Novice Planker Needs Your Help

lavenderphoenix

Hey Everyone, I did a fitness test at my gym yesterday and one of the things I had to do was hold a plank for 60 seconds. I only did it once but today my abs are sore so I know they got a workout, even with only 60 seconds, so I'd like to try to add that to my routine (which to be fair consists of treadmill & elliptical right now, I'm a beginner). My question is, how often should I do them and how many should I do? This is probably a silly question to most of you but please be patient and kind, I'm learning.....

JenMc14

Id say do them 2-3 times a week. Perhaps incorporate a side variant as well. Aim for 2-3 sets. If you don't think you can do a full 60 seconds for each set, progress to it. Do 30 for the first, 45 for the second, 60 for the third, Or, in the alternative, aim for 60 seconds for each one, but go to "failure" (can't maintain good form) after the first one. have a minute or so of rest in between sets. Then do the same for side planks, 2-3 sets for each side. There are tons of plank variants you can look into as well.

gerard54

I still can't do a min...

lavenderphoenix

Thanks so much for the help, @JenMc14!!

spfldpam

I try to do 2-4 a day in the morning. I started at just 15 seconds of holding them, then 30 seconds and then 45 seconds. I can now hold them for 1 minute and will continue to work up to more than just a 1 minutes. I try to do them M-F in the morning with the rest of my at home workout morning routine.
Good luck!

EJKRun

Definitely don't worry about starting at a minute! I always start my clients with a set of 3 planks for 20 seconds, with 30 seconds in between for rest. Each week increase the duration of the plank and decrease the rest slightly, even just by 5 seconds at a time. You'll be at a minute before you know it!

Try to work your core a few days a week. Also just try to always be conscious of it. No matter what you are doing, always try to engage and contract your core. It will feel weird at first, but soon it will become habit. If you don't know what I mean, ask a friend to poke you in the stomach. Before they even touch you, you'll notice that your abdominal muscles contract. Try to remember that feeling, that is you engaging your core.

Whenever you start a new type of exercise you are going to feel sore, that is very normal. Just keep with it and make sure you have a day or two in between your core days as you are getting accustomed to it. Later on you can increase frequency, but just try 2 or 3 days a week right now.

Good Luck!!!