UKC

Having been doing some planks recently it occurred to me that a normal face down plank is more of an antagonist excise for climbing and that training with a reverse plank may be a more appropriate for stopping your @rse sagging away from steep rock.

How is it I never hear anyone bestowing the virtues of doing reverse planks?

I get it that the normal plank will help with getting your feet back on to the rock, if you've cut loose...

If you perform the reverse plank but rest your heels on a yoga ball and bridge between this and your shoulders (keeping hands off the ground!).  You can work on both your core and heel hook tension by bending only at the knees and rolling the yoga ball back and forth.

Do reps of this slowly.

This helps with training moving under tension.

Just to clarify - you mean with your shoulders on the floor, and arms crossed over torso or something?

It's an interesting point and there are definitely sources out there that say the posterior chain is more important for climbing than the anterior. Deadlifts are commonly praised, by US trainers particularly.

The German climbing training book Gimme Kraft has one exercise that is based on a reverse plank. You have your feet suspended in straps (TRX style or ring straps) and then hinge from a hanging sitting position to full extension.

It means you're facing up towards the ceiling or sky instead of down to the floor.

Yep, keep your arms off the ground

@stp: I found that particular TRX exercise did nothing for me. With the yoga ball you need to keep the pressure and the yoga ball get squirrely if the pressure is not continuous, controlled and even.

Sounds interesting. I'll have to give it a try sometime. I wasn't enamoured with the Gimme Kraft exercise either.

I'd like to be able to do deadlifts which are a fantastic exercise. But doesn't take much to set off my dodgy low back so progress in those is stalled for the moment at least.

yeah, I'm not convinced my back would tolerate deadlifting...

I did a made up exercise which i found useful for core strength, lay on your back on a table with your bum cheeks just on the edge and then raise your legs till horizontal with your body and hold position for 30 seconds to a minute depending on ability. then rest for two minutes and repeat six times. I think this works kind of like a reverse plank.

Useful no doubt but I suspect more for the anterior muscles like the normal plank...

Hi Jon, that sounds like a starting progression for the dragon flag. Alternatives are lying down on the table in the same manner, with yours legs dangling down. Then by gripping the sides or end of the table you raise your legs until your body is straight.  This will help you with your back-lever and planche progressions, as well as your steep climbing.

Have you tried bridge rather than reverse plank?  

https://elevenbyvenuswilliams.com/blogs/news/18569589-planks-bridges-core-s...

Shoulders and arms down, knees bent and use core to lift bum.  

Haston -

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JUOtXifx2Jk/TzjVAThpQtI/AAAAAAAAAn4/Tkx4pbEn3nc/s... 

Some people with bad backs find deadlifting can actually sort them out by making the muscles stronger. That was part of my motivation as occasionally hard and weird moves can set my back off so I was hoping for something to make it less injury prone.

Another alternative I've not tried much are kettlebell swings. These are apparently safer than deadlifts but work the same muscles.

Plank saws are a great exercise for total core conditioning, very intense but with time they get easier.

Lie in plank position on your forearms with your feet suspended in TRX straps so that you're totally level. Then lever backwards in a controlled sawing motion, keeping your body straight and avoid bending at the lower back. Return again to your starting position. 4 sets of 10 reps and you'll feel noticeably worked.

I might try that but was thinking with the reverse plank with my arms behind me might offer an antagonist element for my arms and shoulders...

Ha! Yes, that picture did come to mind when I started thinking about this.

Perhaps a little too advanced for me...