Planks
NeedANewFocus
Posts: 898 Member
Why does my body shake like a leaf as soon as I start my plank??? It's getting frustrating. I'm stuck in this barely two minute limbo. Help!! What do I need to do??
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planks are worthless, do hanging leg raises, or knee raises if you have to.0
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christinev297 wrote: »
They're not. They are a great way to increase core stability. Well, weighted planks at least.0 -
christinev297 wrote: »
Playing devil's advocate, I think it's because planks have a reputation for being one of the "go to" exercises for your abs, so people would probably question the "credibility" of an ab program that didn't include/wasn't built around planks. Planks can be effective, but they're also an exercise that is very accessible. If you have a class containing people from all walks of life, and various fitness levels, you need exercises that everyone can do and not feel completely "overshadowed/left out of." Planks are one of those exercises. Planks "sell." On the other hand, an exercise like hanging leg raises is not for everyone. An obese person is not fit enough to perform those. In addition, to perform planks all you need is a floor. You're not going to see a room full of hanging bars for 15+ people to perform hanging leg raises in stereo.
Members of my gym had a "plank off" to see who could hold a plank the longest. One person held the plank for 40 mins. Impressive, right? My take on it was "if you can hold a plank that long, you either weren't doing it properly, or you're so advanced that basic planks aren't doing you any good."NeedANewFocus wrote: »Why does my body shake like a leaf as soon as I start my plank??? It's getting frustrating. I'm stuck in this barely two minute limbo. Help!! What do I need to do??
Continue to build your core strength by using more than just plank exercises. Try this one:
- Take a dumbbell in one hand; one as heavy as you can hold. Place your arm at your side, and try to keep the dumbbell from pulling your body to whichever side is holding the dumbbell. You should feel your core contracting in order to keep you upright. Try to hold this for 60 seconds, and then move the dumbbell to the other hand.
- Once you've built up your core strength here (over time), try holding the same dumbbell in one arm, arm at your side, and then lift the opposite leg so that you're holding the dumbbell while standing on one leg (if the dumbbell is in your right hand, your left leg is off the ground). 60 seconds, then switch
- Once you're good at this, perform the same exercise, but this time stand on the leg opposite the dumbbell (if the dumbbell is in your right hand, your right leg is off the ground).
Stuff like that will challenge and strengthen your core.0 -
Wow Awesome explanation Ross
Definitely makes sense
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christinev297 wrote: »
Playing devil's advocate, I think it's because planks have a reputation for being one of the "go to" exercises for your abs, so people would probably question the "credibility" of an ab program that didn't include/wasn't built around planks. Planks can be effective, but they're also an exercise that is very accessible. If you have a class containing people from all walks of life, and various fitness levels, you need exercises that everyone can do and not feel completely "overshadowed/left out of." Planks are one of those exercises. Planks "sell." On the other hand, an exercise like hanging leg raises is not for everyone. An obese person is not fit enough to perform those. In addition, to perform planks all you need is a floor. You're not going to see a room full of hanging bars for 15+ people to perform hanging leg raises in stereo.
Members of my gym had a "plank off" to see who could hold a plank the longest. One person held the plank for 40 mins. Impressive, right? My take on it was "if you can hold a plank that long, you either weren't doing it properly, or you're so advanced that basic planks aren't doing you any good."NeedANewFocus wrote: »Why does my body shake like a leaf as soon as I start my plank??? It's getting frustrating. I'm stuck in this barely two minute limbo. Help!! What do I need to do??
Continue to build your core strength by using more than just plank exercises. Try this one:
- Take a dumbbell in one hand; one as heavy as you can hold. Place your arm at your side, and try to keep the dumbbell from pulling your body to whichever side is holding the dumbbell. You should feel your core contracting in order to keep you upright. Try to hold this for 60 seconds, and then move the dumbbell to the other hand.
- Once you've built up your core strength here (over time), try holding the same dumbbell in one arm, arm at your side, and then lift the opposite leg so that you're holding the dumbbell while standing on one leg (if the dumbbell is in your right hand, your left leg is off the ground). 60 seconds, then switch
- Once you're good at this, perform the same exercise, but this time stand on the leg opposite the dumbbell (if the dumbbell is in your right hand, your right leg is off the ground).
Stuff like that will challenge and strengthen your core.
Thank you!! I'll be trying this tomorrow!0 -
ACE (American Counsil on Exercise) released this huge article a couple months back about planks and how anything over a minute is worthless because it is an isometic exercise. (static hold)
Their findings were adding movement to the plank for increased core stability and strength:
1. Plank Ups
2. Plank toe touches
3. Superman plank
4. Spiderman plank
etc....
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Planks ( Prone Iso-Abs ) are designed to improve neuromuscular efficiency, inter-vertebral stability and lumbo-pelvic stability. Planks are generally started at the beginning of an integrated core training program.
Shaking during a plank means your core is weak, regress the exercise, try a plank from an incline position with a weight bench, a stability ball, or even the wall. Once you build core strength slowly progress back to the plank position0 -
I didn't expand on my answer.
Just think about any other excercise in the gym. Do you sit in a squat position for minutes to improve your squats? Do you hold your bench for minutes above your chest? You need full range of movement and an ability to add weight (not time).
Here is a post i did a year ago about planks, stating that i didn't think they were useful. Theres 65 comments on this thread about it:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1206859/i-think-planks-are-worthless-tell-me-why-they-arent/p10 -
I didn't expand on my answer.
Just think about any other excercise in the gym. Do you sit in a squat position for minutes to improve your squats? Do you hold your bench for minutes above your chest? You need full range of movement and an ability to add weight (not time).
I don't think that's entirely fair. There are benefits to isometric (holding a weight in a static position) training. Granted, it's not automatically the ideal method of training, depending on one's goals, but I wouldn't argue against isometrics in their entirety.0 -
You guys are a wealth of knowledge!! Thank you for all the insights.0
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