yep, with all those muscles worked by mountain climbers, they’re basically a full-body exercise.

    Think about it this way: mountain climbers are essentially a plank variation, so you can expect to strengthen the same muscles as during that exercise (i.e., your shoulders, upper back, and core). Since you’re essentially running in place while in a stable plank position, this exercise also builds leg strength. And, as a cardio move, mountain climbers also get your heart rate up and increase your cardiovascular endurance – these things come with a laundry list of their own benefits, such as a boosted mood and better heart health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

    How to Do Mountain Climbers

    Chan has plenty of tips to help you make sure you’re doing mountain climbers with proper form. First of all, “make sure you stay in a plank position, and keep your hips at shoulder height throughout the entire exercise set,” she says. Also, “keep distance between you and the ground by pushing up through your shoulder blades and engaging your core. As you bring one knee in, make sure your opposite leg is extended straight while you engage through your glute and leg muscles.” And finally, if it’s cardio you’re after, “keep a faster tempo if you want more of a cardio burn,” she says. Ready?

    Here’s how to do mountain climbers, step by step.

    • Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
    • Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest. Return the right foot to the starting position as you simultaneously drive your left knee toward your chest. Return to the starting position.
    • Continue alternating sides. To increase the intensity, pick up the pace until it feels like you’re “running” in place in a plank position.

    Mountain Climber Variation: Slow-Motion Mountain Climber

    If you are new to mountain climbers or exercise in general, are rebuilding your skills after a hiatus from the gym, or just want to make mountain climbers a little less intense, try slow-motion mountain climbers. By dialing down the pace, you’ll reduce the cardiovascular demands of the move but really hone in on the core work you’re doing. Here’s how.

    • Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
    • Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest. Hold this position for one second, then return the right foot to the starting position.
    • Repeat with the left leg, driving your left knee toward your chest, holding for one second, and then returning to the starting position.
    • Continue alternating sides without speeding up the pace.

    Mountain Climber Variation: Twisted Mountain Climbers

    Add a literal twist to your mountain climbers with this variation (shown above). By rotating your hips slightly, you’ll place more of a demand on your obliques, the muscles that run along the sides of your core. These muscles are responsible for twisting your torso, bending it to the side, and also giving it stability.

    • Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
    • Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest and over to your left elbow. Return the right foot to the starting position.
    • Repeat with the left leg, driving your left knee toward your chest and over to the right elbow, and then return to the starting position.
    • Continue alternating sides. Speed up the pace if you’d like, taking care to move with control.

    Mountain Climber Variation: Spider Mountain Climber

    Not to be confused with the Spider-Man push-up (a mountain climber/push-up hybrid), the spider mountain climber is a more intense mountain climber that also happens to be a great hip mobility exercise. Make sure you do a thorough warm up before tackling this one.

    • Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine. Step your right foot up and outside of your right hand so it’s planted on the ground. Keep your hips low and in plank position.
    • Jump to switch sides, hopping your right foot back to plank position and your left foot forward outside of your left hand.
    • Continue alternating sides. Speed up the pace if you’d like, taking care to move with control.

    Mountain Climber Variation: Plank With Bunny Hop

    This mountain climber variation is not for the faint of heart. You’ll engage your entire core, plus your arms, shoulders, back, quads, and glutes, helping to strengthen the muscles in virtually your entire body. And the jumping motion acts as a plyo workout, getting your heart rate up so you can enjoy some cardio benefits too. Give it a try, but if it’s too hard to complete a full set, pat yourself on the back for trying – this is an advanced move. Finish out the rest of the set with a regular plank or a body saw instead, and keep trying to work your way up to a full set instead.

    • Begin in a plank position with the feet together.
    • Pulling your abs in, jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
    • Jump your feet back to plank to complete one rep.
    • Repeat on the other side, and continue alternating sides for 20 reps total.

    – Additional reporting by Jenny Sugar and Mirel Zaman

    Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at POPSUGAR. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining POPSUGAR, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.

    Jenny Sugar was a staff fitness writer at POPSUGAR. She loves eating plant-based, CrossFit, and yoga.

    Mirel Zaman is the health and fitness director at POPSUGAR. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, writing and editing articles about fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, astrology, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.

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    Lauren mazzo

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  • Dead Bugs May Not Be the Sexiest Exercise, but They Might Be the Best For Your Core – POPSUGAR Australia

    Dead Bugs May Not Be the Sexiest Exercise, but They Might Be the Best For Your Core – POPSUGAR Australia

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    The dead bug exercise doesn’t sound like a glamorous core move. After all, what comes to mind is a dead roach or beetle on its back with its legs in the air. In reality, though, this beginner-friendly core move has a lot to offer – and there are plenty of reasons to add it to your exercise routine.

