by Sean St. Onge

Here are a couple more ab drills for you all to try out! Allow me first to preface that they do come with prerequisite and I did NOT invent them so don’t shoot the messenger here. Just heed my advice that they will change your fitness lives forever, you will become stronger, they will provide you with more bang for your buck, and you will be making the all too cool “Dad Bod” look more like a Ryan Reynolds’ washboard.

*** Quick side note: If you feel you are able to hold a plank for north of 2 minutes, dare I say you are doing it wrong and not creating REAL tension throughout your body, and you are doing what I call the “hang out plank.” Which is basically holding the position and being able to text, pick your nose, and speak clearly for the duration of said hold. Give these a try. I’m willing to bet you will feel a difference.

The first drill is called “The Beast” plank hold. I stole this one from my friend & Chiropractor, Dr. Vincent Brunelle.

This drill may seem simple in theory and in practice…initially. No equipment needed. All you need is four limbs and a moderately flat surface. Start in a prone (hands and knees) position with your hands under your armpits and your knees directly under your hips (about 2-3 inches above your pants or beltline). Start by “packing” your shoulder blades together and squeezing your armpits as if someone were attempting to tickle you. From there, dig your toes into the ground and elevate your knees no more than one inch from the floor. To keep tension solely off your quadriceps and thighs “sit back” towards you heels slightly and concentrate on bracing your abdomen. If you have a hard time with the “bracing” concept, attempt to tighten your midsection as if you were waiting to be punched in the stomach. Once your knees are elevated off the floor and you have braced your upper back and abdomen, concentrate on breathing in through your nose. Now I’m not talking about “sniffing in air” I really mean fill your belly out and do it so silently that you, yourself cannot even hear your own inhalation. Then overly and forcibly exaggerate your exhale so that people nearby could hear you. Try and hold yourself up for at least 30 seconds. When this drill becomes “easy” (which is funny because if you are doing it properly it should smoke even the most ardent uberplanker), the next progression would be a “Bear Crawl.”

Bear Crawls have been around for a while, yet I feel they can be butchered at times when done fast or improperly. The setup is essentially the same as The Beast, yet this time you are mobile! Start off prone, complete with bracing the abdomen and setting your shoulder blades and lat muscles. You will move in a similar fashion to walking, moving opposing limbs at the same time in connection to the ground. Example being moving your left hand and arm as you move your right toe and knee. The caveat to this is contracting your abdomen hard and exhaling out all the air in your lungs while maintaining a FLAT back. When I coach my clients through this drill I like for them to imagine they are merely vessels carrying important vital liquids in cylinders on a serving tray on their backs that cannot and must not be spilled at any cost. When that cue doesn’t work I ask them to think of a freshly baked pizza of their choice on their backs and if they do it properly, no cheese or toppings will spill off the sides, making everyone happy... especially the cleaning crews. Take very short steps with your limbs, do not over stride, aim for about 3-4 inches each time with your lead arm. Go slow, and again, concentrate on breathing out on each step.

Give these a try!