60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - March 2017

b3achy · February 2017

This is a pretty simple challenge thread for those that want to have some accountability with their plank workouts. This plank challenge thread is meant to be flexible enough that people of various fitness levels should be able to successfully complete it as long as they are consistent with doing their planks regularly.

Challenge Goal - 60 minutes of planks for the month. That's about 2 minutes of planks daily, or 3 minutes of planks for 20 days or 5 minutes of planks for 12 days...or...what ever you want to do to reach the challenge goal.
>>If you are already a planking superstar or start to consistently hit the challenge goal, feel free to post your own goal at the beginning of the challenge that is higher than the one for the posted challenge. Or post an updated goal once you hit 60 minutes.
>>If you join us late in the month, feel free to post an alternate goal that is in the spirit of the original challenge (for example, joining around the 15th would be a 30 minute plank challenge to finish out the month).

How many sets? As many as you need. If you can do a 5 minute plank in one set, that is amazing!! If you want to do a few sets of 1 - 2 minute planks, that's cool! If you need to break up your planks into multiple sets of 15-30 seconds, that's okay too!

Types of planks? ALL planks and their variations count! Straight arm planks, forearm/elbow planks, side planks, reverse planks, etc. This allows you to vary your planks depending on your personal workout goals. (See next post for a variety of planking ideas.)

How to join / participate? Just post the total minutes of the planks you did for the day and your running total for the month. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.

Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10509211/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-february-2017

Welcome and start planking!!

b3achy · February 2017

Some plank resources for beginners looking for some information on planking and for intermediate/advanced plankers looking to add some variety to your workout routine ~~

General Articles:
Good tips for doing planks - https://www.wellandgood.com/good-sweat/common-plank-mistakes/
Common plank form mistakes - http://pumpsandiron.com/2015/06/03/common-form-mistakes-in-plank/

Different Types of Planks:
There are many varieties of planks and many of the same planks are called different names. Here's a sampling of planks for you to use (by no means all-inclusive) in your workouts.

Static Planks:

Forearm Plank Form:
6512398.jpg?450

Straight Arm Plank (also known as High Plank or Extended Plank) Form:

Forearm Side Plank (both feet on floor):

Straight Arm / Extended Side Plank (stacked feet; top arm reaching upward):

Dynamic Planks:

Superman/Bird dog planks - Forearm version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWjH5xgZgyQ
Superman/Bird dog planks - Straight Arm/Extended version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X09xCvt9UXA

Plank Jacks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR9nHQXCZMo

Dolphin planks (I prefer to do these straight arm/extended because I shredded my forearms doing them in the lower position):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuDN9-EM-x8

Other Variations:
There are lots of plank variations...these are just a few more options...

20 Plank Variations from Health Magazine: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20813896,00.html/view-all

100 plank variations (17:18 minute video - the "cat coach" is the real star, IMO ~ I have at least one that does this to me also):
{BTW, I got exhausted by the 5 minute mark watching this guy...}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDNOZCoBFqg
Table of Contents for the Video with Time Hacks for Start Locations:
1-10: Basic Forearm Planks (Some Dynamic) (0:00)
11-20: Additional Dynamic Forearm Planks (1:21)
21-30: Dynamic Straight Arm Planks (2:59)
31-40: Dynamic Full Body Movement (4:40)
41-50: Cardio Planks (6:28)
51-60: Side Elbow/Forearm Planks (8:28)
61-70: Side Straight Arm Planks (9:47)
71-80: Dynamic/Moving Side Planks (11:11)
81-90: Weighted Planks (13:48)
91-100: Advanced Challenges (15:25) (seems more like advanced yoga moves than planks, IMO)

b3achy · February 2017

30 Day Plank Challenges:
Some like to have specific planks to do each day. I personally find having to do them on specific days a bit too restrictive, but these are good plans for beginners and advanced plankers that prefer more of a roadmap to build up their times for doing planks. There are also challenges that have a variety of planks that you do each day (you can google for them or join other challenge threads that are using them exclusively).

