How to Do the Body Saw Exercise and Build Abs, Back and Calves

Co-authored by Monica Morris and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: June 5, 2025 References

• Basic Exercise
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• Variations
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• Expert Interview
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• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Believe it or not, the body saw isn’t a woodshop class—it’s actually a clever variation on the plank exercise. This simple exercise is designed to work your abdominals, calves, and back muscles. Best of all, it doesn’t require any special equipment! If you’re getting tired of traditional planks, crunches, and sit-ups, then this ab exercise might be a good way to spice up your workout.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Basic Exercise

1. 
   1
   Lower yourself into a low plank position. Bend your elbows 90 degrees and place your forearms on the ground. Line up your forearms beneath your shoulders, with your head facing forward. Then, lift yourself onto your toes, keeping your back as straight as possible. Tighten your abs, shoulders, quads, glutes, and arms, so you’re completely firm and stable as you start the exercise. While you’re in this starting position, keep your head lined up with your hands.

   • Essentially, you’ll be staying in the plank position for the entire body saw exercise.
   • This exercise can be pretty tough, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with core exercises. Don’t be discouraged if you have a little trouble at first!
2. 
   2
   Shift your entire body forward with your elbows and toes. Bring the center of your body forward, shifting your weight from the balls of your feet to your tiptoes. Pull your nose past your hands to complete the first half of the rep. Tighten your abs as you shift yourself forward, and keep your back straight.
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3. 
   3
   Push your center of body backward to complete the rep. Guide the center of your body backward, shifting back to the balls of your feet. Move backward until your forehead is behind your hands. You’ve now completed 1 rep of the body saw exercise!

   • This back and forth motion is just like a table saw cutting through a piece of wood.
   • With a body saw, you just go back and forth—you don’t return to a starting position.
4. 
   4
   Try 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps. Don’t push yourself too hard—if you’re really new to this exercise, start with 2 sets of 8 reps, giving yourself 60-90 seconds to rest and recover in between. If you’re a strength training veteran, amp up your workouts with 3-4 sets of 15 reps.

   • The body saw exercise is meant to feel uncomfortable, but not painful. Don’t be afraid to cut your workout short if your abs, lower back, or any other part of your body feels strained.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Variations

1. 
   1
   Try this exercise on your knees if you’re struggling a bit. The body saw is pretty intense, and there’s nothing wrong with scaling down at first. Instead of shifting your weight on your toes, shift your weight on your knees instead. This helps make the exercise a little less intense.
2. 
   2
   Lay a tea towel or slider beneath your feet to add some intensity. The towel takes away a lot of traction from your feet and provides an extra challenge to your core. Do the body saw exercise as usual, with your feet sliding backward and forward instead of being anchored in 1 spot.
3. 
   3
   Push and pull yourself a little further during each rep for an extra challenge. In the first half of the rep, pull the center of your body a little further forward than you normally would. Then, push yourself further back to finish up the rep.

   • This larger range of motion will force your abs to work a little harder.
4. 
   4
   Do a body saw in a push-up position to change things up. Start the exercise with both arms extended, like you’re about to do a push-up. Keep both legs extended behind you with your weight balanced on your toes. Shift forward and backward as you normally would, but stay in the push-up position as you go.
5. 
   5
   Use a large stability ball while doing the body saw to test your balance. Anchor your forearms on top of a stability ball, and extend both legs behind you. Balance your weight between your toes and forearms, keeping your abs tight. Roll your forearms forward and backward on the stability ball instead of shifting your entire body back and forth.

   • Your feet and legs will stay anchored in place—only your forearms and upper body will be moving as you do this variation.
   • Get a stability ball that works well with your height. Most balls come in 45 cm (18 in), 55 cm (22 in), 65 cm (26 in), and 75 cm (30 in) sizes.
6. 
   6
   Challenge yourself with TRX handles. Slide your feet into the bottom of the TRX handles, which are specialty resistance bands for workout machines. Assume the usual body saw position with your forearms planted on the ground. Guide yourself forward and backward, bringing your nose over and behind your hands as you do the exercise.

   • Adjust your handles so they’re only 1 ft (0.30 m) or so off the ground.
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Tips

• Keep your hips in line with your shoulders as you exercise. If your midsection sags, you won’t get as much out of the exercise.
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• Another way of adding intensity to your exercise is to alternate between raising one arm and one leg at a time during the plank. This will train your body to keep the core engaged while still moving all the limbs.
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• You can do a body saw just about anywhere, but it might be more comfortable to do it on a yoga mat.
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