Tired of hanging out
in a plank for minutes on end? Try
this challenging exercise to spice up your training and build an indestructible
core.
The bodysaw plank is one of my all-time favorite core
strength/stability exercises. The
very first time I tried it was just over a year ago while I was recovering from
my fourth and fifth knee surgeries.
I couldn’t lift or drive to a gym so the extent of my training was done
in my house. In order to maintain
some sanity, I began researching and testing various core exercises that would
give me a challenge. I remember
seeing a demonstration of a bodysaw plank and thinking, “How hard could that
be?”
Well…I planned on doing 12 reps; by rep four I was laying
face down on my kitchen floor.
While I was rolling around trying to catch my breath, I realized that my
core strength was severely lacking.
I had just finished a semester of training that included me cleaning 319
lbs, clean and jerking 300 lbs, and squatting 418 lbs, but I couldn’t even
finish a set of bodysaw planks…
Determined to never repeat this embarrassing episode, I
began adding bodysaw planks to my training at least twice a week. Not only did my anterior core get
stronger, but the pain associated with my bulging and herniated discs
dissipated. Since then, they have
been a staple of my training program.
Even to this day, bodysaw planks torch my anterior core like nothing
else and leave me quaking uncontrollably.
To See A Video
Demonstration, Click The Link Below
How Does It Work?
The front plank itself is a basic but extremely effective
core stability exercise. To
maintain proper posture and alignment, you need to activate your glutes and
anterior core. At the same time,
you should lock your ribcage down into a neutral position and create a slight
degree of posterior pelvic tilt. Think
about bracing your abs as if you are about to be punched in the stomach. Whatever you do, DO NOT allow your
lower back to arch excessively.
This eliminates the entire point of the exercise.
The ability to establish and hold this posture requires
activation of the anterior core and the strength and stability to resist
extension of the lower back and rotation of the pelvis. To put it simply, gravity doesn’t want
you to have good posture, so you have to be strong enough to hold your position.
To enhance the exercise, the bodysaw plank requires you to
extend your body even further, making it far more difficult for your anterior
core to resist extension. As you
slide backwards to a position where your elbows are above your head, your lats
must also engage to help stabilize the torso and pull you back to your starting
position. The result is a highly
advanced variation of the plank that will challenge your entire core as a
unit.
How To Perform It
To perform the bodysaw plank, begin by standing with a
Valslide or furniture slider under each foot. Place your forearms on the ground directly under your
shoulders and establish a proper plank position, (see above). Exhale and activate your anterior
core. Inhale deeply and expand
your midsection 360 degrees. Push
through your forearms to slide yourself backwards. Extend your body as far as you can while maintaining a
neutral spine. Exhale and activate
your abs hard as you pull yourself forward and back to the original front plank
position. Repeat for 3-4 sets of
8-12 reps.
Bottom Line
Whether you are looking to build an injury-proof core for
athletics or just want to impress people down the shore next summer, the
bodysaw plank is a great bang-for-your-buck exercise. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
