Which plank is harder

Marine, but he could probably clock a mean marathon time if he tried—because a strong core is crucial in keeping you upright during long runs, and planks are one of the best multitasking moves for increasing core strength and stability. A key component of running form is trunk rotation, which means your thoracic spine and rib cage should be rotating side to side, she says. The obliques help facilitate that trunk rotation. And arm swing is critical for energy efficiency; the serratus anterior adheres the scapula to the trunk, so your arm swing occurs with the shoulder girdle.

You're getting a cardio burst workout while working your lower body think glutes firing on each movement. You're also engaging your chest, shoulders, back, triceps, and many stabilizer muscles with every single rep.

There are a few ways to do these, and honestly, they pretty much come down to personal preference, pre-existing injuries, and just how high-impact you'd like to make the "jack" motion of your plank. Adding these in toward the end of an upper-body workout between sets of chest or shoulder exercises especially serves as an extra challenge and bonus burnout exercise for upper body. Tip: Keep your upper body stationary the entire time. Don't jump out with your arms as you do with your legs.

Looking to make plank jacks even more challenging? Add a loop band right above or below your knees. This will challenge your glutes and stabilizer muscles even more!

These are one of my absolute favorite bodyweight exercises! I love this combo so much that I'll even add it on days I'm at the gym, not just for workouts on the go. We all know how awesome push-ups are for overall strength, so combine a push-up with a side-plank rotation to work your entire body. I like to start with this combo on days I train chest, so I do this before I've fatigued my upper body with serious weight training.

You're literally getting in a total-body workout with this push-up to side-plank rotation combo. Your core is engaged, all of your upper body is working with each push-up, and your lower body is engaged even more when you're in that side-plank position.

As a bonus, your heart rate will be more elevated during these movements than it would be in just a static plank. Tip: If this combo sounds too crazy, begin from a modified push-up position on your knees. You can still perform a modified side-plank rotation from the knee position.

Build your strength and coordination here, then work up to one, two, and three sets of the full push-ups to side-plank rotations. Here's another way to turn your plank into a total-body workout. I love to incorporate these into my core training for a great ab and lower-back workout. You'll improve your strength, balance, and coordination as you alternate extending one arm and one leg at the same time. Just remember to use opposite sides, or you may find balancing even more complicated.

This is a normal straight-arm plank, just reversed. While a traditional plank targets the front of your body, this version targets the back of your body too, making it even harder. You get an extra challenge when doing side planks with the rolling plank, which has you switching between a left and right side plank with a very brief forearm plank in between.

Like reverse planks, floating planks work both the front and back of your body, blasting your core from a degree angle. To do one, get into a straight-arm plank with your feet on a raised surface and raise your upper body with the help of the hard handles on a set of TRX straps.

As you're holding the plank, your body must stay in a straight line. The seal-walk plank sounds adorable, but it's anything but. To do it, put sliders or hand towels under your feet and get into a straight-arm plank. Then, walk your arms forward as your legs slide behind you. You'll be feeling it all over—not just your core. Of all the plank variations, if you want your entire body to shake uncontrollably, no matter your skill level, you need to try the breathing plank. Adding a breathing routine during the holds is really hard, but it works your muscles on a much deeper level.

Try this trainer-approved plank series :.