Step by Step Guide

  1. Starting Position:
    • Begin in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
    • Engage your core muscles by drawing your navel towards your spine and bracing your abdominals.
  2. Lift One Leg:
    • Lift your right foot off the ground and bend your right knee, bringing it towards your right elbow.
  3. Engage Obliques:
    • As you bring your knee towards your elbow, rotate your torso slightly to the right, engaging your right oblique muscles.
  4. Touch Knee to Elbow:
    • Aim to touch your right knee to your right elbow or as close as possible while maintaining proper form and control.
  5. Return to Starting Position:
    • Slowly extend your right leg back to the plank position, maintaining stability in your core and avoiding excessive movement in your hips.
  6. Repeat on the Other Side:
    • Lift your left foot off the ground and bend your left knee, bringing it towards your left elbow.
    • Rotate your torso slightly to the left and aim to touch your left knee to your left elbow.
  7. Continue Alternating Sides:
    • Alternate bringing each knee towards the corresponding elbow, maintaining a controlled and steady pace throughout the exercise.

Benefits of The Plank Knees to Elbow

  1. Core Strengthening: This exercise targets the entire core, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and deep stabilizing muscles, to improve strength and stability.
  2. Oblique Activation: The twisting motion engages the oblique muscles, helping to define and tone the waistline.
  3. Hip Flexor Engagement: Lifting and bending the knees engages the hip flexor muscles, improving flexibility and mobility in the hip joints.
  4. Enhanced Coordination: Coordinating the movement of lifting and bending the knees with rotating the torso challenges coordination and proprioception.

Tips for Beginners:

  1. Start Slowly: Beginners should begin with a slower pace and smaller range of motion to focus on proper form and technique.
  2. Maintain Stability: Focus on keeping your hips level and avoiding excessive rotation in the torso while bringing the knees towards the elbows.
  3. Engage Core Muscles: Keep the core muscles engaged throughout the exercise to support the spine and protect against lower back strain.
  4. Modify as Needed: If lifting both legs off the ground is too challenging, beginners can start by alternating bringing one knee towards the corresponding elbow at a time.