Welcome to Start TODAY. Sign up for our Start TODAY newsletter to receive daily inspiration sent to your inbox — and join us on Instagram! Ah, the plank. It may just be one of the most intimidating exercises. Anyone who has shook their way through one knows that the isometric exercise appears simple, but is anything but. To the contrary, it is a full-body exercise that recruits muscles from your shoulders to your glutes.
Bird dog Start on all fours with your palms and knees on the ground. Straighten your left arm out in front of you and your right leg out behind you, balancing on your opposite hand and knee. Hold for a few breaths. For an added challenge, bend your left elbow and your right knee in until they touch underneath your stomach. Switch sides and repeat using your right arm and left leg. Continue alternating, performing 10 reps on each side.