Planking...what's the big deal??

joehempel

I'm asking out of ignorance, not smashing on people.

I see alot of people posting things like....I did 60 minutes of planking in 30 days!! Wooo!!!

Okay...that's great, but isn't planking just holding a pushup position or side position for 2 minutes a day??

and if so.....what does that do for you?? It sounds like something incredibly easy and incredibly trivial.

Anyone help me out on this?

Isaanne

It is a core exercise. The idea is to do it for as long as possible. I do them like I do sets in weight lifting and they are hard for me. I have a weak core so I have had to work up to 90 seconds. If I can get up to a few minutes that would be great.

As I am in plank I am working my core but I also feel it in my back, legs, butt etc. I kinda hate them but definitely see the value as a good exercise. There are also ways to make them more challenging. Lifting one leg. Doing them on a swiss ball etc...

kramalicious

Shift weight to front of body. Is harder than it looks for those getting into shape (me) , especially for long torso, to do it right. Every extra pound works against you. Great for core. Many cruel variations... Good bodyweight exercise. Getting there is one thing, holding it right is something else. Enjoy!

meshashesha2012

have you actually tried it?

planks are either with straight arms like pushup position or bent arms and you're on your forearms. straight back and legs.

seriously try it before saying how easy it is

Crazy4Healthy

I have a love\hate relationship with planks. I hate doing them, but I absolutely love what they have done for my core. They are not nearly as easy as they look (at least not for me). Try one, I dare ya. :happy: and then come back and ask what the hype is about.

joehempel

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

avir8

Welcome to last year:

Crazy4Healthy

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

You are full of awesomeness then, two minute for me is killer... I'm shaking and sweating like crazy. Maybe you should hold it until you feel that way. Hahaha

joehempel

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

You are full of awesomeness then, two minute for me is killer... I'm shaking and sweating like crazy. Maybe you should hold it until you feel that way. Hahaha

Maybe it's because I've been incorporating alot of yoga into my running routine....in the harder rounds of DDP Yoga they do 5 and 10 count pushups.....so you plank for 10 seconds....slow pushup for 10 seconds, back up for 10 seconds....more than once during the session.

EDIT: Just an FYI.....10 count pushups are the worst!! They are incredibly difficult because they come in the middle and towards the end of the workouts! Can BARELY get through them.

quietcoral

If two minutes is easy for you, there are sooo many different variations of planks to make it harder and more challenging. Check youtube fore some variations. Planks work shoulders, core, back, legs... it's practically a full body workout.

meshashesha2012

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

dude i wasnt riled up i couldn't give a rats *kitten* if you plank or not so there's no need for me to chill about anything :laugh:

did you try the straight armed version or the bent? they really are different. some people find one version easier than the other. for instance i can hold the straight armed version indefinitely (have gone up to 5 minutes before i got bored) but the bent arm version gets tough for me after 45 seconds.

joehempel

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

dude i wasnt riled up i couldn't give a rats *kitten* if you plank or not so there's no need for me to chill about anything :laugh:

did you try the straight armed version or the bent? they really are different. some people find one version easier than the other. for instance i can hold the straight armed version indefinitely (have gone up to 5 minutes before i got bored) but the bent arm version gets tough for me after 45 seconds.

Sounded like it!


But it was straight armed, not the bent.

Crazy4Healthy

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

You are full of awesomeness then, two minute for me is killer... I'm shaking and sweating like crazy. Maybe you should hold it until you feel that way. Hahaha

Maybe it's because I've been incorporating alot of yoga into my running routine....in the harder rounds of DDP Yoga they do 5 and 10 count pushups.....so you plank for 10 seconds....slow pushup for 10 seconds, back up for 10 seconds....more than once during the session.

Yoga definitely has its benefits, love to do it when I have the time, but hard to find it with my other workouts.

joehempel

If two minutes is easy for you, there are sooo many different variations of planks to make it harder and more challenging. Check youtube fore some variations. Planks work shoulders, core, back, legs... it's practically a full body workout.

I'll have to check it out.

joehempel

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

You are full of awesomeness then, two minute for me is killer... I'm shaking and sweating like crazy. Maybe you should hold it until you feel that way. Hahaha

Maybe it's because I've been incorporating alot of yoga into my running routine....in the harder rounds of DDP Yoga they do 5 and 10 count pushups.....so you plank for 10 seconds....slow pushup for 10 seconds, back up for 10 seconds....more than once during the session.

Yoga definitely has its benefits, love to do it when I have the time, but hard to find it with my other workouts.

I try to do it coupled with my running....I've attributed it to running pain free....it's the only thing differently I've done this year than last, and wow it's helped so much! DDP Yoga is strength training using Dynamic Resistance so I get the strength training with it too, although I'm getting personal training once a week for a bit (started last week).

Robin_Bin

Remember what's easy for you may not be easy for others and vice versa. Even some things that may be easy for you at one point in your life may be difficult at another. There are also variations that can make things more challenging.

