I tried reverse planks for 30 days and my glutes, core and posture feel so much healthier
I replaced my regular plank with a reverse plank for 30 days, and honestly, it was challenging, incredibly effective, and, yes, a lot of fun.
Like most people, I don’t know wood. I’ve done side planks, high planks, low planks, spider planks… list goas. But the back plank was something new.
Flipping your plank works your body in a completely different way. Instead of focusing on the front of your core, it targets your posterior chain (the muscles that run along the back of your body), opens up tight hips, and strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, and deep core muscles. You will definitely feel it.
How to do it
- Sit on the floor with your legs apart, hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet
- Bend your spine and press into your palms and heels.
- Lift your hips towards the ceiling, making a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Draw your shoulders together and keep your chest open.
- Keep your neck neutral by looking slightly forward or up, and don’t tilt your head back.
- Squeeze your glutes and thighs throughout.
- Hold for 30 seconds at first, gradually increasing the time.
- Top tip: Avoid letting your hips dip or cover your lower back. Focus on management and planning.
Advantages of reclaimed wood
(Image credit: Future)
1. Strengthens your posterior chain
The posterior chain runs from your heels to your neck, and for most of us, it’s poorly trained. Hours spent sitting, scrolling and leaning forward leave these muscles weak and worn out. This is where the reverse plank comes in.
“The back plank trains the glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors, as well as the spine, triceps, rhomboids and muscles around the shoulders,” says Callum Regan, AF Coach Level 3 at Anytime Fitness Yeovil.
“Strong posterior-chain muscles are important for sports, lifting and everyday movement. They also support good posture.”
2. It helps you to stand up
“The back plank strengthens all the muscles that support good posture,” says Regan. “It helps open the front of the hips and shoulders, while improving the balance of the muscles in the shoulders.”
Over time, this can reduce rounded shoulders and help you stand tall with more confident, upright posture without constantly reminding yourself to “stay up straight”.
3. Deeply works your glutes
Have you ever been told to squeeze your glutes in a front plank? It often feels like an afterthought. However, with the back plank, you don’t get a choice. To hold a strong, straight line, you must drive your hips up, which automatically forces your glutes to open.
“So this move promotes better hip extension and glute activation compared to the traditional plank,” Regan said. The result? Strong, strong hips carry over into everyday walking and training.
4. It improves your shoulders and chest
The back plank is an isometric hold that requires deep control of the upper body. You are forced to recruit the entire shoulder area, as well as the small supporting muscles around the elbows and wrists, while keeping your body aligned under stress.
“Your chest also gets stronger, which makes it a more integrated movement,” adds Regan. It’s one of the reasons why this workout feels so much stronger than it looks – it’s working on more than just your core.
5. Very good at moving forward
One thing I quickly noticed is that flipping the plank still targets the deep core stabilizers, just like regular planks do.
It looks like a back exercise, yes, but “your deep muscles of the spine, especially the flexors of the abdominis, have to work hard, and the good thing is that when I drove the basic nail, I started trying to move forward.
My favorite was driving one knee into my chest, which challenged my balance, core and core even more. Eight reps seems to be the sweet spot.
You can also try lifting one straight leg off the floor and holding for a second, or two, or add a plank reversal by slowly lowering your hips without touching the floor, then lifting up again.
That said, there is no need to rush ahead. Just holding a solid reverse plank is more than enough to reap core and posture benefits. Start small, focus on breathing, and build from there.
If you sit all day, this move is a great way to reset your posture and change your training upside down. And trust me, it is much stronger than it looks.
After 30 days of flipping my plank, hips, glutes, back, and deep core I feel stronger than ever. This isn’t just an ab exercise – it’s a full-body stabilization, posture improvement, and functional strength builder. Honestly? I’m not sure I’ll go back to my old plank routine.
