Planks

charlibets
charlibets Posts: 83 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Has anybody here done planks as a regular part of their exercise routine? If so, how do you calculate the calories burned (I can't find them on the database)?

I'm going on vacation in a week and when I get back I want to restart 30dayshred...in the meantime I want to add planks to a my walking/jogging workout and keep that up while on my trip (don't want to mess with a dvd at the beach). :glasses:

Thanks,
Betsy
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Replies

  • JodiS75
    JodiS75 Posts: 284
    Before I got my HRM, I entered them at "Calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups) vigorous effort"
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    I do planks on my strength training days. Strength training doesn't usually burn a lot of calories. My 30 minute routine burns about 150 total (HRM calculated). So, I don't think planks burn that much. But they're great for toning and overall fitness.
  • EZGruv
    EZGruv Posts: 215 Member
    I do them, and just don't really count them.
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    I do them, and just don't really count them.

    I agree - I kind of loop them in with a regular work out.
  • rwd5046
    rwd5046 Posts: 302
    Planks is a core strengthening excercise and not really cardio or arobeic. List it as a strength excerise. They are worth doing and including regualrly too.
  • bikerchick2
    bikerchick2 Posts: 15 Member
    i do planks and i usually include the calorie burn as part of my sit up or stretching calorie calculation. Try googling it. I found a more specific answer here: http://www.chacha.com/askChaCha/how+much+calories+does+doing+planks+burn. You are probably only going to burn about 10 cals/minute but by all means count if it makes you feel better!
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    I do them, and just don't really count them.

    Agree, I'd be afraid I'd use that as an excuse to not do carido.
  • charlibets
    charlibets Posts: 83 Member
    I do them, and just don't really count them.

    Agree, I'd be afraid I'd use that as an excuse to not do carido.

    So do most people only log the cardio calories and not strength calories in general?
    Thanks.
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    The easiest, most accurate thing to do is purchase a HRM and create your own exercises. I created a 5k, gym workout, and treadmill intervals. My gym workout includes all strength, circuits, and anything else I throw in there.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    i do planks and i usually include the calorie burn as part of my sit up or stretching calorie calculation. Try googling it. I found a more specific answer here: http://www.chacha.com/askChaCha/how+much+calories+does+doing+planks+burn. You are probably only going to burn about 10 cals/minute but by all means count if it makes you feel better!

    The site you referenced said 5.9 calories per minute. And even that seems like a wild overestimate, unless you are doing some additional movements while holding the plank position.
  • mheightchew
    mheightchew Posts: 334
    I do them, and just don't really count them.

    I agree - I kind of loop them in with a regular work out.

    me too
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    The easiest, most accurate thing to do is purchase a HRM and create your own exercises. I created a 5k, gym workout, and treadmill intervals. My gym workout includes all strength, circuits, and anything else I throw in there.

    This.

    I have a Polar FT7 (agreed to be highly accurate)...and I burn substantially more calories than MFP gives me for the strength training listed in the cardio section (In an hour of P90x strength training I'll burn 700cal...they give me like 330cal if I recall). Not allowing strength training to apply towards your caloric deficit just seems silly to me...but that's how they set it up for some reason.
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    When I do planks my HR is usually at my resting heart rate so it would be included in my normal activity so I don't count them. I count strength training when my heart rate gets above 100 (I wear my HRM).
  • ShaeDetermined
    ShaeDetermined Posts: 1,525 Member
    Planks are my friend.
    Forward planks, with leg lifts or arm raises. Side planks, with hip dips or toe taps.
    They are great for the core.
    I start and end each strength training workout with a 2minute plank of some sort.

    That being said, I don't log the calories.(Nor do I log most of my strength training)
    The benefits of planks are fantastic, but until your body really starts to shake your HOUR doesn't really increase, so calories burned are minimal.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Planks are my friend.
    Forward planks, with leg lifts or arm raises. Side planks, with hip dips or toe taps.
    They are great for the core.
    I start and end each strength training workout with a 2minute plank of some sort.

    That being said, I don't log the calories.(Nor do I log most of my strength training)
    The benefits of planks are fantastic, but until your body really starts to shake your HOUR doesn't really increase, so calories burned are minimal.

    ^^^^^

    Listen to her lol, shaindi's the plank queen =D.

