Planks All Day

Planks are one of my favorite exercises! Planks work your entire core, from the top of your abdominals down to your hips and glutes, and also provide a great isometric exercise for your upper back and shoulders. The strength that planks provide will benefit your swim, bike, and run. It's difficult to get bored with planks, since there are so many variations. You can even get creative and make up your own plank exercises.

Here are some plank variations below, ranging from basic to more challenging.

Basic Low Plank

High Plank

Plank with forward touch

Plank with side toe touches

Plank with hip dips

Side Plank &
Side Plank with dips

Side Plank with raised leg

Side Plank reach through

Plank with leg raises

Dolphin Plank

High-to-Low Plank

Plank with forward reach

Superman Plank

Spiderman Plank

If you need more inspiration, check out this video.

25-min Strength Workouts

Goal: There are two quick workouts here, each 25 minutes. One focuses on core and upper-body, the other focuses on core and lower body. You can do both in a week, add some foam-rolling and stretching, and you have your hour of strength training done for the week. 

Equipment: No equipment = No excuses

Time:  25 min per workout

Workout #1: Core and Upper

Warm-Up

Do a 5-minute warm up - bike, treadmill, rowing machine, or just high kicks, butt kicks, and running in place. Or, do the warm-up from this workout.

Main Set

Repeat this set 2x's. It should be a continuous effort, with 15-20" rest between each exercise. Rest for 1 min. after the first set. To make this more advanced, you can decrease your rest time, increase your reps, or add a set. Just don't do all of these at once! Be patient and work up to it over several weeks or months.

• 30" plank
• 10x push-ups
• 30" side plank with dip
• 10x push-ups
• 30" side plank with dip (other side)
• 10x bird dog on each side
• 30" high-to-low plank
• 10x alternate pikes

Cool down with a few minutes of stretching and/or foam rolling.

Workout #2: Core and Lower

Warm-Up 

Same as Workout #1 (above)
Do a 5-minute warm up - bike, treadmill, rowing machine, or just high kicks, butt kicks, and running in place. Or, do the warm-up from this workout.

Main Set

Same as Workout #1 (above)
Repeat this set 2x's. It should be a continuous effort, with 15-20" rest between each exercise. Rest for 1 min. after the first set. To make this more advanced, you can decrease your rest time, increase your reps, or add a set. Just don't do all of these at once! Be patient and work up to it over several weeks or months.

• 30" plank
• 10x reverse lunge, each side
• 30" side plank with dip
• 10x full body squats
• 30" side plank with dip (other side)
• 10x curtsy lunge each side
• 30" high-to-low plank
• 10x burpees

Cool down with a few minutes of stretching and/or foam rolling.

Swim, Bike, Run

Goal: This circuit rotates through exercises that focus on Swim, Bike, and Run - in that order. You'll do 4 exercises in a row, each one for 1 minute, and then rest for 1 minute. You'll complete all exercises when you've gone through this 4-1 cycle 3 times, for a total of 15 minutes.

Equipment: Exercise Band, Stability Ball, 5-20 lb. dumbbells, TRX

Time:  15-45 minutes. Each full circuit takes 15 minutes.

Warm-Up 

Do a 5-minute warm up - bike, treadmill, rowing machine, or just high kicks, butt kicks, and running in place. Or, do the warm-up from this workout.

Main Set

Perform each exercise in each set for 1 min. Rest for 1 min at the end of each set for a total time of 5 min. per set. 

Set 1

• (swim) Push-ups
• (bike) Squat jumps


• (run) Reverse lunge (optionally with 5-20 lb. dumbbells)


• (swim) Back extension on stability ball


• REST 1 min.

Set 2

• (bike) Plank - Why plank for bike?? Think aero!!
• (run) High knees running in place
• (swim) Side planks (switch sides after 30 sec.)
• (bike) Single-leg deadlifts (optionally with 5-20 lb. dumbbells)
• REST 1 min.

