Technique Tuesday: Body Saw aka A Brutal Plank Variation

26 May Technique Tuesday: Body Saw aka A Brutal Plank Variation

Question: do you feel your entire body shaking and tensing up when holding a plank?

Another question: are you able to sustain this for 30 seconds without your face melting off?

If the answer is no, then you’re planking wrong.

You see, it should be immensely challenging to hold a plank even for 30 seconds, with the hips and shoulders lined up, your body in a flat, table top position, and your fists, quads, and hips being squeezed.

Check this out:

I call this a “Squeeze Plank” because all muscles of the lower and upper extremity must be contracting simultaneously to keep you in a neutral position. Squeeze hard. Don’t hold back.

Oh! And be careful not to let the hips sink, otherwise the low back will suffer and hurt in the long run.

Once you nail this down, I implore you to up the ante by performing a Body Saw, either with sliders on the turf, or towels on the wood floor. The Body Saw lengthens the lever arm of the plank, activating the anterior core even further.

Here is a tutorial video I sent to one of my remote athletes explaining how to perform the Body Saw properly:

For more specific sets and reps, progressions, exercise order, and a year-round workbook on youth soccer speed, strength, agility and conditioning, get Total Youth Soccer Fitness 365 HERE.

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