Many people struggle with managing their weight and keeping their body in shape.
If you have a limited amount of time in your day to work out, try planking.
Plank Benefits
Anyone who’s tried planking before will tell you that it really works out the whole body.
As you perform it, you should feel tension in the buttocks, arms, shoulders, chest, back, neck, legs, feet and abdominal muscles.
It is believed that planking burns more calories than crunches because it engages your whole body instead of just your core (1).
Planking helps (2) :
- Improve posture
- Improve sports performance
- Reduce back and shoulder pain (3)
- Prevent osteoarthritis, as well as other muscular and joint aches
- Maintain healthy digestion
- Boost metabolism
- Improve Flexibility and balance
- Boost mood
How To Plank
When it comes to this exercise, the most important thing is to keep your back straight and maintain proper posture.
- Start with your belly to the ground, keeping your feet at hip’s width apart and your palms beside your chest at shoulder’s width apart. This starting position should resemble a push-up position.
- Lift yourself up, placing your weight on your toes and lower your arms one at a time so that your forearms are touching the ground. Your weight should be distributed equally on your toes and forearms.
- Keep your back straight with your head facing the ground, tightening your core and buttocks.
Common Mistakes To Avoid (2,3):
- Allowing your hips, head, or shoulders to drop, this can compress your vertebrae, putting pressure on discs in your spine and causing shoulder and hip joint inflammation.
- Placing your hands too close together, which creates internal rotation and instability at your shoulder joint.
- Holding your breath, which causes a build-up of lactic acid in your muscles, which causes pain.
28-Day Planking Challenge
Day 1-2: 20 seconds
Day 3-4: 30 seconds
Day 5: 40 seconds
Day 6: rest
Day 7-8: 45 seconds
Day 9-11: 60 seconds
Day 12: 90 seconds
Day 13: rest
Day 14-15: 90 seconds
Day 16-17: 120 seconds (2 minutes)
Day 18: 150 seconds
Day 19: rest
Day 20-21: 150 seconds
Day 22-23: 180 seconds (3 minutes)
Day 24: 210 seconds
Day 25: rest
Day 26: 210 seconds
Day 27: 240 seconds (4 minutes)
Day 28: longest you can (but do not sacrifice your form)
If you have trouble doing a full plank for 20 seconds. Simply, complete this challenge using half planks.
Try This If You Have Difficulties With Half Planks.
This video will show you how you can work your way up to a full plank without straining yourself.
sources:
[1]http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/abs-workout-secret-formula-flat-stomach
[2]https://www.acefitness.org/blog/3092/5-exercises-to-flatten-your-stomach-and-reduce-low
[3]http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/14/should-try-30-day-plank-challenge.html