60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - July 2018!

Spliner1969
Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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 (or less), 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 (dead bugs), 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 (make it count!), don't put all the pressure on your arms or legs, don't slouch. 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:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10671372/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-june-2018

Welcome and get planking!!

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 (yup I've lost count). All examples, quoted text, and ideas were, and still are, her contribution. 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 judgmental. Everyone needs a strong core, and we believe this is a good path to that goal!

Some examples (you do not have to choose one of these, doing your own thing is fine!):

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-plank-workout6.jpg

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):
30-day-plank-challenge-chart.jpg

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
For details on the variations, here's the full slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge[/quote]
b3achy wrote: »
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:
five-minute-plank-workout.jpg

DareBee Killer Core Plank Workout:
killer-core-workout.jpg

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:
wh-15-min-plank-workout_0.jpeg
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

Good luck everyone! Hope you're returning again from last month, and if you're new, welcome! Bring your friends! More the merrier!
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Replies

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    I am in for 120 in July, down from 180. Changing up my workout for the hotter summer months. Intending to push my core doing some new things but not going to quit planking!
  • RedneckDentist
    RedneckDentist Posts: 73 Member
    im in for this one, ill go for the 60 minutes. in the last few days ive started some, and this is gonna be a real challenge for me
  • ahelgers10
    ahelgers10 Posts: 376 Member
    I am in! My goal is 60 minutes.
  • MsChrissyAnn
    MsChrissyAnn Posts: 95 Member
    I'm in! Going to aim for the 60 mins but hope for more! :smiley:
  • tinaka2016
    tinaka2016 Posts: 159 Member
    I'm in too, first plank challenge so I'll aim for 60 minutes.
  • karen4ipa
    karen4ipa Posts: 2 Member
    I am in too. First time doing this. Going to try for 65 minutes. My core already hurts just thinking about it!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Welcome everyone! Hoping to see more join us by the end of the week.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day

    Total for July 0 minutes, 120 to go!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 3rd, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)

    Total for July 10 minutes, 110 to go!
  • MsChrissyAnn
    MsChrissyAnn Posts: 95 Member
    7/1 - 20 seconds
    7/2 – 45 seconds
    7/3 – 45 seconds

    Goal = 60Mins
    Total = 1mins 50secs

    Starting slow, adding planks with a mix of push-ups, sit-ups and lunges to my nightly workout. Starting to feel it already! :D
  • sdudley08
    sdudley08 Posts: 32 Member
    7/2 - 60 seconds for one plank, 45 seconds for my second plank.
    7/3 - 60 second plank
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 3rd, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 4th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min) - Happy 4th Everyone!

    Total for July 20 minutes, 120 to go!
  • sdudley08
    sdudley08 Posts: 32 Member
    7/4 - 2 sets of 60 second planks
  • lbenson2006
    lbenson2006 Posts: 3,372 Member
    I'm in. Gonna shoot for 100 again.

    Goal - 100 minutes

    7/3 - 5 min mixed planks

    Total - 5
    Remaining - 95
  • karen4ipa
    karen4ipa Posts: 2 Member
    4 minutes down (7/1 - 7/4). 61 minutes to go. I need to up my game if I am going to get them all in by the end of July!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 3rd, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 4th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min) - Happy 4th Everyone!
    July 5th, None, Planned Rest Day


    Total for July 20 minutes, 120 to go!
  • lbenson2006
    lbenson2006 Posts: 3,372 Member
    Goal - 100 minutes

    7/3 - 5 min mixed planks
    7/5 - 5 min mixed planks

    Total - 10
    Remaining - 90
  • tinaka2016
    tinaka2016 Posts: 159 Member
    Slow start :(

    5/7 - 2 x 60 seconds + 30 each side. 3 mins

    Total - 3 minutes
    Remaining - 57 minutes
  • KLM4k
    KLM4k Posts: 181 Member
    July Plank Challenge
    Round 3
    7/6 4 min mixed planks

    Goal 60 minutes
    Remaining 56
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 3rd, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 4th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min) - Happy 4th Everyone!
    July 5th, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 6th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)


    Total for July 30 minutes, 90 to go!

    Evidently I can't count, last few posts had too many total minutes to go lol.
  • sdudley08
    sdudley08 Posts: 32 Member
    7/5 1 min. Plank; 1 50 sec plank
    7/6 1 min. Plank
    7/7 2 planks 1 min each
  • KLM4k
    KLM4k Posts: 181 Member
    July Plank Challenge
    Round 3
    7/6 4 min mixed planks
    7/7 5 min mixed planks

    Goal 60 minutes
    Remaining 51
  • KLM4k
    KLM4k Posts: 181 Member
    July Plank Challenge
    Round 3
    7/6 4 min mixed planks
    7/7 5 min mixed planks
    7/8 4 min mixed planks

    Goal 60 minutes
    Remaining 47
  • blackburn23
    blackburn23 Posts: 385 Member
    Just returned from vacation, so I'm starting a little late. I am going to shoot for 60 planks this month.
  • KLM4k
    KLM4k Posts: 181 Member
    July Plank Challenge
    Round 3
    7/6 4 min mixed planks
    7/7 5 min mixed planks
    7/8 4 min mixed planks
    7/9 3 min mixed planks

    Goal 60 minutes
    Remaining 44
  • blackburn23
    blackburn23 Posts: 385 Member
    I am going to shoot for 60 planks this month.

    July 9: 3 mins, 30 secs

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    July 1st, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 2nd, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 3rd, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 4th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min) - Happy 4th Everyone!
    July 5th, None, Planned Rest Day
    July 6th, 2x5 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 7th, 5x2 min mixed planks (10 min)
    July 8th, None, Planking Rest Day
    July 9th, None, Planned Rest Day


    Total for July 40 minutes, 80 to go!
  • tinaka2016
    tinaka2016 Posts: 159 Member
    5/7 - 2 x 60 seconds + 30 each side. 3 mins
    5-9/7 - mixed 7 mins

    Total - 10 minutes
    Remaining - 50 minutes
  • lbenson2006
    lbenson2006 Posts: 3,372 Member
    Goal - 100 minutes

    7/3 - 5 min mixed planks
    7/5 - 5 min mixed planks
    7/10 - 10 min mixed planks

    Total - 20
    Remaining - 80
  • RedneckDentist
    RedneckDentist Posts: 73 Member
    07/08
    07/09 4min (4) 40s (1) 80s mixed
    07/10
    07/11
    07/12
    07/13
    07/14
    Goal; open