Exercise at home: planks

The next in our Exercise at home series is the plank.

When doing the plank correctly, it helps to build your core muscles, improve stability and works your legs, bums, tums and shoulders – a great all round strength exercise.

Once you’ve mastered the plank, you can then progress this into up/down planks, which will work all these muscle groups even harder.

To ensure you’re doing them correctly, follow these simple steps:

1. Get yourself into the push-up position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands. Your elbows should line up directly underneath your shoulders and toes should be on the ground.

2. Lift up and squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals. Keep a neutral neck and spine. Create a straight, strong line from head to toe and hold the position.

3. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat.

Progress into up/down planks:

1. Repeat plank position.

2. Raise forearms to your hands one at a time, and then move back down to your forearms.

3. Hold plank for 30 seconds, then 10 x up/down planks, then hold a normal plank for 30 seconds to finish.

4. Repeat 3 times.

Enjoy your workout and don’t forget to share these videos with your friends!