OFFSET PLANK & PUSH-UP (GREAT CORE FOR BMXERS)

In my never ending pursuit to provide you guys with better core exercises than crunches, I bring you the Offset Plank. The crunch was sooo 1990’s. Since then we have figured out that there are better ways to train the core.

While the crunch does strengthen the Rectus abdominis (6 pack muscles), it does so in a fairly non-functional way that has potential to not be great for your spine (depending on who you ask).

With this Offset Plank and Push-up, we train not only our 6 pack, but also Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Serratus, Glutes and Hamstrings. We also add in trunk rotation in one direction and pelvis rotation in the other.

If you’re into studying movement of the human body, you probably realized that, that sounds a lot like walking. You would be right. As we walk, our body is built to rotate the trunk one way while our lower body rotates the other, and our core stabilizers kind of hold it all together.

This is exactly why I love to use this in the warmups to our workouts. It would also be a fantastic addition to someone that was about to go for a walk or run (if you’re into that kind of stuff).

I realize we don’t quite go through the the same gait pattern on a bike that we do as we walk and run, but that doesn’t mean it’s not useful for us BMXers. We still need to use these same stabilizers to resist these rotational forces as we pedal the bike. We also rely on our Glutes and Hamstrings big time to stabilize the knee and drive the pedal down as we come out of the gate.

Check out the video to see specific cues. Make sure you do it just how I describe. Set up is critical on this exercise (and all push-up positional exercises in my opinion). Remember to reach the arms long, exhale fully, tuck the pelvis and continue to breathe as you perform the plank or push-up.

I will usually have people do these for 3-5 full, slow breaths. You can repeat them on each side at least twice or more. Enjoy!