60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - April 2018!
Spliner1969
Posts: 3,233 Member
in Challenges
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. If you find you cannot complete 60 minutes. or want to do more, you are welcome to set your own goals, many of us do.
Original 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. I, personally, do mixed planks of up to 10 minutes per day. I split them up throughout my normal workouts or do them in a couple of longer mixed sets at the end of my normal workout routine.
>>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! I do a 5-minute set that goes something like this:
30 seconds forearm, 30 seconds straight arm with 15 push ups added in for good measure, 30 seconds left side plank, 30 seconds right side plank, repeat the 30 second side planks until I hit 5 minutes total without stopping. Mixing things up gives me a more rounded workout, and I generally never hold any one position longer than 1 minute. I'll then stop, do some yoga, stretching, maybe a few crunches or leg lifts, inverted bicycles, then I'll go back and do this 5-minute plank again to finish up my 10 minutes for the day. Feel free to create your own.
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.) I even add push ups during some of my planks as well as leg raises, etc. to push just a bit harder. Remember form is more important than length of the plank. Don't slouch. Make sure your core is tight during each plank, don't put all the pressure on your arms or legs. There are plenty of youtube videos (some examples below) about how to make a plank effective with good form. Take some time and view a few of them. It'll help in the long run. Your times can increase as you get better, no worries if you can only do a few seconds at first. Rest, and do a few more seconds, or switch positions.
How to join / participate? Just post your intended goal, then the total minutes of the planks you did for the day and your running total for the month. Just post either daily or as often as you can with your running totals. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.
Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
http://http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10646588/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-march-2018/
Welcome and get planking!!
As always, I am continuing this challenge once again for @b3achy, the original author. All credit goes to her for starting this thing many many moons ago. All original examples, quoted text, and ideas were, and still are, her contribution. I've added things along the way to help, and if anyone has suggestions I'd be happy to incorporate more. She tells me she copied this from another site, well.. it's ours now! I take no credit here, just keeping the torch lit in her absence. Stay tuned for some examples, and happy planking!
I'd like to add (as stated above in bold) that it has long since been a tradition that we accept any goal. If you don't feel you can do 60 minutes, or if you start late in the month, we want you here. So post your personal goal and start planking. You can come back each month and increase your times until you reach the challenge goal or go beyond it. Some of us go way beyond it and that's ok too. There's no need to feel you have to out match someone else. Your goals are just that, yours. We have never been judgemental. Everyone needs a strong core, and we believe this is a good path to that goal!
Some examples:
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):
For details on the variations, here's the full slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge[/quote]
Original 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. I, personally, do mixed planks of up to 10 minutes per day. I split them up throughout my normal workouts or do them in a couple of longer mixed sets at the end of my normal workout routine.
>>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! I do a 5-minute set that goes something like this:
30 seconds forearm, 30 seconds straight arm with 15 push ups added in for good measure, 30 seconds left side plank, 30 seconds right side plank, repeat the 30 second side planks until I hit 5 minutes total without stopping. Mixing things up gives me a more rounded workout, and I generally never hold any one position longer than 1 minute. I'll then stop, do some yoga, stretching, maybe a few crunches or leg lifts, inverted bicycles, then I'll go back and do this 5-minute plank again to finish up my 10 minutes for the day. Feel free to create your own.
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.) I even add push ups during some of my planks as well as leg raises, etc. to push just a bit harder. Remember form is more important than length of the plank. Don't slouch. Make sure your core is tight during each plank, don't put all the pressure on your arms or legs. There are plenty of youtube videos (some examples below) about how to make a plank effective with good form. Take some time and view a few of them. It'll help in the long run. Your times can increase as you get better, no worries if you can only do a few seconds at first. Rest, and do a few more seconds, or switch positions.
How to join / participate? Just post your intended goal, then the total minutes of the planks you did for the day and your running total for the month. Just post either daily or as often as you can with your running totals. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.
Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
http://http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10646588/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-march-2018/
Welcome and get planking!!
As always, I am continuing this challenge once again for @b3achy, the original author. All credit goes to her for starting this thing many many moons ago. All original examples, quoted text, and ideas were, and still are, her contribution. I've added things along the way to help, and if anyone has suggestions I'd be happy to incorporate more. She tells me she copied this from another site, well.. it's ours now! I take no credit here, just keeping the torch lit in her absence. Stay tuned for some examples, and happy planking!
