Pretty Little Liars and You star Shay Mitchell just showed off her core strength in a workout video on Instagram, having filmed herself performing an exercise that definitely isn’t for beginners: a sliding plank.
While static plank holds can be tough on their own, Mitchell added movement to the ab-torching exercise by placing her feet on a slider and navigating her body through space while maintaining tension and control in her core.
Sliders and ab wheels are a great way to add difficulty and new stimulus to your workouts without necessarily having to load up on weight, with the focus being on that control. (Even a skateboard can suffice in a pinch.) In addition to helping to absolutely shred your abs, these exercises also support your core’s natural function: anti-flexion, i.e. preventing the spine from overarching, which can lead to pain and injury.
In a 2021 interview with Women’s Health, Mitchell opened up about how committing to a five-day-per-week fitness routine has helped her feel more connected to her own body after having a baby. She has also enjoyed the process of becoming physically stronger through a combination of HIIT routines, EMOM workouts, jump squats, arm and leg raises, and squat presses.
“For me, it was always about a deadlift,” she said. “Getting up to 50 pounds was a boss move. I was really proud of myself.” She also focuses a lot more on activation exercises and mobility work, describing her stretching routine as “life-changing.”
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV.
