WMOW: Walk the Plank
Hi friends! How are you?? Hope you’re having a great morning so far 🙂
This week’s Workout Move of the Week is one of my all-time faves (in a love/hate way, of course): the plank!
(I was looking for a picture of a pirate ship plank, and found that, which was awesome haha)
Some tips before you get yo plank on:
-Make sure alignment is bueno. You want a straight line from your shoulders all the way to your ankles and keep that booty in line- not dropping or up in the air.
-Always check with a doc before starting a new fitness or nutrition program
-If it hurts, don’t do it!
Hope you enjoy the goofy video and learn at least one new plank variation- there are a ton out there 🙂
As always, Bella steals the show 😉
How often do you work out your abs? What’s your favorite way to work your core?
For Fab Ab tips, check out *this post*
Have a great day!
Gina
Something to do: If you don’t follow me on OpenSky yet, now is an excellent time! We’re giving away a VITA-MIX every 10 days to one lucky follower! Once we get up to 10,000 followers, one follower will get a two-year supply of Sun Warrior. Amazing 🙂
The Vita-mix is the blender of my dreams- I use mine at least once a day. Sign up *here* 😀
Today’s inspiration boards:
Mary Beth Jessica
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I *LOVE* me some planks too !! 😀
The plank is one of my favorite moves! I try to hold two 2-minute planks every day. I used to only be able to do 30 seconds or less. Now I’m up to two minutes! I love that feeling of getting toned all over through one move. Love the video—looking forward to trying some variations!
I love planks… so easy to do anywhere and they really work. Bella is adorable; my dog is fascinated with my yoga mat!
every 10 days!!?? how awesome! I’m a follower!
i love this video {and your new bangs!}! Can’t wait to try this at home! I always get nervous my planks are not right (straight back)! I hope you continue to do these videos!
Perfect timing for this WMOW — I just realized this morning that my plank form wasn’t very pretty!
I try to do abs twice a week; any more than that and my abdominal muscles will twitch all day. Currently, I love using the p90x Core Synergistic workout; I like the structure and the fast pace of the video, which keeps me from zoning out and not engaging my muscles that way I should be.
Love the inspiration boards!
Planks are definitely my favorite ab workout.
You’re giving away a Vitamix?!?! SWEEEET. 🙂
Great video, thanks!
For the record, your lulu collection makes me sick. As in, I’m super jealous. I need to work a 2nd job there to afford my habit 🙂
planks kill me! haha but they are crazy good.
I can’t even think about doing anything like that right now after my first Bodypump class last night. a little sore today!
following 🙂
PLANKS! Def a love/hate relationship, thanks for the vid! I’m going to switch mine up with your suggestions.
love love love love Bella and her monkey!!!!!! <3<3<3
I have always loved the plank! I’m always a big fan of yogaish ab excercises that focus that focus on stablizing rather than repeated bending of the spine ( like crunches, sit ups). You can really feel the burn, plus… you can spend a few minutes after cardio doing a few and its big time payoff for the short amount of time spent on them.
Thanks for the variety! It’s nice to see proper form in motion and not just in print. Bella is hilarious! I had to watch the vid twice.. once to check out the plank and one to watch her play with her monkey!
Wow that is an amazing giveaway! I love the plank move and it’s probably one of my favourites for abs. I usually work mine every other day, but sometimes I’ll skip moves that work my abs specifically if I’m doing a total-body workout that uses them instead. Time is of the essence! 🙂
honestly i don’t directly work my abs too much. i do indirectly via weight training though 🙂 DEFINITELY keeps my “core” strong.
i love the quote “abs are made in the kitchen.” basically, the way you eat mostly determines if you can actually see the hard abs or not.
planks are great for when i do want to directly work on the abs though 🙂
I’m obsessed with planks, I try to do them every night!! Push-ups work your core in the same way.
I never do crunches anymore, since I started doing planks about 2 yrs ago I have seen I huge improvement in my abs and when I stick to them every night my abs look fantastic 😀
I actually did a plank post and video as one of my first posts cause I love em so much!!
Gaahh sorry for the craziness I just have so much plank love 🙂 (I wear a bikini more now, than I did before I had my son. Thank You planks!)
Planks kill me every time 😉 I need to work my abs more. I usually just use my arm slings on my pull up bar and bring my knees to my chest then just strait out. Everytime I do them that way, I feel like someone took a bat to my stomache hahaha ya… It makes me that sore. But normal crunchs even weighted dont do much for me :/
I am a follower! I think thats awesome! every 10 days! WOWZA!
I just did my first plank of the year last night and whew… I really need to do them more often. I couldn’t hold it for very long. Thanks for the tips! I’ll definitely make this a weekly move!
oooo, planks are the death of me, but i guess this is a little kick in the booty to try them again. and i really want that vitamix!!
i love planks…they’re so versatile and KILL the abs!
Does that mean if we already follow you on opensky we’re entered??? (Just want to make sure! I’m dying for one!)
I hate it, but it’s the best and has really helped my lower abs-leg raises at the gym.
yep you’re already entered!
How adorable is Bella?! I love how real your video is. Sometimes your dog is busy, sometimes your dog wants her toy thrown, darn it! Thanks for keeping it real! 🙂
Planks are one of my favorites. Love them.
