According to many experts, the plank is one of the best poses for shaping the abdominal muscles, butt, legs, arms and back. At the same time, this pose enhances our stability and posture. But, there is another thing that makes this exercise special. Plank can easily be modified and adjusted to increase movement and increase heart rate.
Here’s what you need to do. Every week, begin with the first task we will present here and repeat it as many time as you need until you finally complete it. After that, you can try the second week activities. Feel free to practice at any pace you want, but remember to exercise every day so you can finish what you have started in one week.
Week One
- Improve your shape – with the help of planks you will be able to improve your form, but in order to achieve this you must be sure that you are creating a perfectly straight line that start from your heels and ends on your head.
- Start by standing – first of all, stand up in a straight position and keep the feet hip-width apart. Once you get in this position ask someone to slowly disrupt your balance. Focus on the muscles that you must activate to preserve balance. This is the same feeling that you get when you are performing plank.
- Master the position – Lie down on your stomach, put the forearms right beneath the shoulders. Put some pressure on the toes and contract the glutes. Remain in this position between 5 and 10 seconds.
- Activate the timer – keep your plank for half a minute or even more if you can. In case you need to take a break, put the knees on the ground for 2-3 seconds.
Week Two
- Improve endurance – in case you experience lower back or shoulder pain when you begin to keep the plank for a longer period of time or the butt starts going up, take a break and start again.
- Perfect 30 – Keep the plank for 30 second without any breaks.
- Extra 15 – Keep the half minute plank and after that rest in a simple downward dog position for up to five seconds. Next, get back to your plank and remain in this position for additional 15 seconds.
- Reach one minute – Keep a 45-second plank, take a 5-second break and being a 15-second plank.
- Reach 90 – try to keep the plank for 60 seconds. Next, take a 5-second downward dog position rest and once the rest is over do a half minute plank.
Week Three
- Modify the exercise – try these variations separately. Perform them for 60 seconds each.
- Redirect the mass’ center – create a forearm plank, drop the left hip so the left thigh touches the ground. Get back to the initial position and drop the right hip. Do the same again.
- Check the balance – straighten the left arm in front of the body, parallel to the ground without affecting the form. Get back to the initial position and extend the right arm after that. Perform this procedure with the left and right legs too.
- Switch levels – begin with a plank on the forearms. Push up on the left hand, after that use your right hand in order to form a high plank. Get back to the left forearm and after that to the right forearm. Perform the same procedure and switch the starting arm every time.
Via Health