Do you plank?

Polly758 · December 2012

F*cking hate planks. I started doing them when I was doing NROL, and I liked the way my belly looked once I was up to 3 sets of 2 minutes, so now I'm screwed doing planks for the rest of my godforsaken life. I do like the way they make me focus, though.

I went to a fitness class once (once!) and the instructor had us do planks, so I was doing my thing, and then when the minute was up I looked up and everyone was staring at me. They had all long given up. I felt a little silly but a little proud of myself too.

For something not-so-boring, try a wide-legged stance plank where you alternate bringing each knee up, under, across the body, then extending and placing the foot as high up (toward your head) and out (from your body) as you can. Keep your body as low and as stiff as possible when you do this; make your midsection do the work.

Or, do plank on your elbows, then when you can't take it any more, move up to your hands to make it a bit easier, until you can't take THAT any more.

Alicia7519 · December 2012

Yeah! I love planks!

angryguy77 · December 2012

2-3 times a day...oh this is about planking....never mind.

tschaff04 · December 2012

Wow, my core must be in horrible shape. I had never planked before so decided to give it a try. I could only hold it for 15 seconds. I did 3 reps of 15 sec and that was as long as I could hold it. :embarassed: I will keep working at it! Seems like a nice addition to my daily routine.

WendyTerry420 · December 2012

I don't do unnecessary cardio myself...

Planks aren't cardio the way I do them.

I'm not understanding how they could be cardio at all. Maybe there's a version of planks that I've never seen?

caseythirteen · December 2012

I do the standard elbows and toes plank for 90 seconds. Sometimes less though if my arms are feeling a bit like jell-o. I will also occasionally do knee raises forward with a twist to do something different. I also liked the jacknife one that I saw in the NROLFW book. Those are fun. :noway:

Alissakae · December 2012

The weeks that my trainer has me do planks are the weeks that I really feel my abs for a few days. They've got to be doing something!

n0ob · December 2012

LOVE planking!! I go for forearms & toes!

Hopefully that helps a little!

My PR is 7 minutes, though I haven't been able to replicate it since. Currently I'm averaging around 4 minutes. My biggest goal is to plank the entirety of Stairway to Heaven!

does that diagram come in squat or deadlift?

Mel1509 · December 2012

Side planks! Not sure how long, never have thought to time.. maybe tonight..?

waldo56 · December 2012

looove it!!!

haaate the side planks with a beastly passion! but i WILL conquer them! just like i conquered 3 sets of 2min planks.

and... planks are NOT the little blue weights of ab exercises. whoever said that, hasnt done planks the way NR makes you do them.

I'm the one that said it.

The closest thing I do to a plank are body levers, holding the bottom of dragon flags for time, because dragon flags are too easy. In other words, I do planks with only my shoulders touching the ground and my hands holding a support to prevent rotation.

In the continuum of ab exercises, yes planks are a joke.

MsNewBooty83 · December 2012

I'll normally plank it in the mornings and nights, normally about 3 minutes, more if I have something to read. Those of you going past 5 minutes could probably use more fiber in your diet....just sayin'

:laugh:

FullOfWin · December 2012

looove it!!!

haaate the side planks with a beastly passion! but i WILL conquer them! just like i conquered 3 sets of 2min planks.

and... planks are NOT the little blue weights of ab exercises. whoever said that, hasnt done planks the way NR makes you do them.

I'm the one that said it.

The closest thing I do to a plank are body levers, holding the bottom of dragon flags for time, because dragon flags are too easy. In other words, I do planks with only my shoulders touching the ground and my hands holding a support to prevent rotation.

In the continuum of ab exercises, yes planks are a joke.

Aw yeah. This should have come earlier in the day in order to provide more hours of amusement.

ekrisailles · December 2012

I recently heard about this term. And I was surprised to learn that "plankling" referred to the exercise with the variation of a picture being taken while doing it. I truthfully love the plank exercise. They're are numerous variations and ways to have fun with it. It is truthfully a much more effective core exercise than traditional floor exercises for abdominals. While I do not "plank" with photography, I do incorporate this exercise into my weekly exercise routine. I enjoy the walking plank, plank rows, plank jacks, classical and extended planks, side planks, planks with a bosu trainer, one handed planks they're all great!! Happy planking!

Lyra89 · December 2012

WALKING PLANKS, they are incredible!

Was introduced to them when I did the 30 day shred and they are killer.

It is basically alternating between a forearm plank and a hand plank...sort of like push ups.

VitVit18 · December 2012

does that diagram come in squat or deadlift?

I've seen one similar, but I can't seem to find it right now. There isn't anything that's exactly the same.

CarrieStL · December 2012

looove it!!!

haaate the side planks with a beastly passion! but i WILL conquer them! just like i conquered 3 sets of 2min planks.

and... planks are NOT the little blue weights of ab exercises. whoever said that, hasnt done planks the way NR makes you do them.

I'm the one that said it.

The closest thing I do to a plank are body levers, holding the bottom of dragon flags for time, because dragon flags are too easy. In other words, I do planks with only my shoulders touching the ground and my hands holding a support to prevent rotation.

In the continuum of ab exercises, yes planks are a joke.

\

Ok, may I just say that planks are not a joke to the average person though will admit that this is intense.

spfldpam · December 2012

My physical therapist just showed this to me yesterday and I am gonna start to try to do them. She said to start out only holding them for up to 30 seconds if you can and then work up to 3 minutes. Good for upper arm strength is why she mentioned them to me.