3. Add Some Support
The next time you plank, try using a prop to relieve the pressure on your toes. You could put a couch cushion, suggests Thrive Physical Therapy in Boise, Idaho, or a box with a folded towel under your shins to provide cushioning. You can also slip your shins into the loops of a suspension trainer to take the weight off your toes completely.
You might even slide an exercise ball under your shins, which works much better than, say, a foam roller. “The ball is much softer and will require the person to use more core activation to do the plank correctly,” says personal trainer Ignis Labuschagne, owner of Bodytec fitness studio in Pretoria, South Africa. Rest the tops of your feet against the ball, not your toes.
Placing your feet up against a wall while you do a plank further lessens the pressure on your digits (just wear sneakers to keep from slipping; see above).
Whatever you choose, make sure you can keep your entire body straight while planking.