I'd like to add (as stated above in bold) that it has long since been a tradition that we accept any goal. If you don't feel you can do 60 minutes, or if you start late in the month, we want you here. So post your personal goal and start planking. You can come back each month and increase your times until you reach the challenge goal or go beyond it. Some of us go way beyond it and that's ok too. There's no need to feel you have to out match someone else. Your goals are just that, yours. We have never been judgemental. Everyone needs a strong core, and we believe this is a good path to that goal!
Some examples:
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):
For details on the variations, here's the full slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge[/quote]
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
5
Replies
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I'm in as usual for 180 minutes. Looking forward to seeing everyone back this month!4
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I’d vaguely remembered that you had a Fitness Blender workout in there and was thinking it would be fun to give it a try this month. Lol nope! I’ll just try those intermediate workouts and let Daniel torture someone else... for now. I almost hit 100 in March, so my goal for April is going to be 110 minutes and we’ll see how that goes. It’s funny how much of a difference proper rest periods made in the back half of March - it reminds me of when I was starting to run last year and the moment when I realized that running slower meant I didn’t have to stop and walk and increased my overall speed. Slow and steady!6
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I'm in. I initially started the 14 Day Plank on the blog section, but I think I will like this Challenge better. Good luck all.4
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I'm in after a long hiatus! I am going to do the beginner's challenge with multiples to get to 60!4
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4/1: Mixed planks - 15 secs x 4 | Wow - I have gotten SO weak!
1/60 minutes completed3 -
I'm going to shoot for 80 minutes (planning on 20 per week). Yikes!! Lol3
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Going for 60 min!
4/1 - 2 min - mixed planks using references from OP - not as difficult as I was thought it would be!2 -
Will get 60 minutes!2
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In for 61 minutes (one for each year of my age lol)4
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I'm in! I'm going to start with the beginner challenge and add as many multiples as I can to get close to 60.3
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I'm back and going for 60 mins this month!
Today is a rest day, so I will officially begin tomorrow.3 -
I definitely need some “core” motivation! I’ll start with the beginner challenge! Thanks!4
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April 1st: 1x30 seconds, 1x1.5 minutes, 6x1 minute = 8 minutes for today
4 -
4/1: 2 x 3 minute mixed = 6 down, 54 to go3
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4/1: 3 x 20 secs, 20 situps, 24 flutter kicks. 1 minute
4/2:3 -
4/2 - 5 min mixed planks
Goal - 80
Remaining - 753 -
IM IN ! going for 60 and my first challenge here !4
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4/1: Mixed planks - 15 secs x 4 | Wow - I have gotten SO weak!
4/2: Mixed planks - 20 secs x 4
2:20/60 minutes completed2 -
Welcome new people and welcome back to everyone who was here last month! Looking forward to April and hopefully.. sometime this month.. warm weather!?!?!? Stupid Missouri! lol4
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April 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
April 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
Total for April, 0 minutes, 180 left for goal!2 -
I just discovered this thread. This is a goal I think I can get into despite already being a day behind.5
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Spliner1969 wrote: »Welcome new people and welcome back to everyone who was here last month! Looking forward to April and hopefully.. sometime this month.. warm weather!?!?!? Stupid Missouri! lol
Totally agree!! Near St. Louis here! Weather is crazy!!2 -
I'm in for this! Goal is 60 mins this month.3
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My Fiance and I are going to join you on this challenge. I will be doing the beginner plank due to the fact that I am working up my weak core. My Fiance is Krafting Paws and will probably be able to do a bit tougher plank challenge.3
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April Goal = 60 minutes
April 1 - Planned Rest day
April 2 - 4x1 min Mixed
Total = 4 minutes
My goal is to only take the weekends off. We’ll see how it goes
1 -
I’m in again, doing the 15 min Plank workout..... 3 Days week (Mon - Wed - Fri or Sat)3
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4-2-18 2 min plank (elbow and normal)1
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April Goal: 60 mins.
April 1: Rest day.
April 2: 2 mins. (4x30 sec intervals) **2 mins total.2 -
Going for 60 min!
4/1 - 2 min - mixed planks using references from OP - not as difficult as I was thought it would be!
4/2 - 2 min - mixed planks - I take back what I said yesterday! That was hard! I sure hope it gets easier!
April total - 4 min2 -
4/1: 3 x 20 secs, 20 situps, 24 flutter kicks. 1 minute plank
4/2: 6 x 20 secs, 26 sit-ups, 20 flutter kicks. 2 minute plank
April total: 3 minutes of planks.2
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