Kill Your Love Handles | Side Plank with Reach Through

Featuring Rachael Novello of The Simply Fit Studio in Boston.

1. Start by placing right hand on center of the platform, forming a side plank from your knees (beginner) or feet (advanced).

2. Pull your body up from the floor, stacking your left leg on top of the right. Keep the side of your foot and right hand anchored while you maintain your body in a straight line.

3. Point your left hand towards the ceiling with your arm straight then rotate your torso, keeping your legs stacked, and swing your left arm down and reach it under your right arm.

4. Rotating your torso back to a neutral position, bring your left hand back up towards the ceiling.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 for desired amount of repetitions.

6. Switch sides and repeat steps 1-5.

Tips: For more of a challenge, as seen in last few reps of video, try holding your left leg up while your right hand is on the StrongBoard platform, and your right leg up while your left hand is on the StrongBoard platform. Slowing your tempo when performing the reach through will also change the difficulty level of this exercise. 

This exercise is great for working the love handles, strengthening the oblique and abdominal muscle groups along with your quadratus lumborum and entire core structure. StrongBoard Balance forces your muscles to work harder due to the resitive nature of the springs and the instability they force on the muscles. This challenging exercise will initiate your obliques, abdominal belt, shoulders, lower back, core, and scapula-thoracic region.