PLANKS-- How long?

stephfilako
stephfilako Posts: 113 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
A FB friend of mine posted some times from a Boot Camp Plank off they held! I couldn't believe the results!!

How long can you hold good form in simple plank position?

I making a pledge for the rest of the month to hold plank as long as possible and see if I can make some progress by the end of the month! Who says you have to wait till the beginning of the month to start :) Anyone else want to join in? Its just a plank, right? (lol)

Steph
«13

Replies

  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
    I usually do one around 45 seconds. Then one a little longer.
    Then my last one I do until I can't hold it any longer.

    You'll build up endurance with them quickly, and will be able to last longer. "thats what she said"
  • leperleopard
    leperleopard Posts: 7 Member
    Im totally in for this! My abs are nothing to be proud of, i can hard.y hold a plank for asimple minute.
    I want to be able to hold it for atleast five... And maybe have a flatter stomache along the way.
    Id love to compare plank progress (:
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    omg i hate planks! i suck so bad at them but we do them all the time in body pump
  • Angel1029
    Angel1029 Posts: 459
    I do mine for about a minute. Just work your way up, keep adding a few more seconds every time you do it.
  • fanullona
    fanullona Posts: 82 Member
    i'm in!!!
  • sneakers71
    sneakers71 Posts: 106
    I hate planks too - but I am totally up for this! I will post my "start time" tonight. thanks for starting this!
  • JanerZzz
    JanerZzz Posts: 276
    3 sets of 30 seconds and side planks are 3 sets of 45 seconds. It's starting to get easier :)
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    Oh I want to do this!!!!
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    When I could afford t go to the gym my trainer had me doing plank and push up position. I can hold pushup position longer, but plank I start shaking around 20 seconds. Of course I have no upper body strength and my right shoulder is jacked up. But I make myself hold it for 30 seconds. The more you do it the easier it will get.

    I will start tonight and post my times every day. lets see how can get there time up the most.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    I can usually hold the first plank for one min. then less, and less..... How many are people doing in one routine???
    Would be interested in any other exercise people are doing to build up their abdominal muscles without hurting their back :-)
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
    I started with planks last night. I held it for 30 seconds rested for 60 seconds and then held it for 30 seconds and rested for 60 seconds and held it for as long as I could..for me was about 20 seconds..

    Question, feet together or feet out to the sides a bit? I ended up doing mine at this point with my feet out to the side a bit.. I think it is cheating a bit, but I had to start somewhere... LOL
  • cgavin77
    cgavin77 Posts: 219
    Im in!!
  • malabaugh
    malabaugh Posts: 130 Member
    I'm in! My shoulder is finally better...what better way to test it out than good old plank! Will report times tonight after work.
  • lobster888
    lobster888 Posts: 861 Member
    I am up for this - I may not really love planks----but I absolutly love the results. I started doing them in boot camp and could barely hold up at all---my arms would shake bad. Then I got where I could hold it in very form for almost two minutes - hopeing to get back to that!!! So, this is a good challenge for me... I test and see where I am at tonight and post tomorrow!!

    Good luck everyone!!!
  • Ral263
    Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
    I do 30 s in the middle, then 30 on the side, 30 on the other, then 30 back in the middle, without resting/dropping inbetween
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I started with planks last night. I held it for 30 seconds rested for 60 seconds and then held it for 30 seconds and rested for 60 seconds and held it for as long as I could..for me was about 20 seconds..

