60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - August 2020
jeffrey_ad
Posts: 789 Member
in Challenges
This is an easy exercise challenge that can be done at home.
Please join this plank challenge! New members welcome! It's never too late to start.
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 amazing too! If you need to break up your planks into multiple sets of 15-30 seconds, that's complete fine! 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 or mix things up however you would like.
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, 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. If any of you find better examples you’d like included in the examples below, please post them and I’ll add them in next month. Want to make your own video? Go for it, I’d be super happy to post it.
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. Some of us only get time to post on the weekends or get tied up doing other things. Catch up when you can, no pressure. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.
Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10801943/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-july-2020
Welcome and get planking!!
I am continuing this challenge for @Spliner1969 who continued it 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. 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:
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: https://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge
@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://youtu.be/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://youtu.be/3DNN9a5pU2A
Remember, multiple sets of short duration well-executed planks will be better than longer holds:
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/are-you-holding-planks-too-long/
More excellent tips here. Thanks to @dewit for sharing!
https://youtu.be/lismOShjHnA
I've seen many people doing Joanna Soh's five-minute plank challenge
Classic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-pxIfj1YeQ
New:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X1c79oyYV4
And here's a seven-minure plank challenge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTpvZlDc_s
Happy Planking!
Please join this plank challenge! New members welcome! It's never too late to start.
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 amazing too! If you need to break up your planks into multiple sets of 15-30 seconds, that's complete fine! 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 or mix things up however you would like.
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, 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. If any of you find better examples you’d like included in the examples below, please post them and I’ll add them in next month. Want to make your own video? Go for it, I’d be super happy to post it.
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. Some of us only get time to post on the weekends or get tied up doing other things. Catch up when you can, no pressure. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.
Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10801943/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-july-2020
Welcome and get planking!!
I am continuing this challenge for @Spliner1969 who continued it 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. 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:
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: https://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge
@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=ynUw0YsrmSgRebecca Louise 5 minute Plank Workout (shows nearly proper form (butt's a little too far in the air, IMO), and modified forms):
https://youtu.be/O1Ge7uGpjFYDareBee 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://youtu.be/3DNN9a5pU2ARemember, multiple sets of short duration well-executed planks will be better than longer holds:
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/are-you-holding-planks-too-long/
More excellent tips here. Thanks to @dewit for sharing!
https://youtu.be/lismOShjHnAI've seen many people doing Joanna Soh's five-minute plank challenge
Classic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-pxIfj1YeQNew:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X1c79oyYV4And here's a seven-minure plank challenge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTpvZlDc_sHappy Planking!
2
Replies
-
August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1);2 -
Three for the day with a goal of 93 for the month! Happy new month, everyone!3
-
Going for 100 again.
8/1: 5:00 (roughly 2:00 during HasFits HIIT workout w dumbbells + 4:00 straight, on my own)
Total: 5:00July 2020: 110
June 2020: 125
May 2020: 125
Apr 2020: 117
Mar 2020: 119
Feb 2020: 115
Jan 2020: 112
Dec 2019: 125
Nov 2019: 73
Oct 2019: 63 (first planks ever!!!)3 -
tbh, I've starred/bookmarked this thread every month since April. I've avoided doing planks each month since then.
But THIS month - and starting this evening - I will own them...by still kinda avoiding them with the "15 Minute Advanced Plank Workout" which doesn't include traditional plank holds 😂
GOAL: While following along with the 28 day MFP upper body workout plan, I will...
* Plank hold for 1 minute
* Complete first of 2 rounds of the "15 Minute Advanced Plank Workout"
* Complete the prescribed MFP upper body workout for that day
* Complete last of 2 rounds of the "15 Minute Advanced Plank Workout"
* Plank hold for 1 minute
I will not plank on the MFP workout's rest days.
I look forward to switching it up and trying something different to my current bodyweight/resistance exercises.
Thanks all for keeping this inspiring thread going!4 -
8/1: 2 minutes done! I really wanted to stop short of two minutes but I stayed strong!
4 -
Hi. I'm going to join. I used to do a lot of workouts and involved planking so I am going to go with the 5min plank 30day challenge. Starting today. Wish me luck 😃3
-
Thanks @jeffrey_ad , I hope you are recovered and can join in this month?
Goal 120 minutes again.
Started well with 6 minutes yesterday.2 -
I strongly dislike planks but they really do help tighten my stomach. I ran 3 miles this morning, got home and contemplated planking too long until I dropped down and got them done. Three 1-minute planks! I hope you all are having a great Sunday!3
-
August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1); August 2: 4(1)
Total: 7(2)
Remaining: 93(28)3 -
8/1: 2 minutes done! I really wanted to stop short of two minutes but I stayed strong!
8/2: Did one minute, paused for 30 seconds, then did another minute. Instead of using a timer I looked up two minute videos on youtube to keep my mind busy during the plank.
3 -
We're to check in...daily? Ooof, not sure I can commit but so far so good. I've done several 1-minute planks and several rounds of the advanced plank workout.
Had to switch to NO weights on the latter because 😲 and form natters. Hopefully, I'll get my 8-lb weights involved again before month end.
