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Skip out on standard planks in favor of one of my favorite abs alternatives — the banded plank bird dog. It engages muscles all over through dynamic movement, targeting not just your abs, but your deep core muscles as well. Add to that the extra resistance on your arms and legs, plus the hip extension that works your glutes, and you’ve got yourself a full-body burner.
I honestly love teaching this exercise, but it’s easy to get wrong, so check out my tips below to keep your form as strong as your core. You’ll just need one of the best resistance bands to loop around your hand and foot, and you’re good to go. Here’s how to do the plank bird dog, and its benefits.
How to do the plank bird dog
Credit: Future owns/ Sam Hopes
How:
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Hook one end of your resistance band under your right thumb
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Hook the opposite end around your left foot
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Start in a high plank with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and hips aligned with your shoulders
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Engage your core, glutes and quads to create a strong foundation
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Keep your hips parallel to your mat as you extend your right arm away from you and your left leg behind. Aim for shoulder and hip height and try to avoid arching your lower back
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Pause, then return to the starting position and switch sides, moving with control.
Inhale as you lower your arm and leg, and exhale as you lift them against the resistance of the band. I recommend practicing without the resistance band first or coming onto your knees if you need more support. For extra ab work, try bringing your elbow and knee to meet each other beneath your body in a crunching motion every rep to work your core harder and target more of the obliques that run down your waist.
The benefits
This is a full-body exercise, but it also tests your stability, balance and control by holding your muscles under tension the whole time while moving your limbs through a range of motion. Although planks do require your arms and legs to work, this variation works them harder as they move to push through the band’s resistance.
Learning how to engage your core will help protect your lower back, but I also encourage you to give your glutes and thighs a healthy squeeze to keep you stable, and try to avoid twisting to one side.
The thicker the band, the harder the plank bird dog becomes, so I also recommend a few practice reps to ensure you can complete the exercise with proper form. Aim for 8-10 reps per side and 3 sets. Add this to an existing ab workout or use it as a standalone activation exercise if you prefer.
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