60 Minutes per Month Plank Challenge - August 2018!

Spliner1969
Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
This is a pretty simple challenge thread for those that want to have some accountability with their plank workouts. This plank challenge thread is meant to be flexible enough that people of various fitness levels should be able to successfully complete it as long as they are consistent with doing their planks regularly. If you find you cannot complete 60 minutes. or want to do more, you are welcome to set your own goals, many of us do.

Original Challenge Goal - 60 minutes of planks for the month. That's about 2 minutes of planks daily, or 3 minutes of planks for 20 days or 5 minutes of planks for 12 days...or...what ever you want to do to reach the challenge goal. I, personally, do mixed planks of up to 10 minutes per day. I split them up throughout my normal workouts or do them in a couple of longer mixed sets at the end of my normal workout routine.

>>If you are already a planking superstar or start to consistently hit the challenge goal, feel free to post your own goal at the beginning of the challenge that is higher than the one for the posted challenge. Or post an updated goal once you hit 60 minutes.
>>If you join us late in the month, feel free to post an alternate goal that is in the spirit of the original challenge (for example, joining around the 15th would be a 30 minute plank challenge to finish out the month).

How many sets? As many as you need. If you can do a 5 minute plank in one set, that is amazing!! If you want to do a few sets of 1 - 2 minute planks, that's cool! If you need to break up your planks into multiple sets of 15-30 seconds, that's okay too! I do a 5-minute set that goes something like this:

30 seconds forearm, 30 seconds straight arm with 15 push ups added in for good measure, 30 seconds left side plank, 30 seconds right side plank, repeat the 30 second side planks until I hit 5 minutes total without stopping. Mixing things up gives me a more rounded workout, and I generally never hold any one position longer than 1 minute. I'll then stop, do some yoga, stretching, maybe a few crunches or leg lifts, inverted bicycles, then I'll go back and do this 5-minute plank again to finish up my 10 minutes for the day. Feel free to create your own.

Types of planks? ALL planks and their variations count! Straight arm planks, forearm/elbow planks, side planks, reverse planks, etc. This allows you to vary your planks depending on your personal workout goals. (See next post for a variety of planking ideas.) I even add push ups during some of my planks as well as leg raises, etc. to push just a bit harder. Remember form is more important than length of the plank. Don't slouch. Make sure your core is tight during each plank, don't put all the pressure on your arms or legs. There are plenty of youtube videos (some examples below) about how to make a plank effective with good form. Take some time and view a few of them. It'll help in the long run. Your times can increase as you get better, no worries if you can only do a few seconds at first. Rest, and do a few more seconds, or switch positions.

How to join / participate? Just post your intended goal, then the total minutes of the planks you did for the day and your running total for the month. Just post either daily or as often as you can with your running totals. No spreadsheets, no groups. Easy peasy.

Last month's 60 minute plank challenge thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10677813/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-july-2018/

Welcome and get planking!!

As always, I am continuing this challenge once again for @b3achy, the original author. All credit goes to her for starting this thing many many moons ago. All original examples, quoted text, and ideas were, and still are, her contribution. I've added things along the way to help, and if anyone has suggestions I'd be happy to incorporate more. She tells me she copied this from another site, well.. it's ours now! I take no credit here, just keeping the torch lit in her absence. Stay tuned for some examples, and happy planking!

I'd like to add (as stated above in bold) that it has long since been a tradition that we accept any goal. If you don't feel you can do 60 minutes, or if you start late in the month, we want you here. So post your personal goal and start planking. You can come back each month and increase your times until you reach the challenge goal or go beyond it. Some of us go way beyond it and that's ok too. There's no need to feel you have to out match someone else. Your goals are just that, yours. We have never been judgemental. Everyone needs a strong core, and we believe this is a good path to that goal!

