If you can’t feel your abs when you plank this is down to incorrect form. The most common issue is that you’re not engaging your glutes. If you squeeze your glutes during planks this will ensure that your hips don’t sag, which will help to target the abs better.
Engage Your Glutes When You Plank
Planks are often viewed as solely an ab exercise, but in truth it’s far more than that.
In fact, I would go as far to say that planks are a full-body exercise.
As you suspend yourself above the ground you will typically engage a vast array of muscles.
Most specifically the core, but you will also activate many muscles from your shoulders, to your glutes, and all the way down to your calves.
“The plank is a fantastic exercise, but it’s often done wrong. Make sure your core is engaged, your back is flat, and your hips are down.”
Bret Contreras (Strength Coach)
We typically perform ab exercises in the hope of working the rectus abdominis.
The rectus abdominis is the most “famous” of all the abdominal muscles, as it runs along the front of the abdomen.
It is these muscles that form the coveted “six-pack”.
However, it’s also important to work the other core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, external abdominal obliques, and internal abdominal obliques.
Planks will hit all these muscles, as well as the hip flexors, lower back and glutes.
So, in effect all the muscles that wrap their way around your entire midsection.
That being said, as I’ve mentioned, I view planks as a full-body exercise, so I feel it’s important to activate as many muscles as possible.
One of the main things that people tend to forget is to activate the glutes.
So, whenever you perform planks you should really squeeze the glutes.
This will automatically bring the hips up and activate the abs to a far greater degree.
There is a tendency to either allow the hips to sag or to raise the butt too high into the air.
Unfortunately, this takes the focus away from the abs.
So, remember to really squeeze your glutes when planking, which will help you to maintain the perfect position.
Tighten Your Abs During Planks
Regardless of the muscle being worked, if you contract the muscle prior to performing a particular movement you typically work the muscle to greater effect.
Planks are no different.
Okay, I’ve said that planks do work a variety of muscles, but most people still generally view them as an ab exercise.
With this being the case you should contract the ab muscles prior to planking.
Basically, squeeze the abs and keep them tight throughout your set.
“If you’re not feeling your abs during planks, it could be a form issue. Double-check your body position and ensure your core is truly engaged.”
Ebony Horton (Strength Coach)
However, more often than not, people will simply drop to the floor, get into position, and then hold a plank for “x” amount of time.
So, there’s no real focus on the target muscles.
Unfortunately, if you do this you’ll never feel your abs during planks.
I’m NEVER actually amazed when I hear of people who can hold a standard plank for 2, 3, 5 minutes or even longer.
Why?
Because they’re not doing the exercise correctly.
I can guarantee that if you really tighten and squeeze your abs beforehand then you’re unlikely to be able to hold a plank for this long.
If you also activate and squeeze other muscles, such as the glutes, the time for which you can hold a plank will further decrease.
I don’t actually view this as a bad thing.
I’m a stickler for good form when performing any exercise.
So, I don’t see why a basic exercise like the plank should be any different.
If this means that you can only hold a perfect plank for 30 seconds, while contracting/tightening/squeezing various muscles, then so be it.
I can guarantee that your 30 seconds of perfect plank form will do far more for your abs than 5 minutes of nothingness.
So, don’t forget to tighten those abs before you start planking.
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