These five compound exercises will help you target and tighten muscles in your back, chest, core and shoulders.
Ready for a core workout that will help tighten and tone your upper body? Because this workout featuring five compound plank movements will help you do just that!
Why Compound Exercise Get Results
When it comes to exercise, it pays to work smarter, not harder. Compound exercises are a great way to get results because they allow you to engage multiple joints and muscle groups simultaneously. In other words, they help you get more done in less time!
Planks are already an excellent example of a compound exercise. They allow you to target multiple muscle groups at once; you’re tightening that core and getting serious bonus work in the neck, arms, shoulders and back (and even some in the legs and booty!).
Today we’re going to look at five compound plank variations to help focus on strengthening the core, back and shoulders along with total body toning.
The 5 Moves
Let’s take a look at how each movement is broken down and then at the end, I’ll show you how to put them together into a compound core workout circuit!
1. Plank Commandos
In this plank variation, you will be transitioning up and down from a standard plank into a forearm plank.
Begin in a standard plank on your hands and toes, keeping your hands lined beneath up the shoulders. Keep your core tight and the hips in straight alignment (no hips sagging to the floor or booty up in the air).
Llower onto your forearms one at a time, keeping the core tight and hips in straight alignment.
Hold a forearm plank while keeping elbows below the shoulders, forearms firmly pressed into mat. Keep your core contracted squeezing the belly button towards the spine and hips in straight alignment.
Hold for one second and then press your way back up to a standard plank one arm at a time.
Alternate leading with your left arm to lift and lower for half of the reps and switching to the right arm lead for the other half. Modify by coming onto the knees instead of toes.
2. Hip Taps
Begin in a forearm plank.
Keep forearms firmly planted on ground and twist through the waist and tap the left side of your hips on the mat.
Twist and tap right side of hips on mat. Complete a tap on both sides of hip to do one rep. Modify by coming onto the knees instead of toes.
3. Knee Taps
Bend knees and tap them lightly on the mat once, then straighten both legs and return to forearm plank.
4. Single Knee Taps
Begin in a forearm plank.
Tap left knee once on mat.
Tap right knee once on mat and straighten leg to return to forearm plank. Complete a tap on each leg to do one rep.
5. Dolphin Plank
Begin in a forearm plank.
Lift your hips up into an inverted V, keeping core tight and forearms pressed into mat. Hold for one count.
Return to forearm plank.
Building a Workout Circuit
Are you ready to take those individual moves and turn them into a workout circuit? Let’s do this thing!
Perform five rounds of the following circuit. As soon as you finish each move, go directly into the next with minimal rest between movements. Once you’re completed a round (all five of the moves in succession), rest 45-60 seconds before starting the next round.
The Circuit:
- 12 Plank commandos
- 15 Hip dips (per side)
- 15 Knee taps
- 12 Single knee taps (per side)
- 15 Dolphin planks
Final Thoughts on 5 Moves to Tighten Your Tummy, Back and Shoulders
These five compound plank exercises are a great addition into any upper body workout circuit to target and tighten muscles in your back, chest, core and shoulders.
Planks are tough stuff and will really challenge your strength, endurance, and mental fortitude. Just remember: They’re tough, but so are you.
Every time you do this workout, you’re just going to get tougher and stronger. Modify as you need to and don’t feel bad about taking it at your own pace and building up strength as you go!
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All writing and images copyright © 2017 Rachel Elise Weems Woods. This post is for educational purposes only. Consult with your doctor before beginning this or any new exercise regime.
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