A Trainer Calls This Upgraded Plank an ‘Amazing’ Way To Strengthen the Hardest-To-Hit Part of Your Abs

While basic planks are great well-rounded exercises for building core strength, they need a little extra push to target those hard-to-hit lower abs. Enter: Plank to pike.

This movement is an “amazing way to get into your lower core,” says Bridget O’Carroll, founder of Studio Qila. As the name suggests, this exercise involves transitioning from a plank position into a pike position by lifting your hips—and all the work comes from engaging your core. In this episode of The Right Way, she demos how to do a plank to pike with proper form.

First, she shares the top three mistakes she sees people make when doing this movement, namely: sinking into their shoulders, dropping their hips toward the ground, and putting too much weight in their feet. Once she shows you what not to do, she gets into the right way to do this lower core exercise. Press play on the video above to see her tips in action, and follow along below.

How to do a plank to pike

1. Start in a plank position. Roll your shoulders down, away from your ears, and press into your palms. Engage your core and glutes to create a straight line from the top of your head all the way down to the bottom of your heels.

2. Point your toes and engage your core to lift your hips, keeping all of your weight forward in your wrists and palms. Come up as high as you can.

3. Continue to engage your core as you lower back down into plank position, keeping the movement slow and controlled. Make sure to keep a nice long line from your shoulders down to your toes.

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