Plank

While many abdominal exercises involve performing a particular motion, such as a crunch or a variation thereof, the Plank is an exercise that actually requires no active motion on the part of the participant, but it can still be helpful for giving people the opportunity to flatten stomach regions. The Plank is sometimes used in yoga workouts and is designed to strengthen the abdominal and lower back muscles, which are also called the body’s core muscles.

Doing the Plank, which is also called a hover, involves lying flat on one’s belly. Then the participant puts his or her body into a push up position, with feet together and toes on the ground. Yet, instead of resting on his or her palms, the individual rests on his or her forearms, with the upper part of the arm perpendicular to the floor. By keeping one’s body straight and rigid and holding this position for at least ten seconds, the individual will be utilizing the muscles of the midsection and lower back. The Plank is harder than it may look, and individuals will likely need to work up to hold times of twenty, thirty, or even sixty seconds. In order to increase the chance of flatten stomach muscles, some people may modify the Plank by slowly raising one leg or arm at a time.