How to do a Balance Trainer Plank
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Balance Trainer Plank
Instructions for Proper Form
Balance Trainer Plank is a more challenging variation of the standard Plank. Like Planks, this is a bodyweight core exercise. By placing your feet on the Balance Trainer, you add more instability to the exercise. That added instability forces you to further recruit your core in order to stabilize the movement. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their planks a bit more challenging.
- Position your body in prone position with your elbows bent underneath your shoulders.
- Place your toes on top of the Balance Trainer.
- Raise your torso and legs off of the ground maintaining a straight alignment from your heels to your shoulders.
- Engage the core and ensure that your hips did not sink toward the floor.
- Hold the position for the allotted time.
Common Form Mistakes
Raised or Sagging Hips
Make sure you’re keeping your hips level, and a straight line from your shoulders, through you hips, to your heels. Raising, or allowing your hips to dip will make this exercise less effective. Focus on keeping your core engaged, and maintaining that straight back throughout the exercise.
Alternatives & Variations to Balance Trainer Plank
1. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 491 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 132 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
3. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 131 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
4. Ab Rollout
70.3 mSCORESWAPPED 96 TIMESAb Rollout is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core. Using an ab roller, this movement challenges your ability to maintain stability as you extend your body parallel to the ground. This exercise is great for developing core strength and stability, which can translate to better performance in other strength-training movements. The instability and range of motion make this a more challenging core exercise.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Wheel
5. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 92 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
6. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 89 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
7. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 86 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
8. Cable Crunch
88.8 mSCORESWAPPED 85 TIMESCable Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Unlike Crunches, this is a weighted exercise that does not have you laying on your back. Instead of using your bodyweight for resistance, you use a cable machine. This gives you more control over your resistance, as well as more control over the direction that resistance is coming from.