The first time I heard of plank workouts, I thought they might be a waste of time. Planks over 10 seconds allow you to “cheat,” so you’re not only using your core- your shoulders, legs, biceps, booty, everything starts to kick in when the abs quit. Then I realized that instead of thinking of it as a “core only” exercise, I should remember that it can then be used as a total-body exercise, sculpting and strengthening all of the major muscle groups. Planks are by far, one of the most functional and effective exercises. They target your transverse abdominis, which is the muscle that will pull your waist in like a corset. They’re functional because- guess what?!- you’re in a plank position for much of the day.

So how about joining me for a 4-minute plank session?

I do the full workout in the video, along with some modifications for those who would like to modify.

Here’s a list so you know what to expect:

-Classic plank: 30 seconds

-Saw: 30 seconds

-Right side: leg lift and kick 1 minute

-Plank with hip drops: 30 seconds

-Up and downs: 30 seconds

-Left side: leg lift and kick 1 minute

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