The time of year has come once again...Planksgiving! This is the fourth year of this themed workout (at least putting my spin on it). I mean, I can't have "planks" in my username without tossing out some plank workouts on occasion. Plus I love a good theme. Especially for workouts. This one comes in especially handy as I teach a corporate core class every week for Excellence in Exercise, so they know now to expect a new variation of Planksgiving every year.
The challenge after doing this for a while is still coming up with something a little bit different each year. The classics are still great workouts (you can find them here, here, here and here), but it's always fun to create a slightly different scheme to get that great core burn going! The good thing is that there are so many different variations of a basic plank that I should be able to share different combinations for years and years to come.
This year I played around with not only the types of planks, but also the timing of the intervals. I actually did an introduction in my video to try to explain it a little bit more clearly just in case my write-up wasn't enough. Setting a timer is actually quite easy. Just find a timer app and set it for minute intervals. For my class when we did this workout I set the timer and just left it running the entire class. However, we didn't do each exercise for a full minute. In each set of 5 plank variations, we did each movement for a descending period of time. Finding a timer where you can actually set 5 different work/rest intervals is a challenge, so setting it for the full minute and watching for when to start the next one was an easy option. Just set your clock in front of you so you can see when to start the next move!
For example, in the first set we did the low plank for the full 60 seconds, then rested for 10 seconds before starting the hover donkey kick at the 50 second mark. Then we rested for 20 seconds before starting the plank body saw at 40 seconds. The next movement was 30 seconds, and the final movement was only 20 seconds. So while the minutes kept ticking, each exercise was done for a shorter period of time with a little more recovery in between. Between sets I allotted a full minute before either repeating or moving on to the next series of 5. We did all three sets twice through for a full core workout, but as always you can easily pull one or two that you like and add them at the end of your workout!
I tried to make the most challenging planks the shorter time periods, because after doing the first few longer planks those arms could use a little rest before going into the next ones! If you are more advanced, you could also shoot for doing each movement for the full 60 seconds, either completely back-to-back with no rest or with a quick recovery in between. That's the fun thing about fitness--you can use a base workout and tweak it to your current level. I would put this series as is in the intermediate range. I worked up a good little sweat towards the end, and felt some mild soreness in a few fun spots the next day.
Set 1
- Low Plank (60 seconds)
- Hover Donkey Kick (50 seconds)
- Plank Body Saw (40 seconds)
- High Plank Side Walk (30 seconds)
- Mountain Climbers (20 seconds)
Set 2
- Side Plank (60 seconds)*
- Reverse Plank (50 seconds)
- Side Plank with Chop (40 seconds)*
- Hover Fire Hydrant (30 seconds)
- Alternating Tuck Jump (20 seconds)
*For this set, do the first time on the right side, then switch and do the second set on the left.
Set 3
- Around the World Lift (60 seconds)
- High Plank with Rotation (50 seconds)
- Alternating Tuck/Spiderman (40 seconds)
- Dolphin (30 seconds)
- Plank Jacks (20 seconds)
As always, modify any of these movements if they cause pain or if you cannot complete them with good form. Many can be done from the knees to start out or with hands elevated on a sturdy bench or chair to modify. You can also reduce the work periods or even just go back to a low plank hold on any that are too challenging at the moment. The point is to enjoy and get a good workout!
Feel free to reach out with any questions on the time scheme or how to perform the movements! Keep on getting those workouts in throughout the holidays to finish out the year strong. Plus, exercise is proven to help reduce stress....
*Make sure to consult your physician before starting any new workout routines, especially if you have any contraindications that would prohibit certain exercises.
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