Trainer, author, and fitness model Kirk Charles, NASM-CPT CES, knows that as you get older, life can get more complicated. But that shouldn’t prevent you from being on top of your game. He’ll help to answer the tough training questions that come with age so you too can be Fit Beyond 40.
When I meet new clients—especially older ones like myself—one of the first things most of them show me is their plank form. It seems to be a badge of honor to be of a certain age and be able to pull off a solid, steady plank. Most of them are great at it, needing only a few tweaks to perfect their form. But I always help them to take their core training to the next level with different variations. The plank is tougher on your core than it appears, and adding another element like a reach variation can activate more muscles and elevate the intensity of your workouts.
To set up for a plank reach, get into a low plank position by lying down on your belly. Raise your upper body by placing your elbows directly below your shoulder with your forearms flat on the floor. Place the balls of your feet on the floor about shoulder width apart. From this position you can raise your belly from the floor so that your body is in a straight line from your head to heels.
Perform the reach variation by simply raising your left arm up as if to tap an object in front of you. Hold and own that position for two to four seconds, then return your left arm to the starting position. Repeat with your right arm. That’s one rep.
As you will note, as you raise your left arm to reach forward, your shoulder mobility is immediately tested. For many older men raising that arm up so it is in line with your legs and upper body is more difficult than you’d expect. That movement can really test your lat flexibility and deltoid strength.
The next test is with your grounded right arm. As you’re fighting to keep the left side of your body elevated, anti-rotation is in play. You’ll feel your abs, glutes and lower body much more engaged than when both elbows were on the floor. On top of that, you must fight to keep your body from excessively sliding from side to side as you do the reps. Just about everyone slides a little to maintain balance and stability their first few reps, but your challenge will be to slide less and less as you perfect the exercise.
In this seemingly simple plank variation there’s a lot more going on than what meets the eye. Ultimately, the key to successfully doing the plank reach is focusing your attention on full body tension with your abs, shoulder blades and glutes squeezed as tight as possible. If you feel you need more of a challenge, you may also lengthen the time of your reach and/or hold a light weight in each hand as you reach forward. To get started go into the plank position and try five reaches with each arm. Don’t rush the reaches. Take it nice and slow.
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