Planking is one of the easiest ways to work strength for the core, anywhere.

Traditional workouts are missing the mark. Big time. Often, leaving out crucial parts of training small muscles and ligaments, not to mention, sloppy form.

In a world where it seems to be all about the glutes, we are stoked to get in shape and show off a rocking core and buns of steel, especially for the remainder of summer swimsuit season.

Currently, you do a plank and probably think you are killing it. But your shoulders feel slightly loose and lower back arched. You have a feeling you could make this way more solid, but you’re not sure how.

There is definitely a better way to do things. Take that arch out of your plank by using these two simple tweaks to turn you and your core into rock solid steel:

Planking Tip #1: Fix Your Pelvic Tilt

Imagine laying on your nice, soft, saggy bed. How much support do you feel? This is what’s happening when you plank without proper hip mechanics.

DON’T DO THIS

Correct your hip mechanics by doing it improperly first: get into a plank position with your feet together and your hands directly under your shoulders. Relax your glutes and let them sag. OUCH!

CORRECT FORM

Tuck the hips in by rotating them toward your hands and sucking your belly button into your spine until you feel that little arching lower back straighten up and disappear. You have now experienced the mysterious hip mechanic called posterior pelvic tilt or PPT. Level up.

ROCK ON!

This drill demonstrates the difference between an arched-back plank with APT (incorrect) and a tucked hip plank with PPT (correct):

GymnasticBodies Core Training will develop amazing strength and control throughout your entire body. 

Planking Tip #2: Protract Your Shoulders:

Stay in plank, and let’s fix the shoulders. Without letting those glutes go anywhere, move your focus to your shoulders, which are a secret component that gets forgotten when refining the core.

DON’T DO THIS

Let your shoulder blades get loose so that they pinch together. Don’t do this!

CORRECT FORM

Push your shoulders toward the floor so your back rounds (think of mimicking the mountains). You now have the ability to perform the ever important and elusive upper-body mechanic known as protraction.

Combine these two techniques and you have a plank that looks like a streamlined torpedo. Not to mention the core strength to keep you feeling serious support in all of your daily activities, and on the beach!

You’ll thank the GymnasticBodies plank. We sure did.

Protraction, shown on the left, is the strong, stable, and correct GB plank position. Retracted (loose) shoulders, shown on the right, is not the best position for planks:

GymnasticBodies Courses will not only support strengthening the extremely important basic elements of your fitness training but will also help you develop solid mechanics, as well as athletic and aesthetic refinement in your physique.