Whether you are just starting out on a fitness journey or just deciding you want to find new ways to work out, adding in planks, pushups and situps can be a great way to do something outside the normal treadmill or walk. However, if you are plus sized, these seemingly elementary school exercise routines can be a bit of a challenge due to many factors including size, stamina, and even pain. I know I struggle with all three.

 Here are some ways to do modifications on these classic exercise moves for plus size bodies that you may find useful. If you don’t need modification, you may find these a great way to change up your routine.

 

 Planks 

Use a chair or the wall to gain strength until you can hit the floor. Planks take a lot of core and upper body strength to do and they can take some working up to in order to avoid injury. To do a plank against a chair, simply find a sturdy chair with arms or a park bench and point your toes with your head facing down. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then pull your navel and butt in and hold your head up.

 

 

Another way you can do planks on the ground. Start in what is essentially cobra pose in yoga with your stomach on the ground, slightly lift your hips and knees up and hold it with your core and booty pressed in. Hold this for 10 seconds and release.

 

 

Pushups 

The classic way to modify a pushup is to do a knee pushup. A typical pushup is one that is on the toes, but with a knee pushup, you come down to your knees and push up that way. You can fold your legs over one another and hold them in place.

 

 

Another modification for a push up is against a wall or tree. You just lean into a wall with your feet back and push up that way. You can change difficulty by moving further away.

 

 

Situps

 

Use a yoga strap. You can wrap a yoga strap at your knees and hold onto it, using it to pull yourself up and hold yourself there for 5-10 seconds. This can help you if you are like me and tend to carry a lot on the front.

 

  

Lie down flat with your knees up and spread your feet further apart. Roll your back up a bit as if you have a towel rolled up under it. Hold it in this position and bring the head and shoulders up as if you are doing a crunch. Hold this for 5-10 seconds. Do 10 -20 reps of this.

 

 

Written By Christine Tolhurst from Saved By Grace Blog

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