Equinox Gym

A core classic, planks target and tone the entire body in one move. While there are several variations, the traditional plank and the elbow plank are go-to favorites — after all, you can do them anywhere! But what exactly is the difference between the two? Seeking the answer to this frequently asked question, we turned to Lauren Fairbanks, a personal trainer at Equinox.

The Traditional Plank

The mother of all planks, the traditional plank is the basic starting position for all other variations. While it is not as challenging as the elbow plank, it is a great option for beginners or those looking to perfect their form. In addition to your core, the high plank also uses your body weight to sculpt your shoulders and arms. Lauren suggests using the traditional plank as your base for more-challenging moves like shoulder taps or torso rotations because there is "more freedom to do different progressions" in this position.

The Elbow Plank

If you're looking to increase the burn, consider the elbow plank. Compared to the traditional plank, Lauren says that the elbow plank offers more of a challenge because it "recruits more of your core muscles to do the work." To maximize this move, be sure your shoulders are stacked over your elbows and your body is in one straight line. You can even combine the elbow plank and the traditional plank by trying the up-down plank!

The Takeaway . . .

When choosing an ab exercise, you really can't go wrong with planks. They are a functional movement that "train the abs in a way that supports the spine for day-to-day activities," says Lauren. Don't be afraid to experiment with several variations that will have you well on your way to flat abs in no time! Lauren suggests you hold your plank until you break proper form, aiming for a one-minute hold. Essentially, you can personalize planks to your goals and your body. Let us know how it goes!

Just when you thought burpees couldn't get any better, we're here to show you a new variation using one of our favorite fitness tools, the BOSU. Check out this variation of the classic exercise from Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks. Adding a little instability to the push-up forces the core to work more, as does lifting the unwieldy BOSU overhead. To work the middle even more, Lauren adds in a twist after the push-up. Feel your heart rate rise as you challenge every body part with this move.

1. Come into a deep squat holding the BOSU at chest level.

2. Place the ball side of the BOSU on the ground, then jump or walk your legs back to a plank position.

Learn how to do the rest of the exercise.

A solid warmup sets you up for a solid workout. When it comes to prepping for strength training, an active warmup primes the joints and muscles, prepping them for the heavy lifting. For a proper warmup, Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks recommends getting the heart rate up a bit with five minutes of cardio, like running on a treadmill, jumping rope, or using an elliptical, followed by three to five minutes of dynamic stretching. Lauren suggests doing at least three of these dynamic stretches before heading to the weight rack. Or do all five moves for a very thorough warmup.

Rocking Lunge
Give an active stretch to both your hips and hamstrings with the rocking lunge. Start in a deep lunge with your left leg forward; you can even bring your right knee to the floor. Straighten your left knee to rock your weight back and onto your right foot, lengthening the left hamstring. Flex your left toes as you rock into the hamstring stretch to lengthen the calf a bit too. Return back to your deep lunge, and repeat for a total of 10 times on each side.

Toy Soldier
A walking kick, the toy soldier stretches out the back of the leg, both hamstrings and calves. Step forward on your right foot, and kick your left leg forward, bringing your left toes toward your right hand. Step onto your left foot and kick the right leg, bringing the right foot toward your left hand. Take 20 steps total.

Keep reading for three more moves.

Time is important — especially when it comes to exercise. And nothing beats a workout that does it all in as little time as possible. Stacked, one of the latest class offerings from Equinox, is just that and has quickly become a lunchtime staple during my week. My entire body is challenged in less than an hour, and I leave the gym feeling energized and the good kind of sore. Best of all, there is nothing boring about this class.

Each class consists of two circuits that contain six different exercises. At the most recent class, we started with an eight-minute dynamic warmup that elevated the heart rate and warmed up the muscles through simple cardio, stretch, and strength moves. Then we jumped right into the first exercise of the circuit (triceps dips) for 30 seconds; once finished, we completed a 30-second active recovery (plank) before stacking the second exercise onto the circuit (one-legged squats with bicep curls) for another 30 seconds. But before we could even get to the squats, we had to go back to the beginning and start again with the triceps dips. When we finished that round, we added the next exercise from the list (box jumps), but again, we first had to complete a 30-second active recovery (plank jumping jacks) and start over from the beginning of the list and complete the triceps dips and one-legged squats with bicep curls. This cycle continued until we finished the sixth and final exercise on the list, resulting in a circuit that was right around 15 minutes. After running through the second 15-minute circuit, we cooled down for about eight minutes with some light cardio, stretches, and yoga poses.

Learn more about why I love Equinox's Stacked after the break!

Affirmations. Vision Boards. Mantras. Crazy talk, right? Or so I thought before an especially grueling cycling class. Midway through class, our Equinox instructor started chanting, "Stronger. Faster. Better," over and over again into her mic. I instantly found myself annoyed at her repetitive chanting, but as the intense intervals kept coming my way, I started to really hear what she was saying and found myself pushing through the proverbial wall like never before.

Fitness motivation isn't an easy commodity to come by, especially on days when the mind is riled by negative thoughts. Goals suddenly take a backseat, and before you know it, you've cut your workout short, slowed your run to a walk, or maybe stopped yourself from even leaving the locker room. In moments like this, be your own life coach and give yourself an internal mantra to help move past any obstacles. Picture yourself crossing the finish line, or repeat one of these motivational fitness quotes to yourself until you actually start to believe it. Quieting negative talk with a more upbeat soundbite might be all it takes to get you moving again.

How have you pushed through negativity when working out?

Skip the crunches and challenge your entire body when working your abs. Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks is a fan of the hanging knee tuck for toning the upper body while targeting the abs. It's a challenging move that truly pays off. You use the abs as you pull the knees to your chest, and as you lower the legs back down, the abs work to keep the torso stable. Plus, just hanging from the bar works the arms and upper back quite nicely.

Learn more about this exercise after the break.

You can do anything for a minute! Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks shared this nugget of inspiration with me during a recent treadmill workout, which features 60-second bursts of speed. During the run, the pace for intervals keeps increasing until you get close to hitting a seven-minute mile — but only for a minute. With this quick-paced workout, you will likely not feel fully recovered before you start your next interval, but this will only make you a stronger runner. Lauren says, "You should feel pretty tired, or better yet, have a runner's high, after finishing."

Time flies when you're running fast; there's not a chance you'll get bored with this workout. Ready to put Lauren's one-minute mantra to the test? Check out the workout when you read more.