Move Your Body

The Plank is one of the best and most effective abdominal exercises you can do, as long as it is performed correctly.  To get started, lie face down resting your forearms flat on the floor.  While lifting yourself off the floor, raise up onto your toes and place your weight onto the forearms.  Your elbows should be bent 90 degrees and placed directly underneath your shoulders.  Your back should be flat, in a straight line (like a table) from head to heels.

Modification:  If you don’t have the core strength yet to do a regular plank, you can build up to it by doing a bent-knee plank.

Contract (squeeze) your abdominals and breathe.  Do not hold your breath.  You can hold the plank anywhere from 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.