Intermediate Ab Exercise for Paleo Fitness: The Two-Point Plank

The two-point plank brings in an anti-rotational component as well as a balance challenge. For this movement to happen, you must keep everything tight, so expect a full-body challenge as well as an ample burn in the midsection.

Here’s how to do the two-point plank:

1. Assume a four-point plank position (see earlier section), but start with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.

2. Lift one leg a couple inches off the ground. Keep the leg straight.

   Your alignment shouldn’t change when you lift your leg off the ground. If something changes, reset and try again.

3. When you feel stable with a leg off the ground, slowly raise the opposite arm straight up overhead.

   The torso and the hips shouldn’t rotate when you enter into a two-point plank. Ideally, everything is aligned precisely how it would be if you had all four limbs on the ground.

   

   Credit: Photo courtesy of Rebekah Ulmer

It’s best to work into the two-point plank by first mastering a three-point plank off of each limb. For example, hold a four-point plank and slowly raise each limb off the ground, one at a time, for a count of five.