Set 3

• (run) Monster walks with resistance band


• (swim) TRX W's
• (bike) Glute bridge (single-leg or double-leg)
• (run) Single-leg hop


• REST 1 min.

Chaos Circuit - Core (Pt 1)

Goal: This circuit focuses on the obliques (aka love handles). It can be done on its own or as Part 1 of the Chaos Circuit (see Part 2 here) to get a full-body workout. 

Equipment: yoga mat, 5-20 lbs. dumbbells (optional)

Time: 20 minutes

Warm-Up: 5 minutes 

Do a 5-minute warm up - bike, treadmill, rowing machine, or just high kicks, butt kicks, and running in place.

Main Set

Do this set 2 x's:

• 45" - Plank with side toe taps (15" rest)
• 45" - Dead Bug (15")
• 12x each side - Side Plank with Dip
• 45" - Alternate Pikes (45" rest)
• 2' Plank hold
• 12x each side - Plank knee to elbow
• 20x Russian twist (with or without a 5-20 lb. dumbbell)
• 45" - Plank with front reach (15" rest)
• 20x Bicycle crunches (45" rest)
• 2' Plank hold

Photos, Videos, and Instructions

Plank with side toe taps

Dead Bug

Side Plank with Dip

Alternate Pikes

Plank Knee to Elbow 
This exercise can be done with several variations. You can do one of these variations below on its own, or you can mix all three into a center-left-center-right set.

1. Hold a plank and bring one knee to your nose. Repeat on the other side.
2. Hold a plank and bring one knee to the elbow on the same side. Repeat on the other side.
3. Hold a plank and bring one knee to the elbow on the opposite side. Your knee will cross your body. Repeat on the other side.

Russian Twist

Plank with Front Reach

Get in a low plank position (elbows on the ground). Reach one arm out in front of you, tap your fingers on the ground, then return it to its starting position. Repeat on the other side. Alternate taps as quickly as possible. If you can't do the taps, just hold the plank.

Bicycle Crunches

Endurance Circuit

Goal: This circuit mixes upper body, core, and lower body. The upper/lower body strength sets are a little longer than usual (1:40), so this one is geared toward building muscular endurance. There's a little bit of HIIT (burpees!) added in there to keep your heart rate up. There are variations of each exercises depending on skill level and equipment available. It is written as a 45 minute workout, repeating the core set 2x's and the lower/upper set 2x's, but you can do more or less. 

Equipment: (optional) TRX, dumbbells (5-20 lbs.)

Time: 45 minutes

Warm-Up 

(5-8 minutes)

• Pelvic Circles - 10 circles each direction
• Runner's Lunge with a twist - hold 30 seconds, then raise the outside arm and hold for another 30 sec. Switch legs and repeat

• Walking quad stretch - 8-10 reps each leg

• Walking knee-to-chest stretch - 8-10 reps each leg. Pull your knee to your chest, take a step forward. Repeat with the other leg.

• Caterpillar - 10 reps

Core Set

(10 minutes)

Hold each exercise below for 45 seconds. Take 15 seconds to rest and/or move to the next exercise.

Repeat this set 2x's.

• Plank with front arm reach - Get in a low plank position (elbows on the ground). Reach one arm out in front of you, tap your fingers on the ground, then return it to its starting position. Repeat on the other side. Alternate taps as quickly as possible. If you can't do the taps, just hold the plank.

• Plank with side dip - Dip on one side for 45 sec. Rest 15 sec. Repeat on the other side. For an easier version, rest your lower leg on the ground and bend the leg at a 90-degree angle. For a more advanced version, reach your un-rested arm up and then twist it in front of your body and under your waist.

• Bird Dog (with crunch) - Do as many reps as you can on one side for 45 sec. Rest 15 sec. Repeat on the other side. Make it slow and controlled. The goal is balance. Instead of doing the crunches sometime, see if you can hold each side for 10-15 seconds. 

