From basic to advanced: Yoga and wellness coach shares 4 plank variations to build stability and endurance

Are you bored of doing the same old plank everyday? Switch up your workout routine with these variations shared by yoga coach Riya Vyas.

Focusing on abs alone won’t give you a strong core - planks are one of the most effective exercises to build stability, strength and endurance in your midsection. But here’s the catch: sticking to the same plank variation every day can limit your progress, since it may not adequately challenge different core muscles. Repeating the same kind of exercises causes your body to plateau, which means it stops making progress in strength, muscle growth and endurance despite continued effort.

Yoga and wellness coach Riya Vyas shared 4 plank variations you can incorporate in your fitness routine. (Unsplash)

In her August 21 Instagram post, Riya Vyas, Founder of Unalome Yoga & Wellness Studio in Delhi and Co-Founder of SOL Wellness, recommends mixing up your routine with simple yet powerful tweaks that not only fire up your abs but also engage your arms, shoulders, and back. From the classic plank to oblique-crunching knee drives, these variations can help you build a strong core foundation while also challenging balance and stability.

Basic plank

Lie on your stomach, then prop yourself up on your palms and toes, with forearms stretched out, ensuring your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core, glutes, and quads to maintain this position and hold it for a duration of 15 seconds. The benefits of basic planking include improved core strength, better posture, enhanced stability and muscle building, according to Health.com.

Knee to elbow plank

Start in a high plank position - palms on the floor, arms straight under shoulders, body in a straight line. Keeping your core tight, lift the right knee and drive it towards your right elbow - repeat with your left knee and elbow - continue for 5 rounds. This movement combines elements of the plank and the ab crunch in an exercise that works almost every muscle in the body, especially the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis that work overtime to maintain stability, as per Pure Gym.

Knee to opposite elbow plank

This is essentially the same movement as the knee to elbow plank, except instead of lifting your right knee towards your right elbow, you need to drive your right knee towards your left elbow, and vice versa. Repeat for 5 rounds. According to Riya, this challenges your balance and stability.

Elbow plank

Lying face down, place your forearms on the floor with elbows directly under your shoulders. Support yourself on your toes and forearms, and lift your body from the floor in a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position for 15 seconds. This engages your entire body to maintain stability, including quads, glutes and abs.

Riya recommends, “Start slow, breathe deep, and feel your strength grow,” emphasising consistency over intensity.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.