Everyone wants a strong core. The first thing I ask every new Drucker Fitness client is what their fitness goals are. To this day, I haven’t had a client who hasn’t mentioned “tear the abs” or “strong core” as one of their main focus of exercise.

If you feel the same, I will hear it. I have always hoped to have a solid and toned core in both functional training and aesthetics. In the past, I have detailed the importance of strengthening your core, because a strong core leads to proper squats and deadlifts, perfect push-ups, and plays an important role in almost all other exercises.

Have Countless exercises There are a few things you can do to strengthen your core, but today we will focus on a simple wooden board. For myself and my clients, the plank is an important part of every exercise, and it is absolutely a must for those who want to exercise the core.

The core of the plank (see what I did there) is a strengthening exercise for the isometric core, which forces you to join your entire body. Isometric exercise is a non-moving exercise, in this case, it means static contraction of the abdomen and supporting muscles. When doing planks, every muscle in your body should work, which is part of the reason why I like these so much.

The biggest advantage of the plank is that you absolutely don’t need any equipment to execute the plank, so you don’t have any excuses! My favorite way for customers to add planks to their daily work is to make planks while watching TV. Whenever there is a business break, please lay down and fix a piece of wood.

If you are like most parts of the country, and you watch TV shows on Netflix like crazy without ads, no need to worry-I have covered it for you. Set the timer to 15 minutes, and each time you turn off, put down and hold the board for 30 seconds. Repeat this step as long as you are watching TV. Hope it’s not five hours at a time, but hey, no judgment. If so, you will crush a ton of wood!

Another advantage of planks is that they are so versatile that you will never get bored. There is always a way to make the plank harder and target specific muscles more strongly. There are low boards on the elbows, high boards on the hands, side boards on the hands or elbows, and even reverse boards. In these boards, your body is on the abdomen.

Although all planks target the entire body, and more specifically your torso muscles, each plank has a different focus, and it is important to incorporate all of these planks into your exercise. The high plank forces you to exercise more lats, while the low plank recruits more core muscles to do the job. The side plates are aimed at your oblique muscles, while the reverse plates are aimed at your back chain and triceps.

No matter which type of plank you use, there are some key things to keep in mind.First of all, always Keep a firm mind. This means that you should always bend your core muscles and keep your entire back straight, instead of falling to the ground.

My favorite tip is to pretend to have a glass of water on your back while holding the plank. If you close your whole body tightly in a straight line, the glass of water will stay upright. However, when you sag your buttocks, the glass will splash out. Whether you are making high or low planks, always make sure to stack your shoulders on your wrists or elbows, depending on the type of planks used.

Another benefit of planks is that if you feel that ordinary planks are too hard or your shape is beginning to be damaged, you will always need to make modifications. You can always choose to kneel and hold the board. Similar to push-ups under the knees, you need to make sure that your back is straight and your hips are slightly raised.

To make the plank harder, you can add shoulder taps, hip dip and so much. My favorite is the plank jacks because they combine classic planks with some additional aerobic exercise and coordination. To implement the plank lifter, start with the basic toggle, then spread your feet outward at the same time, and then jump back to the starting position. This is a great way to challenge the core and heart!

Whether you start with your knees or challenge yourself with a plank jack, you will always be in the core exercise of the killer. Everyone starts somewhere, so grab the mat to protect your elbows, set a timer and get a plank.

For starters, I like to start with 30 seconds, even if that means half of the plank needs to be completed from the knee. If 30 seconds is too easy, increase the time. Another interesting way to harden basic planks is to make them heavier! Pick up a weight board or a heavy book, and ask your partner to put it on your back. This will really challenge you!

Curious if you can handle the Drucker Fitness plank series? Take a look at this plank crusher and let me know your operation!