    Honestly though...my core strength improved dramatically with planks (I do them tabata interval style for now...wow, ouch). I can't wait to get back to my bodyweight routine (now that I have a REAL pull up/dip station!), so I can start integrating some of these things back into my routine every day!
  • ShaeDetermined
    ShaeDetermined Posts: 1,525 Member
    Awwww :flowerforyou: Cris!

    (Btw, gotta love autocorrect on my phone: "HOUR" in my post should read "HR" - as in heartrate!)
  • thkelly
    thkelly Posts: 466 Member
    The easiest, most accurate thing to do is purchase a HRM and create your own exercises. I created a 5k, gym workout, and treadmill intervals. My gym workout includes all strength, circuits, and anything else I throw in there.

    This.

    I have a Polar FT7 (agreed to be highly accurate)...and I burn substantially more calories than MFP gives me for the strength training listed in the cardio section (In an hour of P90x strength training I'll burn 700cal...they give me like 330cal if I recall). Not allowing strength training to apply towards your caloric deficit just seems silly to me...but that's how they set it up for some reason.

    HRMs are not accurate when it comes to strength training. only cardio
  • amsparky
    amsparky Posts: 825 Member
    I don't count them either. I just lump it in with my strength/jump training days...
  • AnneGenevieveS
    AnneGenevieveS Posts: 441 Member
    They aren't really cardiovascular, althought they are great core/strength training. I do not count the calories burned, as they are most likely minimal.

    If you are doing walking planks or side planks, this involves some movements. I would use a heart rate monitor to calculate it if I counted this, but heart rate monitors do not accurately calculate burned calories from non-cardio exercise.
  • StevenPlevel
    StevenPlevel Posts: 1 Member
    Hey Betsy,

    A plank will usually burn about 3% (0.03333) of your weight in calories. So, if you weigh 120lbs. then you will burn about 4 calories in 1 minute. If you weight 150lbs. you will burn 5 calories in 1 minute.
    I hope this helps. message me if you have any other questions.

    Cheers,

    Steven Plevel
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I do them as part of a circuit training routine, but it's a more advanced variation that involves holding the plank while dragging a sandbag across the ground. Burns more calories that way.
  • lindseylazaro
    lindseylazaro Posts: 1 Member
    Planks don't really count for anything except strengthening your core. Cardio is key to calorie burns!
  • LeDitmar
    LeDitmar Posts: 1
    They aren't really cardiovascular, althought they are great core/strength training. I do not count the calories burned, as they are most likely minimal.

    If you are doing walking planks or side planks, this involves some movements. I would use a heart rate monitor to calculate it if I counted this, but heart rate monitors do not accurately calculate burned calories from non-cardio exercise.

    annegenevieve: why? Why does it only burn calories if you're moving? Seriously, explain the physics of this to me. If your heart rate is elevated, why would it matter if you are in motion or stationary? Why would your heart differentiate?
  • RonW956
    RonW956 Posts: 105 Member
    Never did core work in my life however after learning that core exercises can help with my jogging I started doing planks. Now Im able to do 3 sets of 60 sec on forward facing and side planks....

    If you want to see a interesting video just get on You tube and look for George Hood's record breaking longest plank.... the guy was dripping sweat & shaking... Im pretty sure it was working his heart pretty good...
  • rlwilson19
    rlwilson19 Posts: 1
    I do them and just count them as part of my of my low impact aerobics.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
    Hey Betsy,

    A plank will usually burn about 3% (0.03333) of your weight in calories. So, if you weigh 120lbs. then you will burn about 4 calories in 1 minute. If you weight 150lbs. you will burn 5 calories in 1 minute.
    I hope this helps. message me if you have any other questions.

    Cheers,

    Steven Plevel

    What Steven says is is exactly correct. Those of you who say planks do not burn calories or that you need an HRM and all that other stuff need to realize that intensity is a calorie burner.
  • hmrambling
    hmrambling Posts: 321 Member
    100 calories per 5 minutes. Source: http://www.flaviliciousfitness.com/blog/2013/01/29/best-ab-exercise/

    You will want to scroll down to the comments where people say that they don't believe one can burn 100 calories in 5 minutes. :ohwell:
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    Planks are not for calorie burns - they are a special treat for your core.
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
    You can burn calories with planks if you move from side to side!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I have done them at times but get bored with them as there are compound exercise that do better for strength in the ab area I seen some have already stated they only burn minimal calories not even worth counting which I totally agree.

    **For those of you using a HRM, they are only for steady state of cardio and will give you a false reading.
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