So far, so good. However, my condo neighbors may be wondering who keeps screaming "Why am I doing this to myself?!" (which has become my habit 45 seconds into a plank hold)2 -
Goal 120 minutes.
01/08 6 mins mixed planks
02/08 6 mins mixed planks
03/08 4 mins mixed planks
04/08 4 mins mixed planks
Total 20 minutes.
Remaining 100 minutes
We're away again this week - in the motorhome. I can do planks in there but the last two times we were away I didn't. Must at least try for a couple of minutes from time to time.2 -
August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1); August 2: 4(1)
August 3: 4(1);
Total: 11(3)
Remaining: 89(27)1 -
lazycat2018 wrote: »August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1); August 2: 4(1)
August 3: 4(1);
Total: 11(3)
Remaining: 89(27)
I like the shorthand @lazycat2018. Does "100(30)" mean "100 minutes of planking in 30 days?" And, by extension "4(1)" means "4 minutes of planking on one day - August 2"
Also, is everyone counting their plank holds only? The advanced workout took me 16-min yesterday and I did 2 min of plank holds.
How would I express that in shorthand or otherwise? "AUG03: Workout + 2 minutes of plank holds" or...??? 🤔
Thank you in advance for helping the newbie.1 -
I'm back at it. Goal 60.
Aug 3 2:30 (5x30s)
Aug 4 2:30 (5x30s)
Total 5
Remaining 553 -
@MaltedTea I do forearm planks and I set a daily and monthly goal. I hold each for one minute. I'll do 3 per day (or more or average it out on days I didn't do any, hopefully) and 93 minutes of planks is my goal for this month. I have yet to hit a planking goal but I will! You sound like you've got a good plan and I really think it's just about individual goals, however you want to set it!1
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@MaltedTea I do forearm planks and I set a daily and monthly goal. I hold each for one minute. I'll do 3 per day (or more or average it out on days I didn't do any, hopefully) and 93 minutes of planks is my goal for this month. I have yet to hit a planking goal but I will! You sound like you've got a good plan and I really think it's just about individual goals, however you want to set it!
Ok! That works. Thank you @LoveyChar!!2 -
@MaltedTea, I am logging planks and bridges in brackets, just want to keep accountable. Everyone has different goals here1
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lazycat2018 wrote: »@MaltedTea, I am logging planks and bridges in brackets, just want to keep accountable. Everyone has different goals here
As in glute bridges? You're a go-getter! Thanks for the clarifications too @lazycat2018!
1 -
Total minutes planked (number of planks done to achieve minutes)
8/1: 2(1)
8/2: 2(2)
8/3: 2(2)
8/4: 2(2)
3 -
August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1); August 2: 4(1)
August 3: 4(1); August 4: 3(1)
Total: 14(4)
Remaining: 86(26)3 -
@jeffrey_ad, glad to see you are back. Hope you take care1
-
@MaltedTea thank you, I joined this group mid December 2019 and enjoy planking☺ Hope you will like it here too.3
-
August goal 100(30)
August 1: 3(1); August 2: 4(1)
August 3: 4(1); August 4: 3(1)
August 5: 4(1);
Total: 18(5)
Remaining: 82(25)2 -
Going for 100 again.
8/1: 5:00 (roughly 2:00 during HasFits HIIT workout w dumbbells + 4:00 straight, on my own)
8/2: 4×1:00 ups and downs + 1:00 extra
8/3 + 8/4: none
8/5: 6:00
Total: 16:00July 2020: 110
June 2020: 125
May 2020: 125
Apr 2020: 117
Mar 2020: 119
Feb 2020: 115
Jan 2020: 112
Dec 2019: 125
Nov 2019: 73
Oct 2019: 63 (first planks ever!!!)4 -
5 days into it and 15 one-minute planks done!5
-
First off, let me state for the record: I don't like this. Any of it. Period. I realize why I only followed the thread for months. 😱
I'm doing it anyway to push past this current "upper limit problem" and find some eternal happiness of some sort (according to Gay Hendricks who wrote "The Big Leap"). 🙄
Upside? Yesterday's rest day meant I felt like I was doing the "advanced workout" with better form today. Also, it took a bit longer for the shakes and body convulsions to start for today's 2 min worth of plank holds 😂
So I'm at the following total...
PLANK HOLDS: 8 min
WORKOUTS: 4 sessions (no weights)
...all while doing the MFP 28-day upper body workout plan which has an inexplicable amount of "bear crawls" 🐻 but I think they help the planking.5 -
Total minutes planked (number of planks done to achieve minutes)8/5: 2(1)
8/1: 2(1)
8/2: 2(2)
8/3: 2(2)
8/4: 2(2)
4 -
Total minutes planked (number of planks done to achieve minutes)8/6: 2(1)
8/1: 2(1)
8/2: 2(2)
8/3: 2(2)
8/4: 2(2)
8/5: 2(1)
I am pretty stable for the first minute but after that I get shaky and seconds pass by like hours lol!
4 -
I will try to complete 60 minutes of planks for the remainder of August. Getting in about eight minutes a day, starting tomorrow!3
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