Here is a modified plank you can use to fire up your core.

Test

Range of motion (ROM) baseline:
* Forward fold with straight legs (touch your toes or the floor)
* Hip rotation to each side with feet under hips and palms together in front of you

Drill

Choose a starting position:
* Level 1 – quadruped (hands, knees and toes on floor)
* Level 2 – quadruped with knees off the floor
* Level 3 – plank

From your chosen starting position, do three reps of each movement:
* Push away until your spine is in full flexion. Relax and look up to allow your spine to go into extension.
* Go back to starting position. Flex laterally to bring your left shoulder and hip closer together, then do the same on your right.
* Rotate either your shoulders or your hips in each direction.

Retest

After doing the 3D plank, determine whether your ROM changed:
* Forward fold with straight legs (touch your toes or the floor)
* Hip rotation to each side with feet under hips and palms together in front of you

Improved ROM = drill works well for you. It will improve your performance.
No change = drill might have been too easy, try a more challenging version or more reps.
Decreased ROM = try an easier version or fewer reps. If the easiest version decreases your ROM, this is a rehab drill.

How to use this drill

Test the 3D plank to see which version you need to get increased ROM. Use that as a performance drill. If the easiest version decreases your ROM, do it when being a bit stressed is OK for you or do the 3D plank followed by a performance drill.

Which 3D plank is right for you?