Beast Crawl, Superman, and Plank Exercises for Your Core

 
Building a strong core is very important when it comes to exercising, everyday living, and better posture, as it ensures improved balance and support. There are multiple effective exercises that can help you build up your core strength in a very short amount of time, including:

• Plank
• Beast Crawl
• Superman

Learn more about these exercises for a strong core when you check out these tips from the coaches at Gloveworx.

Plank Exercises for Core Strength

The basic plank position is a push-up position using your forearms and elbows instead of your hands. You balance your weight evenly throughout your body with your feet and elbows/forearms as the pillars of support. In this position, tighten your core to keep your body in a straight line.

The back of your head should align with your buttocks and your legs must also be straight. Remember to focus on breathing while you are in this position. To truly own the position, you must be able to hold this position while breathing normally.

The plank is an exercise for your core that’s designed to increase stability and allow force to transfer efficiently from the ground through your shoulder, elbow, and hand into your opponent—whether it’s a bag, mitt, or person. This stability is foundational to being able to punch hard, and it’s one of the most important reasons why plank exercises for core strength are essential to boxers.

Beast Crawl Exercises

The basic beast crawl position is on all fours (quadruped position)—hands and feet planted on the ground. The goal of this exercise is to build four pillar strength through the hips and shoulders. Make sure your arms are slightly bent, hands are directly beneath your shoulders, knees are directly under your hips, and the back of your head and butt are aligned. With this exercise, you can hold your position or challenge yourself by crawling back and forth.

When you’re holding your position during the beast crawl exercise, you are engaging your core and abdominal muscles in the same way you did for your plank core exercises. The progression to crawling also engages anti-rotational core strength as you move contralaterally (opposite arm and opposite leg).

By engaging your muscles in these patterns, you are helping to build and strengthen your core with the same actions that are required when you punch straight ahead (jab) or across the body (straight right hand).

Superman Core Workout

The basic superman core workout starts flat on the ground, face down in a prone position. Then, you simultaneously lift your head, arms, and legs—engaging your core, arching your mid-back, and balancing on your abdomen. You hold this position for several seconds as you try to keep your breathing even and normal.

Spinal extension is important in boxing when performing defensive movements, like pull counters. A superman core workout helps to develop the muscles that are key to these movements, supporting the muscles of the lower back.

Core Workouts at Gloveworx

 
Exercises for a strong core that challenge your stability, rotation and flexion/extension are all important to developing functional movement in everyday life, as well as efficient boxing technique. There are many other exercises you can perform to help you build and strengthen your core, so stay tuned to the Gloveworx blog to learn more about core strength and functional movement!