Being strong throughout your entire body is very important but no one area is more important than the torso. Consequently the stronger your midsection, the stronger you will be in the upper and lower body too, so its a good idea to put some focus on this area each time you train.
Training the midsection can be done at home with minimal equipment, in this program we are going to use the basic static plank.
If you are not familiar with the plank, lets have a brief overview :-
Here is a picture
Assume a prone position on the floor, your elbows should be directly underneath your shoulders, you body should form a straight line from your shoulder to your heel much like a plank. Feet can be hip width apart, keep your abs tight and do not let hips sag or rise up, if this happens you have lost alignment and are no longer training the midsection.
This is a 20 day program after which time you should see a good increase in core strength. You will need either a stopwatch or Gymboss interval timer to perform the timed sets.
Before you start the program, test your plank to see where you are with it. This is your max test so really hang on and don’t let those hips sag!
How did you do?
25-45 seconds – Poor
45-60 seconds – Not bad
60-90 seconds – Decent
90 seconds and beyond – Excellent
Follow this 20 day program exactly as laid out.
Day 1 – Hold for 20 seconds on 20 off x 4
Example – 20 secs on, 20 off, 20 secs on, 20 off, 20 secs on, 20 off, 20 secs on, 20 off, now rest, you are done.
Day 2 – Hold for 20 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 3 – Hold for 20 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 4 – Hold for 25 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 5 – Hold for 25 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 6 – Hold for 25 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 7 – Hold for 30 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 8 – Hold for 30 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 9 – Hold for 30 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 10 – Hold for 35 seconds on 20 off x 4
Day 11 – Hold for 35 seconds on and 20 off x 4
Day 12 – Hold for 35 seconds on and 20 off x 4
Day 13 – Hold for 40 seconds on and 20 off x 4
Day 14 – Hold for 40 seconds on and 20 off x 4
Day 15 – Hold for 40 seconds on and 20 off x 4
Day 16 – Hold for 45 seconds on and 20 off x 3
Day 17 – Hold for 45 seconds on and 20 off x 3
Day 18 – Hold for 45 seconds on and 20 off x 3
Day 19 – Hold for 50 seconds on and 20 off x 2
Day 19 – Hold for 50 seconds on and 20 0ff x 2
Day 20 – Hold for 50 seconds on and 20 off x 2
After day 20 test your plank again, if you have followed the program correctly you should see a big difference.
If you struggle to hold the plank for the required time on any given day, you can stay at that level for an extra day or drop back to an easier level and progress from there.
If you struggle to perform 20 on 20 off as laid out on day, you should regress back to a push up position plank which is easier than a forearm plank. If this is still to difficult, go back to the forearm plank but rest knees on the floor, remain straight through your body from shoulder to knee.
I would love to hear how this went for you so please comment below or drop me an e-mail.
Best of luck
Pete
