Plank with a Knee Twist

We have had one full week into the New Year and hopefully most of you are still running strong with your New Year’s resolutions. Don’t allow boredom to creep into your exercise routine. Always look for new ways to train your muscles and ways to challenge your body. As you know, I love doing moves that target multiple body parts. This week, I am challenging you to a new version of the plank that I recently learned how to do. If you have been following my blogs and trying the exercises I post, then you are already familiar with the standard plank and the plank with an arm twist. Now I am adding to your workout the plank with a knee twist. If you can do the upper body why can’t you do the lower body? This exercise works your shoulders, arms, abdominals, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Position yourself in the plank position: Weight on hands and balls of feet / toes. Shoulders should line up with your wrist and you support your body with your hands. Your body should be in a straight line. Don’t let your stomach sag towards the floor.

Step 2: Bend your left knee forward toward your waist and then to the right side of our body. Cross your leg underneath your body holding for 3 seconds. Then pull your left leg back, straightening the knee and lifting your leg up towards the ceiling.

Step 3: Lower your leg /foot back towards the floor / starting position. Repeat same movement on right leg. That is one repetition. Do 12-15 repetitions for 1 set.

Don’t say this is too hard for me to do because anyone can train their body to perform this exercise, just break each sequence up until you are able to progress to the next position and until you can perform the entire move. Start with a standard plank until you can hold it for a solid 30 seconds to 1 minute. Next, add the knee bend and cross over under the body on each side. Finally, add extend and lift after the cross over and then you are able to do the exercise. Never say I can’t.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29 NIV

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