Most of us tend toward the variations that are easiest for us (use the stronger muscles), so it's often useful to check form and make sure you are strengthening your weaker muscles and getting a rounded workout. For instance many people will lock their joints for some exercises, so the joints get stressed, but the muscles don't get as much of a workout.

Good luck and congratulations on being able to hold a plank longer than many people.

Editing after seeing some of your responses... Yes, if you've been doing certain yoga routines, I can see why planks would be easy for you. (Did a side plank in yoga the other day - that was new for me and hard. I couldn't do the variation where you raise the upper leg.) And you're probably aware as well that a small change in form can change your balance and the necessary muscles quite a lot.

nz_deevaa

Yes I have tried it and timed it to 2 minutes and didn't have a problem

Again.....I'm not knocking it, it was a question out of ignorance, so chill mesha

You are full of awesomeness then, two minute for me is killer... I'm shaking and sweating like crazy. Maybe you should hold it until you feel that way. Hahaha

Maybe it's because I've been incorporating alot of yoga into my running routine....in the harder rounds of DDP Yoga they do 5 and 10 count pushups.....so you plank for 10 seconds....slow pushup for 10 seconds, back up for 10 seconds....more than once during the session.

Yoga definitely has its benefits, love to do it when I have the time, but hard to find it with my other workouts.

I try to do it coupled with my running....I've attributed it to running pain free....it's the only thing differently I've done this year than last, and wow it's helped so much! DDP Yoga is strength training using Dynamic Resistance so I get the strength training with it too, although I'm getting personal training once a week for a bit (started last week).

So if two minutes is easy for you, do it longer (to failure) or do a variation that is harder... a side plank, or while holding the plank position, move a weight from one side to the other, or do 'elevators' ... or, don't do them and keep doing what you are doing.

I don't plank as part of my regular routine, but I do heavy squats and deadlifts, so when I do them, I can do them longer than the average person my weight.

vtmoon

For most guys regular straight arms plank is easy if they have decent upper body strength. If you want to test your core go into Chaturanga and do the 2 minutes again. Yoga definitely gives you a nice advantage due to all the poses that work on your core.

If you can do the 2 minutes in Chaturanga and it still seems easy then you are above average and have a good core.

norcal_yogi

strengthens the core...and is pretty darn hard if held for any length of time longer than say, 30 seconds. side planks are great too.

aratris

If you do it right, it's a killer workout for your arms & core. The longest plank I've ever done was 4 minutes. Tonight I managed to do 3 1/2 minutes before collapsing. Lol.

joehempel

Thanks for the answers everyone!

I'm always looking to strengthen my core, it only helps my running more, so I'll check out these variations!

jennahowden

I've been informed by my physiotherapist that the plank/hover is no longer on the safe list. She has had quite a few people coming in with excruciating lower back pain and it has been a direct result of the plank. The problem is, you do it until failure. You are holding a certain position for as long as you can, but as you start to fatigue, you begin to drop your pelvis. You don't even realise you're doing this, and by holding this as hard as you can is therefore doing damage. There's many exercises that give much better results, and are so great for your core.

Joreanasaurous

We do planks in my TRX class all the time. I thought they were hard before TRX... now they are just insane. I dread plank to pike combos. It hurts to laugh the next day my core is so sore. lol

Stripeness

Lots of good stuff on variations & why planks are great (and they are!). Saw at least one mention of lower back issues/considerations, and those are also valid concerns.

It sounds as if you have a really solid core already, so I'm just going to add my two cents as someone who's been there and sure isn't currently!

Back in the day, planks were easy. Sure, when I trained for tris, it was important to balance the extra cycling with extra core work, but no problem.

Time went by. Years. Things happened, and with ~80 lbs to lose, everything was out of whack. Couldn't jog my usual "beginner" flat slow 3 miles. I get in my own way doing stretches. My core was practically non-existent (sort of like my biceps), and all the extra weight made my lower back ready to seize up at the slightest provocation. Most exercises were considered provocation :-/

So I had to start by walking, for the first time EVER. And make a point of stretching and balancing muscle groups. And doing pushups/planks from a ball at first (under my hips), then gradually getting to the point of "girl" push-up position. Tonight, I was able to do a few moves that included a couple of seconds in full plank position. Shaky, but progress! It's still incredibly difficult, like a limb when a cast has just been removed.

I suspect that if I could get to this ridiculous, embarrassing state after being a year-round & then college swimmer, and then triathlete...I'm not alone! So yeah, when I can do a buncha minutes in plank position, you might see that kind of post from me, too! Of course, there will also be one when I get back to an 8-something or faster mile :-)

If you are ever foolish enough to let your core deteriorate, I think you'll be impressed by planks as a benchmark for the condition of your core. And all the variations? Make it possible to do a gradual ramp up to the ahem, Full Monty, as it were. Or beyond, for someone like you! For now, just enjoy the ability to do them with wild abandon!

Anyway, that's just my guess re: fuss/popularity.