I literally JUST finished a series of planks before reading this post 😀
I have a love/hate relationship with planks. We do them at the end of every BodyPump class and I’m actually getting better at them!! Definitely a good core workout.
Bella is so cute and hilarious. I have a Schnoodle (mix of mini schnauzer and mini poodle) and she reminds me of him with her fluffy hair and how much she loves shaking her toys around! haha
OMG a vitamix giveaway is so amazing…! I am a follower now! My NYR is to start working out more and I realized that I can totally do abs and some other basic stuff right in my living room (duh) so I am gonna start tonight with those planks!
haha! Bella was too funny in that video. I hate a plank, but I always find myself doing variations of them because they hurt so good! 🙂
Wow! Amazing giveaways, so glad I’m a follower. Keep doing great things like the wmow, I love to read your bloggie 🙂
I actually very much like the plank. Strange, I know. I’d rather do that than cardio.
Haha! I have a cockapoo (named Princess but we called Baby) and she does the EXACT same thing with her stuffed animals as Bella (wips her head back and forth with the poor thing in her mouth)– so cute.
Thanks for the video and the advice on how to do the plank when new to it – ie on your knees 🙂 And your little dog totally steals the show haha! So cute! Mine does the same, which is why working out at home is a real challenge!
I’m not too much of a plank lover (but I will try your on-the-knees version). I do the Pilates stomach series twice a week, which gave me the best results so far.
Thanks for a very inspiring blog!
hahaha. Belly was hilarious! I love regular planks but side planks are SO hard for me! I should work on that.
I’m following you on OpenSky now! Crossing my fingers that I win! 🙂
Haha, your focus while Bella is totally being a ham is adorable.
Just followed you on OpenSky; MAMA NEEDS A VITAMIX!
Planks are SUCH an awesome move for your core! I find that any kind of standing lift, i.e. dead lifts, squats, single leg deads, although you dont think of those as core moves, they really can help give a great workout. I also love my exercise ball, medicine ball, and any combo of situp/crunch/v-up, russian twist, etc known to man.
I did a whole post on Abs and how I get and keep mine in shape. And I dont spend too much time at it. Just part of the cardio + yoga + lifting benefit + healthy diet. It’s funny when i was younger and was obsessed on getting abs and mainly doing cardio, I wasnt getting results. It wasnt til yoga + lifting that they really came out 🙂
Love your plank post and tips, Gina!
exactly. i find that weight lifting and eating “clean” develop and exposes my abs better than anything 🙂
Amazing giveaways! Totally following you now!
A Vitamix? That’s awesome!!!! I love your video(and your blog)!
I really hope the contest applies to those who already follow! I could never afford a vitamix. I love the video, I will be doing this today stet I drop the boys off at school.
Vita Mix! That is awesome! I love planks too. I think a while ago you did a yoga DVD recommendation but I couldn’t find the post. Can you recommend a Power Yoga DVD?
Thanks!
I’ve been following you on OpenSky, and HOLY CRAP I’M GOING TO FINALLY WIN A VITA-MIX! For realz though, I NEED one!! 😀
My pup has that same Monkey toy! And he looooves it. I think he and Bella would be buds :).
Love the video!
Planks are rough! I’m not too good at them, but I’m almost at 60 seconds. Gotta keep working on those 🙂
I love the video and your assistant is very cute, LOL. Yeah, I signed up, hopefully I will be a lucky winner. I have been following for almost a year now and have found some really good ideas. Thanks 🙂
I try to work out my abs every day. Love doing abwork after a run because then it burns so much more!
Oh planks KILL me. I always groan when instructors do them, and I have such a hard time getting myself to hold them!! Ahhh!! I know they work well though.
I’m praying and praying and praying that I will be a lucky Vita winner 🙂
I hate to say it Gina, but Bella stole the show! LOL just kidding! I love doing planks and all the variations you showed are awesome! I especially love doing them at the end of my workouts just to really fatigue my muscles.
So crazy that you’re giving away a Vitamix every ten days! It makes me feel hopeful like I’d win one, except that I am so unlucky and never win anything, lol. EVER. Whenever I’m at a banquet and table numbers are called to go and line up at the buffet, my table is ALWAYS last. Every single time. No matter who I sit with. Anyway, I love the video! And Bella is adorable… I keep trying to break my boyfriend down to get him to let me have a dog!
Hi, Gina. Fun post. I bought a Vitamix in October, an have only used it a couple times. Could you give me some recipes? Thaks!
My ab shape right now is round, clearly I haven’t been successful in getting a good ab regimen lol. I’m working out regularly now so hopefully we’ll see something come about. When i’m home I tend to do plank/crunches/yoga moves during commercials. Any bit helps right?
Oh and I have no idea what Open Sky is! I’m so lost! lol
Gina, I love your videos! You seem like the sweetest person!
I’ve been reading your blog for over a year and have never posted..or checked out Open Sky! I would FREAK to win a Vita Mix, sadly my roommate smashed my blender last week all over the kitchen floor 🙁
Thanks for all the inspiration…and the reminder to do some planks! Keep being you, we all love you for it 🙂
What are you doing with your bangs for working out? Mine get so many fly aways from clipping them back, but I can’t find a head band that holds them!