    Question, feet together or feet out to the sides a bit? I ended up doing mine at this point with my feet out to the side a bit.. I think it is cheating a bit, but I had to start somewhere... LOL
    From what my trainer told me last year, its feet together and butt down with your butt and back flat, your barely inches off the ground if you do it right.
  • getNskinny2day
    getNskinny2day Posts: 74
    45sec to 1 min depending on what kind of plank i'm doing.. Have you guys tried jumping jax planks??? They are INSANE! My trainer introduced me to those last week and keeping good form is ridiculously hard, but when you do them right they are a heck of a workout!
  • Rubie81
    Rubie81 Posts: 720 Member
    I really need to start doing this. I can't even hold the position for a second, I suck.
  • JBatt123
    JBatt123 Posts: 24
    I'm in.
  • andreae13
    andreae13 Posts: 239 Member
    My trainer has me to 4 sets of Planks 15 seconds on 15 seconds off, bicycles 4 sets 15 reps, then crunches and reverse crunches 4 sets 20 reps each...i do this at the end of my workout M, W and F. I've got a looooong ways to go but I'm already seeing HUGE improvements in my strength and waist size :)
  • flea2449
    flea2449 Posts: 499 Member
    is there a correct way to do a plank? I've always thought you hold yourself up on your toes and forearms, but P90X show a plank behing held up on your hands and toes.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    My son (he's 16) are doing a competition on the Wii Fit w/ the Push Up & Plank Challenge.

    I'm losing to him on the push ups now, I'm up to 20 (BOO!!!) I can do 6 push ups w/ side planks, but i'm usually POOPED afterwards. Hopefully after a month or two of doing this I'll be able to do 20 push ups w/ side planks! :)

    BUT on the planks I'm kicking his BUTT! I'm up to 104 seconds. Woohoo! He can only do it for 80 seconds, so he's not far behind me. LOL I'm trying to get up to 180 seconds.

    Btw, we do alternate each day - we're doing planks tonight, wish me luck! LOL
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    20 seconds. *Love* planks. I can feel them working, they took inches off my waist quickly and it seems that it's nearly impossible to hurt yourself with them (unlike crunches which I now avoid because my form is godawful).
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    is there a correct way to do a plank? I've always thought you hold yourself up on your toes and forearms, but P90X show a plank behing held up on your hands and toes.
    If you are on your hands and toes then that is a push up position. Those are two compeltely different things
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    I do 30 s in the middle, then 30 on the side, 30 on the other, then 30 back in the middle, without resting/dropping inbetween

    How do you do a side plank?
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
    I started with planks last night. I held it for 30 seconds rested for 60 seconds and then held it for 30 seconds and rested for 60 seconds and held it for as long as I could..for me was about 20 seconds..

    Question, feet together or feet out to the sides a bit? I ended up doing mine at this point with my feet out to the side a bit.. I think it is cheating a bit, but I had to start somewhere... LOL
    From what my trainer told me last year, its feet together and butt down with your butt and back flat, your barely inches off the ground if you do it right.

    Thanks! I will pay attention and focus on that type of form.. better to build up doing the right form.
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    20 seconds. *Love* planks. I can feel them working, they took inches off my waist quickly and it seems that it's nearly impossible to hurt yourself with them (unlike crunches which I now avoid because my form is godawful).
    My form is as well, but I love the burn my abs feel afterwards. Plank kills my shoulder though. I messed it up last year and it still hurts if i use it at all, which sucks because its my right shoulder and I am right handed.
  • calmmomw3minimeez
    calmmomw3minimeez Posts: 499 Member
    I think I can do this. I haven't been doing them lately, but am willing to start back so I'm in. I usually do 3 sets of 30 seconds. Hopefully I can build up to doing them longer because it was helping me lose inches of the gut. I'm ready for it!:bigsmile:
  • dlbond007
    dlbond007 Posts: 1 Member
    I set a timer for 10 minutes and perform 2 different strength/resistance exercises (10 reps/set) and 1 30-sec plank using an exercise ball. I do the planks in front of a mirror to check my form and position.

    Example of a full set: 10 squats (machine); 10 pull-ups; 30 second plank. Repeat as many times as possible in 10 minutes. I usually do 4 sets in 10 minutes, but the reps/set decrease with time and fatigue during the active exercise period.

    SMarie10: another core exercise I enjoy is a modified push-up or plank or..??. Get in the push-up position. Pull your left elbow toward your right knee while pulling your right knee in toward your left elbow. Alternate - right elbow, left knee. Repeat 10 per set. I also use this exercise in place of the plank (above).

    Congratulations on your weight loss - that's AWESOME!!
  • ngoat
    ngoat Posts: 97 Member
    im in! Here is a link on how to do a plank....
    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

    this shows you how to do both...
    http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/plank.html
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