Planks

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Adele
Adele Posts: 159 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I did planks at the gym today - my trainer showed me, I was like "oh those look easy"...NOT. I even broke out in a sweat!!! I guess they are really good core exercises, phew hard though!:grumble:
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  • Adele
    Adele Posts: 159 Member
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    I did planks at the gym today - my trainer showed me, I was like "oh those look easy"...NOT. I even broke out in a sweat!!! I guess they are really good core exercises, phew hard though!:grumble:
  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
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    I've never heard of them, what do you do?? :smile:
  • luvs2havefun
    luvs2havefun Posts: 67
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    I loooove planks!!! Especially side ones for the area that seems impossible for me to reach with just regular crunches.

    I would explain it but it would probably be better understood if you look at this website:

    http://www.bodyresults.com/E2planks.asp
  • cupcakes8kr
    cupcakes8kr Posts: 97 Member
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    Yikes!!!
  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
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    I loooove planks!!! Especially side ones for the area that seems impossible for me to reach with just regular crunches.

    I would explain it but it would probably be better understood if you look at this website:

    http://www.bodyresults.com/E2planks.asp

    Holy cow!! :noway: I'm sore just looking at it!! :embarassed:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    So it's like static push-ups--ones you just hold? Looks like good work out for the shoulders, too. I've been looking for something that would help me gradually work up to some weight training later on (much later). I have a bad shoulder and have to be careful--think this might be something that could help gradually build up shoulder strength, too?
  • luvs2havefun
    luvs2havefun Posts: 67
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    So it's like static push-ups--ones you just hold? Looks like good work out for the shoulders, too. I've been looking for something that would help me gradually work up to some weight training later on (much later). I have a bad shoulder and have to be careful--think this might be something that could help gradually build up shoulder strength, too?

    Absolutely! It's really good for the entire core but I feel it in my entire body!
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    Going to have to print out those instructions then and try it--thanks for telling us about it!

    When I saw "planks," I thought it was like in the pirate version---"arrrggghh, walk the plank, matey" :tongue:
  • Adele
    Adele Posts: 159 Member
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    When I saw "planks," I thought it was like in the pirate version---"arrrggghh, walk the plank, matey" :tongue:

    Hee hee hee!! I really just laughed out loud...:smile:
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Oh, yeah, planks are good, there are quite a few good variations too, including the brutal, but great for you, fitness ball planks.
    I do this one 3 times a week, it's brutal. Although I have always called it the jackknife, not the inchworm.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW92Xbv5MNU&feature=related
  • Adele
    Adele Posts: 159 Member
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    Oh, yeah, planks are good, there are quite a few good variations too, including the brutal, but great for you, fitness ball planks.
    I do this one 3 times a week, it's brutal. Although I have always called it the jackknife, not the inchworm.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW92Xbv5MNU&feature=related

    Holy moly!! That looks hard!!
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Holy moly!! That looks hard!!

    It's all relative, do planks, and fitness ball ab curls, and oblique extensions...etc for 3 months 3 to 5 times a week, and they get a LOT easier, so you start looking for harder stuff. What the lady says about contracting your muscles is the BIGGEST factor though, if you don't engage your core (this is true with almost any core exercise), you aren't anywhere near as efficient when exercising. By engaging, we mean, actually contracting and squeezing the muscles tight while doing the exercise.
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Oh, yeah, planks are good, there are quite a few good variations too, including the brutal, but great for you, fitness ball planks.
    I do this one 3 times a week, it's brutal. Although I have always called it the jackknife, not the inchworm.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW92Xbv5MNU&feature=related
    I did a few of those jackknife thingies today! :bigsmile:
  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
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    We did some on Tuesday that we brought our knees up to the opposite shoulder while in a plank. We've also done push ups into the side plank or do a plank on a med ball (weighted basketball). There are so many! I'm always amazed at what they "make" us do during a circuit class.
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    Why do they call them planks?
  • tracypaprocki
    tracypaprocki Posts: 49
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    I have a bad shoulder (rotator cuff tear) and I do alot of pilates. I has done very good with slowly increasing mobility and strength in the bad arm. I can now also lift some weights. I just have to keep the lbs. low. You should give it a try.
  • sculley
    sculley Posts: 2,012 Member
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    I like those....they are challenging have you tried modified mountain climbers

    Your in pushup position and you alternate foot to hand, slowly not like quickly like the normal ones that isn't the hard one after that you go half way down (push up position but I usually get into planks with my forearm supporting me) and do the same thing....the first time my fitness leader at work showed us I was like uh....:noway:
    lol
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Why do they call them planks?

    I guess cuz you keep your body straight like a plank. that would be my guess anyway.
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    I have a bad shoulder (rotator cuff tear) and I do alot of pilates. I has done very good with slowly increasing mobility and strength in the bad arm. I can now also lift some weights. I just have to keep the lbs. low. You should give it a try.

    Mine is rotator cuff, too. I completely shredded the entire cuff about 5 years ago in a motorcycle accident and have had 2 reconstructive surgeries on it but still have issues. The last one they "borrowed" some muscle from my thigh to make a new connection in the shoulder because they simply couldn't repair it anymore. That's why I need to be somewhat careful with it. i've babied it ever since but now want to get some muscle going, too! I just can't tear it again or they said artificial shoulder is my next alternative :sick:
  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
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    Why do they call them planks?

    I guess cuz you keep your body straight like a plank. that would be my guess anyway.

    That's my guess too.

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