30 Day Beginner Plank Challenge - builds to a 2 minute plank (total is 26 minutes and 55 seconds for the month, so 33 minutes and 5 seconds short of 60 minutes. Recommend doing multiples earlier in the program when they are shorter to get more minutes for 60):

30 Day Advanced Plank Workout - building to 5 minute planks (total is 53 minutes and 20 seconds for the month, so 6 minutes and 40 seconds short of 60 minutes unless you do multiples earlier in the program):

Here's an Alternate 30 Day Plank Workout (for beginners, intermediate, and advanced) that also builds to 5 minutes of Planks (by doing multiples of no more than 30 sec planks; also 53 minutes and 20 seconds for the month):
30-day-plank-challenge-10-1024.jpg?cb=1438051399

30-day-plank-challenge-10-1024.jpg?cb=1438051399

For details on the variations, here's the full slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge

b3achy · February 2017

Intermediate Plank Workouts:
These are intermediate level workouts, good to try once you have a good foundation of standard planks and are looking for something more interesting or with more variety.

3 minute Bowflex Plank Workout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynUw0YsrmSg

Rebecca Louise 5 minute Plank Workout (shows nearly proper form (butt's a little too far in the air, IMO), and modified forms):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Ge7uGpjFY

DareBee 5 minute Plank Workout:

DareBee Killer Core Plank Workout:

Advanced Workouts:
Do not try these if you have never done a plank before. These are workouts to build up to once you successfully establish a good foundation of standard planks (and probably only once you've managed to do some of the intermediate workouts).

15 Minute Advanced Plank Workout:

See details in this article ~ http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/plank-abs-workout

FitnessBlender 10 minute Advanced Plank Workout (this looks brutal):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DNN9a5pU2A

You get the idea...there are lots of planks you can do, and any and all are acceptable for this challenge! Happy planking!!

peanutbuttertuesday · February 2017

I am in! Excited for a new challenge!

sharadsrini · February 2017

All set for the plank challenge!! excited. first challenge, first time planking.

Freck135 · February 2017

I'm in! Thanks for creating!

ladyreva78 · February 2017

I'm in

I

planks!

That 15 minute plank workout sounds very exciting! I'll try to add that to my mornings several times a day (trying to get up early enough 3x a week to fit my 45-60min weight training routine in, but a 15 minute workout might be easier to start with

)

beerfoamy · February 2017

I'm in. Still trying to blast through some for Feb's challenge, but hopefully will get a good start tomorrow for March as well!

love this challenge

lbenson2006 · February 2017

I'm in...month 3 for me. Aiming high and shooting for 120 minutes. 4 days a week for 7 minutes would put me over this so I think I can do it based on past performance, if I just push myself!!

lennoncpa · February 2017

I'm in for my third month. I'll see if I can do my 95 minutes this month.

Spliner1969 · February 2017

I am in as usual, only serious injury could keep me away and not planning on that any time soon!

Personal goal this month, 180 minutes.

KareninLux · February 2017

Hi gang! I'm back. I totally bailed in Jan. Managed a plank a day for Feb!! Woo hoo. I know I didn't log it here - just had my head in a fog but I did them!!

Personal challenge for march - two one-minute planks every darn day. Morning and night. No bailing.
I am also doing 60 squats a day - normally in the dark in the morning at the bus shelter, lol! - but that is a whole different story!

alipsie19 · February 2017

I'm in again. Would like to reach 90 min again; still nursing my right shoulder along until after March 11. Should be interesting.

Madux1818 · March 2017

I'm in.

Freykm16 · March 2017

I'm in!

b3achy · March 2017

Welcome to all the new folks!!

Welcome back to all you awesome folks that keep doing these challenges and are crushing it!!

Still trying to get a better balance between work and workouts...keeping my goal at 60 minutes, and hoping I can do better than I did last month. And yes, I still hate planks, but the dynamic ones are growing on me.

History:
September 2016 - 60 minutes
October 2016 - 62 minutes
November 2016 - 37 minutes
December 2016 - 40 minutes
January 2017 - 64* minutes
February 2017 - 28 minutes

* Modified planks included due to lower back issues