Keeping your feet from sliding out from under you… It could be a metaphor for life, but it’s also a heck of a core workout. No need for fancy equipment, just placing your feet on a small towel will take your plank from isometric to oh-so-active.

Plank Pike: Start in a straight arm plank position with your feet on the towel, shoulders over your hands, core engaged. Pull the naval to the spine as you shift your shoulders forward, your hips up toward the ceiling, and your feet in toward your hands. Slide the feet back out and return to plank position, making certain that the shoulders stay over the hands – don’t push back so much you ‘lose your feet’.

Traverse Overhead Press: Start with your feet wide and dumbbells at your shoulders. Pivot, turning to the right and press the right dumbbell overhead. Keep the cost open, core engaged, and press up toward the ceiling – making sure to stack over the shoulder BLADE. A common mistake is to press up and forward, but you really want to focus on pressing up vertical. Do not look at the dumbbell. If it is properly stacked over your shoulder blade your arm will line up with your ear.