Body Saw
One rigid line, sliding. The body saw is a plank that keeps getting longer: you push back from the forearms until the whole body slides away from the hands, and the abs pay for every inch. Stop where the hips start to drop. That point is your range, and it usually arrives far sooner than a long plank suggests.
Setup
- Forearm plank with the feet on sliders or a towel.
- Ribs down, hips locked to the ribcage.
How To Do It
- Push back from the forearms so the whole body slides away from the hands.
- Go only as far as you can hold the hips level.
- Pull back to the start without letting the hips sag.
Breathing
Exhale on the push back.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the hips drop as the body extends. That is the range limit, not the floor.
- Bending at the hips to make the slide easier.
Programming It
Three sets of 6-10 slow reps.
Why This Exercise Works
Sliding the body back from a plank lengthens the lever between the shoulders and the feet, which is the same thing as making the plank heavier. It is the honest progression for anyone whose plank has drifted past a minute. More time was never the answer; more leverage is.
Where You Should Feel It
The front of the trunk, sharply, as you slide back and the lever lengthens. If your lower back starts to arch you have gone past your limit. That is the point to stop, not the point to push through.
Where It Fits in a Program
A plank that keeps getting longer. The lever grows and the core has to keep up. It deserves the first slot and the longest rest periods you are willing to take.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the body saw: slide further out, or pause three seconds at full extension. To regress it: shorten the slide, or do it from the forearms and knees.
Who It's For
Anyone whose plank exceeds a minute. It is the honest next step, and it exposes exactly how much of that long plank was actually the lower back.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: sliders or a towel. Nothing to buy and nowhere to be, which is the point. If it is too easy, the harder variations below are the progression, not added weight.
Related Exercises
- Ab Wheel Rollout · Abs, Lats, Shoulders
- V-Up · Abs, Hip Flexors
- Hollow Rock · Abs, Deep Core
- Kneeling Cable Crunch · Abs
- Hanging Knee Raise · Abs, Hip Flexors, Grip
- Toes-to-Bar · Abs, Lats, Grip
- Hollow Body Hold · Abs, Deep Core
- Hanging Leg Raise · Abs, Hip Flexors
Common Questions
What muscles does the body saw work?
The body saw primarily trains the abs, core, shoulders.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 6-10 slow reps.
What are the most common body saw mistakes?
Most often: letting the hips drop as the body extends; bending at the hips to make the slide easier.
Do I need sliders or a towel to do this?
This version uses sliders or a towel, and it trains the abs, core, shoulders. Nothing to buy and nowhere to be, which is the point. If it is too easy, the harder variations below are the progression, not added weight.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The lower back does real work in the body saw. If you have a history there, keep the load conservative and stop the moment a rep reproduces your own pain rather than ordinary effort. Not medical advice.