Plank Hops
Quick answer
Plank Hops is an advanced compound bodyweight exercise that mainly works the abs, with the calves, chest and forearms assisting.
Written by the GymStreak coaching team
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
How to do Plank Hops
- 1
Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet together. Ensure your core is engaged and your hips are level.
- 2
Keeping both feet together, hop up and to the right, as if you’re going into a squat.
- 3
Hop your feet back to your original plank.
- 4
Hop to the left, and back to the centre.
- 5
Repeat like this, alternating sides each rep. Set a timer for a cardio, stamina based workout, or, if you prefer, count for the desired reps.
Form cues
- Keep your hips slightly higher than you would in a static plank. But not too high! Keeping them slightly elevated will help with the hop, but too high and it turns into a down dog, losing that core engagement.
- Try to track your shoulders over your hands as much as you can. You don’t want to lose that 90 degrees between your body and your arms, you’ll strain your shoulders and lose power.
- Don’t overdo the hop if you don’t have the flexibility. Use markers if that helps keep you from over or undershooting.
- Keep your neck as neutral as possible to avoid strain.
Breathing: 1. Keep a steady breathing pace. 2. If you’re finding you’re getting out of breath, slow down and focus on taking deep, controlled breaths, and exhaling completely. 3. As always, don’t hold your breath!
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