Planking

runningagainstmyself

I hate planks. When I started doing them I could only hold it for about 20 seconds. Now I can get three sets of 90 seconds, but I still hate them. ☺

I hate them too. I can probably do 3 sets of 1 - 1.5min each, but I hate them. And I probably don't do them as often as I should. Heh. =\

jagh09

i prefer water boarding

louisey112

I try and do them everyday. Longest I've held at one time was for 3 minutes, but if you've ever planked, you know that's not easy! I'm part of a planking challenge at the moment: Get 60 minutes worth of planks in for 30 days - it helps to keep you motivated!

Here's me planking:

runningagainstmyself

I got talked into a ridiculous plank session a while back.

Feet on a yoga ball, then, each forearm goes on a yoga ball.

Plank 30 seconds, do a "pushup" where you butterfly your arms out like on a butterfly machine. Then back up for another 30 seconds of plank.

Wash rinse and repeat without stoppage for 5 minutes.

I'd fall on my face. Repeatedly.

Me too. A lot.

AlexThreeClaw

I only started doing planks last week, on my knees to make them easier, I can just about manage 2 lots of 20 seconds. It's tough but I like them much better than crunches or sit ups. I don't log them on MFP at all.

squirrell79

DH and I do one plank every night. Last night we got up to 2:17. Of course, we've only been doing this for a few days, so we'll see how long it lasts. :-)

monjacq1964

I got talked into a ridiculous plank session a while back.

Feet on a yoga ball, then, each forearm goes on a yoga ball.

Plank 30 seconds, do a "pushup" where you butterfly your arms out like on a butterfly machine. Then back up for another 30 seconds of plank.

Wash rinse and repeat without stoppage for 5 minutes.

I'd fall on my face. Repeatedly.

lol i'd likely just fall on my face once... lol

waldo56

Oh wow, we do it totally different in yoga.
Like this.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/470

and remember to do the opposite after!

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2474

Those are high plank variations! And kudos for doing them.

OP, try to hold a plank for as long as you can. then repeat. Try to beat your previous time the next round. Make sure you keep your form. no sense in doing 1 min if your form is sloppy

Another more advanced plank variation is this one:




Works the biceps, shoulders, and chest along with the core and glues (one key to straightening out a plank is to start in a bowed position, then flex your butt hard to straighten out).

etoiles_argentees

Sorry ^. Bad form.

Planks are part of the sun salutations in yoga and have been practiced for years. A variation is something like this -


Doing one with your elbows and forearms on the mat is just a modification for people that can't do real ones.

waldo56

The planche lean variation of a straight arm plank is most certainly not bad form. The form in that photo is darn near perfect.

Saggy hips lady doing straight arm planks in the grass with collapsed shoulder blades doesn't have good form though.

etoiles_argentees

The planche lean variation of a straight arm plank is most certainly not bad form.

The form in that photo is darn near perfect.

Look at his back! Perfect?! omg

waldo56

The planche lean variation of a straight arm plank is most certainly not bad form.

The form in that photo is darn near perfect.

Look at his back! Perfect?! omg

You have to strongly arch the upper back to engage the lats and pull apart the shoulder blades as far as possible.

If you don't think is that hard, try it. Virtual lock that you faceplant if you try to lean as far as he is.

etoiles_argentees

You -

Me -

I DO know what I'm talking about here, I teach yoga teachers.

His or your? form is bad.

waldo56

Supporting your weight on your elbows makes them substantially easier.

Same plank without feet:


Sorry to break it to you, but that is not bad form...



...those guys in the Olympics, just awful, awful form. I mean look at his back. Clearly guys with such bad form don't win gold medals.

And your bent arm elbow lever is hilariously easy in comparison.

waldo56

Double post. (damn MFP and its mini-pictures)

You teach yoga teachers, yet you can't see how crap the form is in the pic of the girl on the grass....? Collapsed/winged shoulder blades is never, ever, ever good form. Look at how collapsed her belly is, my goodness, her back looks like she's doing wheel.

Anyway, that's not me in that picture. Don't have any photos of myself doing planks/leans.

VVVVVVV Closest is me holding a dragon flag for time. VVVVVVV

etoiles_argentees

I've studied with Iyengar in Pune, I know what I'm doing and teaching.
let's take this elsewhere? Are you on the IAYT boards? Or one one of the other yoga forums?
We are just wasting space here at MFP.

morkiemama

Am I the only one who thought planking was when you lay down across a surface you would normally not lay across. See, you learn something new everyday

Well that is planking too! Just... the internet version instead of the fitness one.

As for fitness planks, I love to hate them. I do them at the end of every lift session (...and I dread them the entire time lol). I'm up to over a minute now. I was pathetic when I started. :P

jen3741

I'm doing Jillian michaels 6 week 6 pack I can't do the side planks yet so I tried substituting it with planks. Today was my first attempt and could manage 20 seconds.

cece_lily

I do planks on my forearms (straight arms are too easy), and then stretch out an arm and the opposite leg so I only have one arm and one foot touching the floor. It's hard, but satisfying, and people are always amazed, ha.