Wednesday, June 09, 2010

EOD - The Plank


Most people have heard of the plank. But are you doing the plank correctly? Are you holding it long enough? What does it really work?

Well, the plank might be the best exercise for the core out there today. It doesn't require weights and can be done in your office, at home, in the gym or anywhere you have a flat surface. Today's video shows the side plank and the front plank. I like this video because it also describes how to do a plank push-up from the side.

Planks stabilize the core muscles, which are the muscles in the middle part of our body from the hip up to the ribs, both in our stomach region and the lower back region. The stronger your core, the better you will be at EVERYTHING else in life. Everything starts from your core.

In addition to what this video shows, there is the reverse plank where you put your forearms on the ground which your back side facing the ground and your heels on the ground. Then lift your hips off the mat and keep your toes pointed towards the ceiling. Another progression for planks is an unstable surface. If you can hold a front plank for 90 seconds or longer, then progress to where you are using a stability ball underneath your arms. This will give more of a squeeze to the abdominal area.

I like to try and have my clients hold the front plank for 60-90 seconds and the side and reverse planks for 30-45 seconds.

Enjoy the video!

1 comment:

Quarter Life said...

Hello there, blog friend.