Some examples:

30 Day Beginner Plank Challenge - builds to a 2 minute plank (total is 26 minutes and 55 seconds for the month, so 33 minutes and 5 seconds short of 60 minutes. Recommend doing multiples earlier in the program when they are shorter to get more minutes for 60):
30-day-plank-workout6.jpg

30 Day Advanced Plank Workout - building to 5 minute planks (total is 53 minutes and 20 seconds for the month, so 6 minutes and 40 seconds short of 60 minutes unless you do multiples earlier in the program):
30-day-plank-challenge-chart.jpg

Here's an Alternate 30 Day Plank Workout (for beginners, intermediate, and advanced) that also builds to 5 minutes of Planks (by doing multiples of no more than 30 sec planks; also 53 minutes and 20 seconds for the month):
30-day-plank-challenge-10-1024.jpg?cb=1438051399
For details on the variations, here's the full slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/TodaysFitnessTrainer/30-day-plank-challenge[/quote]
b3achy wrote: »
Intermediate Plank Workouts:
These are intermediate level workouts, good to try once you have a good foundation of standard planks and are looking for something more interesting or with more variety.

3 minute Bowflex Plank Workout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynUw0YsrmSg

Rebecca Louise 5 minute Plank Workout (shows nearly proper form (butt's a little too far in the air, IMO), and modified forms):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Ge7uGpjFY

DareBee 5 minute Plank Workout:
five-minute-plank-workout.jpg

DareBee Killer Core Plank Workout:
killer-core-workout.jpg

Advanced Workouts:
Do not try these if you have never done a plank before. These are workouts to build up to once you successfully establish a good foundation of standard planks (and probably only once you've managed to do some of the intermediate workouts).

15 Minute Advanced Plank Workout:
wh-15-min-plank-workout_0.jpeg
See details in this article ~ http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/plank-abs-workout

FitnessBlender 10 minute Advanced Plank Workout (this looks brutal):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DNN9a5pU2A

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Replies

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    I'm in again this month for 120 minutes. See you all August 1st!
  • SSpeakes
    SSpeakes Posts: 95 Member
    I think I'd like to try this and really challenge myself. Here's to 60 minutes!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    I'll be here once I finish up July's challenge (looking very good for me meeting my 20 day / 45 minute July target)
  • jimpadden
    jimpadden Posts: 1 Member
    Will be starting this one as well, hoping this will be a good start to improve my core. Good luck everyone
  • jibeirish
    jibeirish Posts: 244 Member
    I'd like to join in on this challenge :)
  • emincarnato
    emincarnato Posts: 7 Member
    I'm down for 60 minutes.
  • jlocklear2642
    jlocklear2642 Posts: 1 Member
    Count me in 😊
  • brittnotshy
    brittnotshy Posts: 43 Member
    I'm in! :)
  • kleag71
    kleag71 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm in. I'm new to planks, so I will start with a 31 minute goal for the month of August.
  • tahu010
    tahu010 Posts: 63 Member
    I’m in!
  • twyla77
    twyla77 Posts: 445 Member
    I’m in for 60 mins! awesome! thanks for creating this challenge!
  • lbenson2006
    lbenson2006 Posts: 3,372 Member
    I'm in. Haven't decided goal yet. @lmc8009 ur with me and holding me accountable right? ;)<3
  • karenesg
    karenesg Posts: 318 Member
    I'm going to do it!! 60 minutes in August. Will check in weekly. Best of luck everyone!
  • karenesg
    karenesg Posts: 318 Member
    I'm going to do it!! 60 minutes in August.

    Good luck everyone!

    And be sure your form is correct. Is important to keep your spine - including your neck/head - in line to avoid damage.
  • branvil
    branvil Posts: 11 Member
    I would like to try.
  • allison8668
    allison8668 Posts: 885 Member
    I did June - but skipped out on July. I think I'm coming back for August - there def is a benefit.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Awesome participation so far and the month's not even started! You guys are going to keep me on my toes in August! ;)

  • lmc8009
    lmc8009 Posts: 9,190 Member
    I'm in. Haven't decided goal yet. @lmc8009 ur with me and holding me accountable right? ;)<3

    @lbenson2006 - You know it! I need to figure out a realistic goal... Maybe you can help me come up with something. :)
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Feel free to set a goal and change it later. It's not about sticking to a specific number, it's more about building a stronger core through consistency. Whether you can do that in 10 minutes/month or 180 minutes a month is up to you. The original goal was 60 minutes but we accept any goal. Some of us, myself included, have ended up sick or injured half way through a month and had to adjust, and that's completely fine.

    ;)
  • RedneckDentist
    RedneckDentist Posts: 73 Member
    yeah ive already changed my mind, im going for 90 minutes