BUILD BETTER OBLIQUES
The Side Plank Reach Under is one of my favourite exercises to build strength and tighten your oblique muscles. The Side Plank Reach Under was a key exercise I used to develop core strength, along with better truck rotation and flexibility.
The obliques have two main functions.
1. Bending the spine from side to side.
2. Twisting the spine.
Side Plank variations also helped to tighten my obliques without adding any size.
Unlike the basic Side Plank which is strictly a static hold (isometric), this exercise adds a dynamic movement with a twist to help with the twist of the spine
When I changed my training from traditional weight lifting to my current metabolic training workouts (Spartan Workouts) I quickly realized that I had ZERO Oblique strength.
5 Reasons to Add Side Plank Reach Under to your Training
1. Tighten Oblique Muscles without adding size
2. Better Truck Rotation
3. Increase hip mobility and flexibility
4. Balance to support your body
5. Strengthen shoulders
NOTE: Make sure you can hold the side plank for at least 30 seconds before attempting this exercise.
INSTRUCTION:• Lift your body into a side plank with your hips and knees off the floor and hold your body in a straight line (Do not dip your hips down or extend the hips into the air)
• Raise your arm straight above so that it is perpendicular to the floor
• Slowly twist your torso and reach your arm under and behind your torso, while keeping your abs braced and hold for 1 second.
• Immediately lift your arm straight up toward the ceiling back to the start position and repeat
Warning: Do not do the weighted side bends. This is the exercise when where you perform standing side bends while holding a dumbbell in one arm while bend against resistance…this will build size to your oblique muscles, which may make you look like you have a spare tire around the waist. Bigger obliques aren’t what you are aiming for.
Unlike the basic Side Plank which is strictly a static hold (isometric), this exercise adds a dynamic movement with a twist to help with the twist of the spine
When I changed my training from traditional weight lifting to my current metabolic training workouts (Spartan Workouts) I quickly realized that I had ZERO Oblique strength.
5 Reasons to Add Side Plank Reach Under to your Training
1. Tighten Oblique Muscles without adding size
2. Better Truck Rotation
3. Increase hip mobility and flexibility
4. Balance to support your body
5. Strengthen shoulders
NOTE: Make sure you can hold the side plank for at least 30 seconds before attempting this exercise.
INSTRUCTION:
• Lift your body into a side plank with your hips and knees off the floor and hold your body in a straight line (Do not dip your hips down or extend the hips into the air)
• Raise your arm straight above so that it is perpendicular to the floor
• Slowly twist your torso and reach your arm under and behind your torso, while keeping your abs braced and hold for 1 second.
• Immediately lift your arm straight up toward the ceiling back to the start position and repeat
Warning: Do not do the weighted side bends. This is the exercise when where you perform standing side bends while holding a dumbbell in one arm while bend against resistance…this will build size to your oblique muscles, which may make you look like you have a spare tire around the waist. Bigger obliques aren’t what you are aiming for.