There
are planks — and then there are superplanks. Train your abs like you
never have before with the next installment of Yahoo Health’s original
workout series, Triple Threat. (Photo by Will Mebane, graphic by Priscilla DeCastro/Yahoo Health)
What do your abs have in common with a 13-year-old? They’re both oh-so misunderstood.
People tend to lump all of the abs together. But your abs are actually a relatively complex series of distinct muscle groups,
each with different functions in the body. They include your deep core
muscles (transverse abdominis), side abs (obliques), and six-pack muscle
(rectus abdominis).
Most
abdominal exercises predominantly work one of these groups. Planks, for
example, primarily train the deep ab muscles. Traditional crunches
target the upper part of the six-pack muscle.
“If you really want a defined midsection, you need to work all of them,” says fitness expert Adam Rosante, author of The 30-Second Body.
“No amount of holding a plank in the world is going to give you a
defined six-pack if that’s what you’re after,” he tells Yahoo Health.
One
common way to hit every section of the abs is to systematically move
through exercises that target each area. For example: Perform side
crunches for your obliques, then do some planks for the deep abs, and so
forth. That works, Rosante says — but it’s also a big time suck.
A
better approach: Choose exercises that work two or three sections of
the core at once. This is not only more time-efficient, but also more
functional, Rosante says. Exercises such as the power plank and X dog
(shown below) train your abs in a way that’s similar to how you use them
— any time you pick up your niece, kick a soccer ball, or haul a
suitcase around the airport. “You’re actually moving through planes of
motion that mimic movement patterns of life,” he explains. “That’s
translatable strength.”
In
Rosante’s original workout for Yahoo Health, each exercise hits
multiple abdominal muscle groups for a super-efficient core-sculpting
circuit.
“A body that’s well-balanced and moves well from all angles is one
that’s going to look great from all angles — and stand the test of time
in terms of avoiding injuries,” Rosante says. “When you train for
functional strength, an ancillary benefit is a smoking hot body.” For
the best ab-revealing results, pair this core circuit with a healthy diet and a full-body fat-loss workout plan, he adds.
How to do this workout: Perform
12 reps of each exercise on both sides of the body, then immediately
jump into the next exercise with minimal rest. After one round (all
three exercises), rest for up to a minute; repeat for a total of three
rounds. Do the workout three times per week on nonconsecutive days.
1. Power Plank
This is not just your average plank. (Photos by Will Mebane)
Start
in a plank position with your elbows on the ground beneath your
shoulders and your forearms pressed against the floor. Your body should
form a straight line. Lift your hips and draw your knee to your chest;
pause, then return to the plank. Alternate knees with each rep. Perform
12 reps per leg (24 total).
This move hits multiple ab muscle groups at a time.
Lie
on your left side. Stack your feet on top of each other. Prop yourself
up with your left hand and raise your hips so that your body forms a
straight line from head to toe. Raise your right arm to the sky. This is
the starting position. Rotate at your waist to thread your right arm
underneath your body; reverse the movement to return to the starting
position. That’s one rep. Complete all of the reps on one side, then
switch.
3. X Dog
This particular move trains your abs in a way similar to how you naturally use them in real-life settings.
Get
down on your hands and knees. Reach your left arm toward the wall in
front of you; straighten your right leg and reach your foot toward the
wall behind you. This is the starting position. Bend your right knee and
windmill your left arm behind you to touch your fingertips to your shoe
(or get as close as you can). Reverse the movement. Perform all of the
reps on one side, then switch sides.
