Planking

raven3lise
raven3lise Posts: 107 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so my coworkers invited me to come plank with them in the conference room at noon every day, and they go for about 1:30 to 2 minutes at a time. I've never done this before; I broke the trunk lift record in high school gym, I can go at 6mph on an elliptical for 30 minutes at a time (a big accomplishment for me because it puts my heart rate at a minimum of 170) And then.... I can barely hold a plank for five seconds. I feel it too, it's all in my giant hips, like the second they lift from the floor the muscles are yelling at me in confusion. In the end, I ended up having to put most of my weight on my elbows which I tucked under my chest. How do I have no upper body strength whatsoever?? On the pulldown machine at the gym, I can do 50lbs without feeling resistance. Most other machines are at 30lbs.

Replies

  • raven3lise
    raven3lise Posts: 107 Member
    Side note, because it might be relevant, after the planking sessions, I feel the burn directly at the bottom of my lower rectus abdominis, which I'm assuming means I'm doing something right because that's a problem area. (5 inches off my chest and 1 off my stomach, what kind of sick joke is that)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Do it tabata style for the duration. 20 seconds on, 20 off, and work those intervals up over time. It's easier on your hands, too, than elbows, so you could do that.
  • RandJ6280
    RandJ6280 Posts: 1,161 Member
    I need to start planking..... but someone (who is NOT in shape) said it's bad for my back. Any thoughts?
  • raven3lise
    raven3lise Posts: 107 Member
    As a certified Person Who is Not In Shape(TM), I find my lower back feels good after two planking sessions. That spot right under your stomach is gonna hurt, but no back pain.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    You can also do it from your knees instead. I actually just get really bad elbow burn (regardless of surface) when I plank long before my shoulders or abs hate me. There's also not much benefit going longer than a minute. I'm not someone who planks for the sake of planking and prefer variations and other stuff that works my core.

    Have to bear in mind too, that while you can pull 50lbs easily, you are holding your entire body weight on only a few points. That's hard!
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    Another adaptation (in addition to 20 secs on/off) is to do it from your knees rather than from your feet. I would hold it from your feet for as long as you can, and then go to your knees (so you are still in plank form, but you have less weight to bear). Keep working on it, and you should be able to do it for longer periods while building up your core.
  • RandJ6280
    RandJ6280 Posts: 1,161 Member
    raven3lise wrote: »
    As a certified Person Who is Not In Shape(TM), I find my lower back feels good after two planking sessions. That spot right under your stomach is gonna hurt, but no back pain.

    Thank-you... I can't wait to get home and plank. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm looking forward to the ab pain.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Holding plank is great but it shouldn't be your only exercise.
  • RandJ6280
    RandJ6280 Posts: 1,161 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    RandJ6280 wrote: »
    I need to start planking..... but someone (who is NOT in shape) said it's bad for my back. Any thoughts?
    @RandJ6280
    First thought is - what a load of cobblers!
    Funny how out of shape people come up with the best excuses not to do something - yes I am cynical.

    Planks come in a large variety to allow progression, not just in time, but also in difficulty. Superman planks with shoulder taps are challenging....
    I had a huge back spasm last week (I've got badly damaged lumbar discs) and now I'm passed the initial acute phase I'm starting a rehab program focused on building core strength to compensate for my injured spine.
    Planks of many varieties are featuring strongly in my (professionally designed) program.

    I'm with you... funny how someone who is out of shape are the first ones to try and discredit an idea or put down a person for trying... which is what they should be doing. Thanks for the advice.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    RandJ6280 wrote: »
    I need to start planking..... but someone (who is NOT in shape) said it's bad for my back. Any thoughts?

    Well, it's bad for your back if you don't use proper form. So plank and practice proper form. For me, if I start feeling it in my low back, I know I need to raise my hips a little bit.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    MostlyWater wrote: »
    Holding plank is great but it shouldn't be your only exercise.

    Yep, I do a five minute tabata as part of a 15-20 minute ab routine a couple days a week and it works for me.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    raven3lise wrote: »
    How do I have no upper body strength whatsoever??

    plank isn't so much about upper-body though. as you said yourself, it was your hips that were throwing the fit.

    you don't keep your hips off the floor with your traps or your pecs, yanno :wink: i sympathize though. when i first read about planks, i thought pfftt . . . easy. i can't remember how long i held it, but it probably wasn't even 10 seconds per time. and for two or three days afterwards i had doms in my intercostal muscles.
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