Plank Exercise Routine For Beginners

Here you have a 5 minute plank exercise routine for beginners that is going to help tone, shape and strengthen your core.  Strengthening your abdominals helps reduce the risk of back pain and injury.  Completing this quick workout with help you to develop your core strength in order to complete more challenging abdominal exercises.

Try completing this workout once a day for a week and see how you get on!

Don’t forget to listen to your body when you train.  It is important to exercise safely to avoid injury so that you can continue to exercise on a regular basis.  If you find that you need to take a break in let each plank go for a brief second then do it.  Then try to improve the duration of each exercise each time you do the workout.

Plank Exercise Routine For Beginners – Moves

Here are the main moves for the workout.  If you find that some of the main exercises a little tough then follow the modifications.  It is perfectly fine to modify the moves and you can still get a great workout this way until you find your full strength to complete them in full

#1. Full Plank

Start in plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your bum down and your core tight.  Push back with your heels to engage your core and hold it.

To modify use a chair to elevate yourself and perform the same movement.  If you do not have a chair you can do the plank on the floor on your knees.

#2. Side Plank

Start on your side with your feet stacked and your elbow at a 45 degree angle under your shoulder.  Push your hips up and put your arm up towards the sky in line with your shoulder and hold it.

To modify drop one knee underneath you and fold it for support and come down onto your elbow instead of holding a full side plank.

#3. Mountian Climber

Start in a full plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your bum down and your core tight.  Bring one knee up into your chest, squeeze your abs then place your leg back down on the floor in starting position.  Then repeat on the other side.

To modify use a chair to elevate yourself and perform the same movement.

#4. Cross Body Mountain Climber

Start in a full plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your bum down and your core tight. Bring one of your knees up towards your stomach and cross it over the other side of your body towards your elbow.  Squeeze your abs and then place it down on the floor in starting position and then repeat on the other side.

To modify, use a chair to elevate yourself and perform the same movement whilst keeping your shoulders over your wrists.

#5. Body Saw

Start in a low plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your bum down and core tight.  Push back with your heels and use the tips of your toes to push forwards and back so that your shoulders move over the tops of your shoulders.  Squeeze your abdominal muscles and breathe deep whilst performing the exercise.

To modify, elevate yourself with a chair and perform the same movement.

#6. Superman

Start by laying flat on the floor with your arms up above your head. Slowly lift your arms and legs off the floor at the same time whilst contracting your lower back.  Hold the movement for a couple of seconds then lower your arms and legs back down to the floor.  Then repeat the exercise until the timer is done.

To modify lift your arms and legs off of the floor but not as high.  You can even do one arm with opposite leg if you find that liftng all four limbs off of the floor is a little tricky.

#7. Childs Pose

Push your bum back so that it is resting on your heels and put your arms out in front of you. Try to reach forward so that you lengthen your spine and release the tension.

To modify sit back but not all the way onto your heels and spread your feet apart.

#8. Upward Dog

Lay flat on the floor on your front and then push up and place your hands so they are directly underneath your shoulders.  Open up your chest and you can place your head back to increase the stretch and hold it.

To modify come up to a small cobra by lifting your hands just slightly off the floor.

Workout With Me – Plank Exercise Routine For Beginners

Do you want to get started on your path to health and wellness?  Check out my 1-2-1 online coaching packages and programs.