Today my schedule says it’s a rest day from running, which feels weird since I usually run on Tuesdays through Thursdays during the week. So I spent some time with Jillian Michaels and let her kick my butt through a level 2 30 day shred workout. I did have a nice view during each of the abs segments, though.
Scout likes to stand over top of me while I do my sit ups. Sometimes she attempts to lick my face, but today she ended up just laying down next to me on the floor. When it’s hot outside all she wants to do is sleep.
During my cross training I learned a valuable lesson that you all need to know. Never, under any circumstances, try and wipe sweat off of your forehead when you have a dumbbell in your hand. You will bonk yourself in the head and it will hurt.
So now that I have shared that information with you, I need you to answer a very important question for me. Do you plank on your hands or your forearms? You better not be laughing right now, because that is a serious question. I see people doing both and I want to know what the “official” planking position is. Thanks!
Either way, the above picture pretty much illustrates what happens when I plank. I need to work on that.
What’s your favorite type of cross training?
Turkey Runner 
Hahaha thanks for the lesson 🙂 I would do the same thing! Hmm in cross country we used to it on our elbows!
Thanks for the plank input!
I always do both! I alternate back and forth and it seems to work well, as my elbows get tired easily and I think it is good for my arms to do both. But what do I know?
Alternating back and forth sounds like a move in the 30 day shred- plank push ups. Yikes! 🙂
Scout sure is a big help. Like Sadie when I crack your back.Planking is a way of cooking salmon?LUD.
She’s very supportive of my ab workouts. She’s not obnoxious the way Sadie is when you lay on the floor, though. Planking could be a way of cooking salmon. I do not know.
LOL about you hitting yourself with the weight! SOOOO something I would do.I do planks on my elbows but when I was researching them I found they said it was okay to do them either way.
That’s the way I usually do them, because on my hands sometimes hurts my left wrist. I usually get bruises on my forearms, just below my elbows, though.
Maybe experiment with slightly different arm positions (for example, what if you put your palms on the floor?), and be sure to try to distribute the weight out toward your fingertips, rather than letting it all settle directly into your elbows. (Maybe try pushing forward a little bit with your toes, like you were standing on tippy toes?) Not sure it’ll help, just a thought!Or…plank on a towel? Or six? 🙂
I usually plank on my hands (I think this helps work my upper body more?), but sometimes will go to my forearms for variety. I also have clients use their forearms if they have issues in their wrists, such that hand-planking hurts.Finally, you can increase your plank intensity by holding the plank position and alternating forearms and hands. This is like a mini push-up within a plank!
Thanks for the planking info! I have done planks with switching positions like you described before, during the level 3 30 day shred workout. Jillian calls them “plank pushups” I think.
Haha. That photo probably sums me up, too! I actually switch it up. Sometimes I do forearms, sometimes hands. Probably forearms more often than anything, though. I really like yoga for cross training, but not like “lets meditate and relax” yoga..like hard, hot and sweaty yoga, ha.
I think I prefer forearms, because it bugs my left wrist a bit to be on my hands for longer than 30 seconds.
I love that pic of the planking.Today I did a routine I’m getting used to:RunStretchPlank, Crunches, PushupsRepeat (X3)I also love Jillian. 🙂
I usually plank from my elbows, but if my it bothers my clients forearms I have them plank from their hands (unless that bothers their wrists). The key is to make sure your elbows (or hands – depending on how you choose to hold your plank) are under your shoulders so that you are not putting unnecessary strain on your shoulder joint. People have a tendency to have their arms too far forward. I love the picture of the elephant planking!