60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - October 2020
jeffrey_ad
Posts: 789 Member
in Challenges
Boo! Can't believe it's October already!
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/10808878/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-september-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
Additional Isometric Exercises:
https://youtu.be/VH5F-dKoM98
Happy Planking!
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/10808878/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-september-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_sAdditional Isometric Exercises:
https://youtu.be/VH5F-dKoM98Happy Planking!
3
Replies
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Still deciding on my target.
October 1: 1x 2 min & 4x1 min1 -
Mmmk, I'm going back to basics here and ditching forearm planks this month. My elbows will be forever grateful, I hope.
OPTION: TodaysFitnessTrainer.com's "Thirty Day Plank Challenge" (straight arm plank variant).
[ETA - It's the same in every way as the one @jeffrey_ad listed above but just says something different for plank name.]
Have fun with your progress this month, everyone!3 -
Yes, 60 min more for October!
@ Malted Tea , I hear you about the rough elbows! 2 -
October goal: 120(30) again.
Oct 1: 6(2);3 -
Going to give this a go. Will be going for the standard 60 minutes as this is just a month I am trying to establish new habits. I need change and success. Joining the group to add some focus and get exercise becoming a habit again. Good news is last night I tested if I can even plank anymore and first one was 45 seconds. So I can do them, now for consistency.2
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@CFFT2002 and @MaltedTea I find it so funny that for you your elbows bother you in plank. For me, it is the opposite - straight arm planks kill my wrists and elbows is my go-to plank survival position.
@lazycat2018 I'm new to the group. Can you explain the breakdown of what "Oct 1: 6(2)" means?
3 -
October Goal : 60 minutes
Day 1: 1 - Elbow plank (1:44), 1 - full arm (0:34)
Running total: 2:183 -
@CFFT2002 and @MaltedTea I find it so funny that for you your elbows bother you in plank. For me, it is the opposite - straight arm planks kill my wrists and elbows is my go-to plank survival position.
@lazycat2018 I'm new to the group. Can you explain the breakdown of what "Oct 1: 6(2)" means?
😱 Ma'am...this is not the energy I need for October lol I was about to ditch the plank challenge this month altogether tbh because I'm already doing 10,000 KB swings for October. But I love everyone's vibe here so I came back. Also, they tolerate my foolishness 🤷🏿♀️ Let's hope the straight arm planks are nice to my wrists but thanks for the warning @SModa61
So far, so good...
2 -
I'll do 60 again.
Oct 1 3:00 (6x30s)
Total 3
Remaining 572 -
@MaltedTea Sorry if I said something wrong. I just have such a hard time with straight arm planks that I found it interesting that you and CFFT prefer them.
1 -
@MaltedTea Sorry if I said something wrong. I just have such a hard time with straight arm planks that I found it interesting that you and CFFT prefer them.
No sorry needed as I was just being silly in my earlier response. I truly appreciate the wrist warning as it'll make me be more concious of my form this month.
All the best with your planks too!1 -
@MaltedTea all good. Good luck with yours! 2
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My target is 120 this month.
Oct 1: 1x 2 min & 4x1 min
Oct 2: 1x2 min; 2x1.5 & 1x1
Total: 12
Remaining: 1083 -
@CFFT2002 and @MaltedTea I find it so funny that for you your elbows bother you in plank. For me, it is the opposite - straight arm planks kill my wrists and elbows is my go-to plank survival position.
@lazycat2018 I'm new to the group. Can you explain the breakdown of what "Oct 1: 6(2)" means?
I have attached a photo of what I use to preserve my wrists.
1 -
** UPDATED
October Goal : 60 minutes
Day 1: AM: 1 - Elbow plank (1:44), 1 - full arm (0:34); PM: 3 - 0:30 elbow planks
Running total: 3:502 -
October goal: 120(30) again.
Oct 1: 6(2); Oct 2: 6(1)
Total: 12(3)
Remaining: 108(27)3 -
@SModa61, after 2 first months of my participation in this thread I felt the need to bend my body in a different direction, so I added glute bridges. For accountability purposes I put this number in brackets. One a day feels enough for me, although I tried two a day for one month.
So, my first number means 6 1 minute mixed planks with a bridge count in brackets.4 -
Just to be clear, they come in pairs and these are made from wood. I added the black padded tube for comfort. The idea is that your hand and wrist is positioned with less stress compared with the 90 degree bend. I also use them for push which has the added benefit of a greater range of motion.2 -
🙋♀️ back 😉4
-
*snip*
Just to be clear, they come in pairs and these are made from wood. I added the black padded tube for comfort. The idea is that your hand and wrist is positioned with less stress compared with the 90 degree bend. I also use them for push which has the added benefit of a greater range of motion.
Thank you for the pic and insights. I'll look into this!
1 -
@lazycat2018 Awesome. Thanks for the explanation. For me, will be an interesting. I have jumped into 3 october challenges in addition to a recurring 10 day challenge. Hopefully all that is constructive and not defeatist. Time will tell! 0
-
*snip*
Just to be clear, they come in pairs and these are made from wood. I added the black padded tube for comfort. The idea is that your hand and wrist is positioned with less stress compared with the 90 degree bend. I also use them for push which has the added benefit of a greater range of motion.
Thank you for the pic and insights. I'll look into this!
Gaz, very nice. I think I have seen people even use hexagonal dumbbells instead. Might give that a try and if I like, I think your wooden supports look more comfortable. Thank you2 -
Goal 60
Oct 1 3:00 (6x30s)
Oct 2 3:00 (6x30s)
Total 6
Remaining 54
2 -
My target is 120 this month.
Oct 1: 1x 2 min & 4x1 min
Oct 2: 1x2 min; 2x1.5 & 1x1
Oct 3: 1x2 min; 2x1.5 & 1x1
MTD Total: 18
Remaining 1022 -
October Goal : 60 minutes
10/1: AM: 1 - Elbow plank (1:44), 1 - full arm (0:34); PM: 3 - 0:30 elbow planks
10/2: AM: 4 – 30 sec elbow (2)
Running total: 5.5
3 -
@lazycat2018 Awesome. Thanks for the explanation. For me, will be an interesting. I have jumped into 3 october challenges in addition to a recurring 10 day challenge. Hopefully all that is constructive and not defeatist. Time will tell!
You are very welcome! Wish you luck in your challenges2 -
October goal: 120(30) again.
Oct 1: 6(2); Oct 2: 6(1); Oct 3: 6(1)
Total: 18(4)
Remaining: 102(26)3
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