 

Lower/Upper Body Set

(25 minutes)

Do each exercise below for 1:40. Rest for 20 seconds while you get set up for the next one. 

Repeat the set 2x's. Rest for 1-2 minutes between sets.

• Push-ups - You can do regular push-ups or with your knees on the ground. Whatever you can sustain strong for 1:40.
• Squats - If you have access to a TRX, do TRX Single-leg squats. If not, do Body Squats. See pictures below. For a more advanced version of Body Squats, try it with your arms extended over your head.

Body Squats

TRX Single-Leg Squats (1 minute per leg)

• Renegade Row - The video below shows the Renegade Row with a push-up. The push-up is optional for this workout, as you're already doing push-ups on their own.
  
  

• Reaching Single-Leg Deadlifts - We're calling this a deadlift, but it's really a deadlift with no weights. For a more advanced version, you can do this one with 5-20 lbs dumbbells.
  

• Burpees - Everyone's favorite :-)
  
  

• Single-Leg Glute Bridge - 50 seconds per leg. Start with both legs on the ground if you need to.
  
   

Rest 1-2 minutes and repeat the Lower/Upper set.

Alternating Lower & Core Circuit

Goal: This circuit consists of 8 exercises. The circuit is repeated 2x's and includes advanced variations of some of the exercises on the second circuit to challenge you. You'll get a good full-body workout, as glutes, hamstrings, core, and shoulder strength are all targeted here.

Equipment: No equipment = No excuses
Time:45 minutes

Warm-Up 

(5-8 min)

• Walking quad stretch - 5-6 reps each leg

• Caterpillar - 6 reps

• Forward Lunge with twist - 10 reps (5 each side)

• Downward Dog to 3-Legged Dog - Hold downward dog for a few seconds, then lift one leg (3-legged dog), hold for a few seconds, return to downward dog, then lift the other leg.  Repeat a couple rounds.

• Superman - Lift one arm and opposite leg. Hold for a few seconds, then lower to the ground.  Repeat on the other side.  Repeat 3-4x's on each side.

• Flutter Kicks - 45 seconds

Main Set

Repeat 2x's (10-12 min each set)

• Reverse Lunge - 
• Circuit 1: Reverse Lunge + Kick - 10-15 each leg



• Circuit 2: Reverse Lunge + Hop - 10-15 each side



• Planks with alternating toe touch  - 45 seconds - Get in plank position on your forearms. Tap one toe to the side, just a bit farther than hip-distance, then return back to starting position. Tap the other toe to the other side. Repeat quickly, alternating between sides, for 45 seconds.

• Wide-legged Squats
• Circuit 1: Wide-legged Squats - 15 reps

• Circuit 2: Wide-legged Squats + jump - 10-15 reps

• Push-Up + Rotation - 10 reps (i.e. 5x's each side)

• Reaching Single-Leg Deadlifts - 10-15 reps each leg (We're calling this a deadlift, but it's really a deadlift with no weights.)
  

• Plank with taps - 45 seconds.  Start in a plank position.  Reach forward with one arm and tap the ground in front of you.  Now do the same with the other arm.  Alternate back and forth rapidly for 45 seconds.

• Glute Bridges
• Circuit 1: Two-legged Glute Bridges - 20 reps - See video below for "Single-legged Glute bridge." In the first circuit, you will do this exercise, but keep both legs on the ground.

• Circuit 2: Single-legged Glute Bridges - 10-15 reps each leg - More challenging with one leg!


• Three-legged Dog with Knee-to-Elbow Touches - 60 seconds - Start in push-up position and push hips back to a downward dog position.  Lift one leg to get in a three-legged dog position. Drive that knee toward the elbow of the same side; lift leg back to starting three-legged-dog position, then drive knee toward forehead, back to original position, then knee to opposite elbow. Return leg back to ground in starting push-up position. That's ONE rep. Now do the same thing on the other side and see how many reps you can do in 60 seconds.