With exercise, sometimes the simplest of movements result
in the greatest gains to your fitness, and this is certainly the case
with planks. To do a plank, you hold your body (the trunk portion) off
the ground, making sure to hold it in a straight line.
If you’ve never tried one, a plank may look easy, almost too easy to
be beneficial, but this is deceiving. While getting into the proper
form is straightforward, holding the position takes strength and
endurance in your abs, back, and core.
The plank is one of the best exercises for core conditioning but it also works your glutes and hamstrings, supports proper posture, and improves balance.
There are many variations you can try to add intensity and work
different areas of your body. In the video above, personal trainer Jill
Rodriguez demonstrates plank variations you can use to help improve your
posture, balance, and overall fitness.
5 Benefits of Doing Planks
Planking has become increasingly popular for core strengthening, and
for good reason: it works – in large part because it engages multiple
muscle groups simultaneously. What are some of the benefits you can
expect from adding this exercise to your regular routine?1 1. A Toned Belly
Planking will help build your deep inner core muscles that lay the
groundwork for that six-pack look. As your abdominal muscles become
stronger, your mid-section will tighten. Keep in mind, however, that in order to really get "six-pack" abs,
you have to shed fat. For men that would be a body fat of about 6
percent, and women around 9 percent, in order to achieve that classic
six-pack. This is not necessarily healthy.
2. Reduce Back Pain
Planks work for back pain because they strengthen your core, which
has the pleasant “side effect” of reducing back pain. They also
strengthen your back muscles, especially those in your upper back.
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE):2
“Because the plank exercise requires minimal movement while
contracting all layers of the abdominal fascia, it is an excellent way
to strengthen the core, which, in turn, helps reduce low-back pain.”
3. Flexibility
While building strength, planks also increase flexibility in your
posterior muscle groups. The muscles around your shoulders, collarbone,
and shoulder blades will expand and stretch (an area that often receives
little attention), as will your hamstrings and even the arches of your
feet and your toes. If you do a side plank, you can also stretch out your sides
(especially if you extend your arm up over your head in line with your
body). To increase the stretching benefits, try a rocking plank – once
in basic plank form, rock your body back and forth by moving your toes a
few inches either way.3
4. Improve Your Mood
Virtually every exercise has the potential to give you a mood boost,
and planks are no exception. Planks are unique, however, in that they
help stretch and ultimately relax muscles groups that often become stiff
and tense from prolonged sitting. The tension release that planks
provide is uplifting for your spirit.
5. Improve Your Balance and Posture
To do a plank correctly, you must engage your abs to stay upright.
Side planks or planks with extensions are particularly beneficial for
building balance, as are planks performed on a stability ball. To test
and strengthen your balance, try a side plank with a leg raise – get
into side plank position, then lift your top leg and hold for one count.
Lower it and repeat, then switch sides.4
In addition, planks work all the muscles you need to maintain proper
posture, like your back, chest, shoulders, abs, and neck. If you do
planks regularly, you’ll find you’re able to sit or stand up straighter
with ease.
How to Perform a Basic Plank
You can view a plank demonstration in the video above, but for those
of you who prefer a written description, here are the basic steps for
performing a plank, from the American Council on Exercise.5
“Hold your elbows directly under your shoulders and place your wrists in line with your elbows.
Push your body up into your upper back and hold your chin close
to your neck (like you’re holding an egg between your chin and your
throat).
In this position, brace your abdominals—contract them like
expecting a punch in your stomach, squeeze your gluteal (tailbone) and
thigh muscles simultaneously while continuing to breathe normally.
Hold a plank at least 20 to 30 seconds. (When using correct
form, it is not necessary to hold it for longer than this amount of
time.) Rest for approximately one minute and repeat three to five more
times.
Start doing the plank using your elbows and toes (feel free to
drop to your knees if necessary) and progress up to a high plank when
you feel you have developed the necessary strength.”
Here are two additional points for performing a front-facing plank correctly:
While in plank position, pull in your bellybutton.
Your bellybutton is attached to your transverse abdominis, that inner
sheath that holds your gut inside and gives your spine and vertebrae a
nice, weight belt-tightening type of support. So by pulling it in, you
begin to contract that deep inner transverse abdominis muscle. If you
want to work your six-pack rectus abdominis muscle, drive your chin down
toward your toes while you're focused on squeezing your bellybutton in.
Next, do a Kegel squeeze. More women than men
might be familiar with this term. A Kegel squeeze is performed by
drawing your lower pelvic muscles up and holding them up high and tight.
For men who aren't familiar with that term, it's similar to trying to
stop urinating in the middle of the flow. This squeeze will allow you to
feel and focus on your abdominal muscles.
How to Perform Plank Variations
As mentioned, you can perform the plank in many different
directions: front, side, and reverse—each direction engages different
sets of muscles for all-around toning and strengthening. The
front-facing plank engages the following upper and lower body areas:
abdominals, lower back, chest, shoulders, upper trapezius, and neck,
biceps, triceps, glutes, thighs, and calves. Side planking is
particularly effective for training your obliques, which really helps
stabilize your spine, while the reverse plank places the focus on your
glutes, hamstrings, abs, and lower back.
To perform a side plank, start by lying down on your right side,
keeping your legs straight. Next, raise yourself up on your right
forearm; your body should form a straight, diagonal line from head to
toe. Your hips and knees should be off the floor. You can rest your left
hand on the floor in front of you for support, on your hip, or behind
your head. Brace your abs and hold for one minute.
For the reverse plank,6
start out by sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front
of you. Place your palms on the floor, below your shoulders, squeeze
your buttocks and thighs, and then push your body up into a reverse
plank position. Alternatively, you can begin by placing your elbows
rather than your hands on the floor, for a less dramatic lift. Again,
keep your body in a straight diagonal line from shoulders to heels,
making sure your hips are in line.
4 Common Plank Mistakes
Proper form is very important when performing planks and overdoing it
could lead to injury. As noted by certified personal trainer Estelle
Underwood in the Huffington Post:7
"If you feel any neck or low back pain while doing the exercise,
this may be an indication of weakness in the upper or lower regions of
the spine. If the core is too weak, the spine will sag, causing
compression in the vertebrae, pressure on vertebral discs, and/or
shoulder joint inflammation."
Be particularly careful doing planks if you have back pain or injury.
And if you’re just starting out, try holding the plank position for
several seconds only, slowly working your way up to where you can hold
it longer. In addition, be careful to avoid these common plank mistakes:8
Allowing your hips, head, or shoulders to drop
Placing your hands too close together, which creates internal rotation and instability at your shoulder joint
Holding your breath
Trying to hold the position too long – it is better to maintain
proper form for a shorter period of time than to hold improper form for
longer
Try This 2-Minute Plank Test to Measure Your Overall Fitness
If you can hold an abdominal plank position for at least two minutes,
it’s a sign that you’re fairly fit. If you cannot, you're likely
lacking in core strength, which is important for overall movement
stability and strength. Being unable to hold a plank for two minutes may
also indicate that you're carrying too much weight and may benefit from
shedding a few pounds. For a boost of inspiration, take a look at the
following video featuring George Hood, the current Guinness World Record
holder for longest-held abdominal plank. He nabbed the record by
holding plank position for a staggering 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 7
seconds. The prior record for longest time in abdominal plank position
was 50 minutes and 11 seconds by Richard Hazard.