    The biggest reason is because it’s a beginner-friendly, surefire way to build core strength and stability, which are both key to moving well in training and in life. In addition, doing dead bug regularly will contribute to better posture, coordination, power, and control. It can be performed anywhere on the go without equipment.

    Ready to learn about this beginner-friendly move? Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the dead bug exercise, including benefits, muscles worked, how to adjust it to different fitness levels, and step-by-step instructions to perform it safely.

    The Benefits of the Dead Bug Exercise

    The dead bug targets 360 degrees of core muscles, including the transverse abdominis (the deepest core muscle), rectus abdominis (the muscle in the front and middle of the abs), obliques (the muscles on the sides of your torso), and pelvic floor (the muscles along the bottom of your abdominal cavity, which work to hold up your internal organs).

    Breanna Cummings, trainer for the NYC Nike Well Collective and Lifetime Fitness NYC, says the dead bug is a favorite to recommend for her clients. She describes it as a “functional movement that mimics daily life.” That’s because, compared to other core exercises like crunches or sit-ups, dead bug places the spine in a neutral position. It helps you build more core strength and stability while allowing your limbs to move freely – hugely important skills for moving through your day-to-day. “Think about how you carry groceries into the house, or pick up your favorite little human. All of these activities require a neutral spine, core strength, and stability,” she explains. The dead bug exercise also works shoulder and hip mobility, because it asks you to move your shoulders and hips through a large range of motion.

    Its emphasis on core strength and mobility makes dead bug a great move for general strength and conditioning, as well as for athletes. For example, “runners need to be able to create power while keeping their core engaged in a neutral spine, so the better you’re able to perform the dead bug, the more efficient you will be,” Cummings explains.

    If prescribed by a trainer, physical therapist, or doctor, dead bug can also be used to recover from injury and help with lower-back issues. The move is performed lying on your back and asks you to find and maintain a neutral spine, as well as a braced core; it’s also done slowly and, usually, in tune with your breath. This offers a really safe way to build core strength compared to more dynamic movements and helps people learn what it means to brace or engage your core.

    How to Do a Dead Bug

    Here’s how to perform a dead bug with safe and proper form, according to Cummings.

    • Lie on your back on the floor. Lift your legs up to tabletop position, with your knees directly over your hips bent at 90 degrees and your shins parallel to the floor. Extend your arms toward the ceiling, stacked directly over your shoulders, palms facing each other.
    • From this position, flatten your back to the floor by tilting your pelvis slightly upward. This is your starting position.
    • Exhale to slowly extend one arm behind your head while simultaneously extending your opposite leg until it’s straight, hovering just off the floor. Try not to let your lower back lift off the floor (if it does start to lift, don’t lower your leg as far, as shown below).
    • Hold for one second, then inhale to lift both your arm and leg back to the starting position.
    • Repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.

    Dead Bug Variations and Modifications

    Even though dead bugs are a beginner-friendly move, there are ways to both decrease the challenge – so you can really connect to your core – and up the ante. Try these three dead bug variations.

    Banded Dead Bug: Adding a resistance band usually makes an exercise harder, but in this case, it’s a modification; this dead bug variation helps you activate your core and breaks down the movement to just the feet. Try this modification if you’re having trouble moving both your arms and legs while keeping your core engaged. Loop a resistance band onto a pole or piece of furniture, then lie face-up on the floor so the band is just past your head. Holding onto the band with both hands, press your back flat onto the floor, and pull the band until your hands are above the middle of your chest. Lift your legs up to tabletop, and hold for 15-20 seconds. Next, try performing the dead bug movement with your feet only, holding the band in place above your chest.

    Weighted Dead Bug: If you have access to a weighted plate or dumbbells, this is a great exercise. You only need to add 5-10 lbs. to this exercise. It works not only your core but also shoulder mobility. To do it, hold the weight in your hands and perform dead bug by moving the weights toward the floor as far as you can. Be careful here: you only want to go as far as you feel a stretch in your shoulder. If you go too far, you can put yourself at risk for shoulder injury.

    Medicine Ball Iso Dead Bug: This one will set your core on fire! Grab a 5-8 lb. medicine ball. Lie on the floor, and place the medicine ball in between your right elbow and left knee. Engage your core, and press your back against the floor. Extend your opposite arm and leg in the usual dead bug motion while maintaining tension on your other elbow and leg to hold the medicine ball up. With this move, it’s important that you focus on your breath, breathing in and out through your nose. If the medicine ball is too heavy, you can substitute for a yoga block or a stability ball; all versions of this move make sure your core stays locked and engaged while you work the opposing side.

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    Dannette stephens

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