Reverse Plank

The reverse plank is the mirror image of a standard plank, facing upward instead of down: sit with legs extended, hands planted behind your hips, and press through your palms and heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to ankles. It trains the posterior chain isometrically - glutes, lower back, and rear shoulders - along with the front of the core working to keep the hips from sagging, in a way a face-down plank doesn't reach.

1. Sit with legs extended and hands planted on the floor behind your hips, fingers pointing forward or back
2. Press through your palms and heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line
3. Hold the position, keeping your hips up and your neck neutral

• Letting the hips sag toward the floor instead of holding the straight-line position
• Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears instead of keeping them down and back

• Bent-knee regression for beginners still building the required strength
• Single-leg lift version, briefly raising one leg for added core and hip challenge