Plank exercises are one of the popular types of core strengthening exercises that can help better your posture, coordination, balance, and overall strength. This bodyweight exercise primarily focuses on the muscles in the core region, including the obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and lower back muscles.
How to perform a plank
Credits: Shutterstock
Stretch your arms straight below your shoulders, your toes pressing into the floor, and your body forming a straight slant line from your head to your feet.The basic plank exercise is mainly performed by holding a static position like a push-up position.
The exercise is commonly done for a set amount of time, ranging from 20 seconds to several minutes, and can be modified to make it simpler or more difficult depending on your endurance and fitness level.
To perfect a plank exercise, follow the below mentioned steps:
Start by placing yourself face down on the floor with your forearms flat on the floor and your elbows positioned directly below your shoulders. Your hands must be flat on the floor with your palms facing downwards.
Continue by extending your legs out behind you with your toes pressing into the floor. Your body should form a straight and slant line from your head to your feet.
Engage your core muscles by sucking your navel in, and squeeze your glutes to help maintain the correct posture and alignment of your body.
Hold this position for a fixed amount of time, starting with 20-30 seconds and gradually increasing as you build upper body strength and endurance.
When you’re about to end the plank exercise, gently drop your knees to the floor and rest in a child’s pose for a few breaths. It helps release tension in your lower back muscles.
Some of the few things to remember while doing a plank are:
Ensure to keep your body in a straight line. Refrain from sagging in your lower back or raising your hips.
If you’re a beginner, start with shorter time periods and gradually increase the duration of the plank as your strength improves with time.
Additionally, you can add changes to your routine by incorporating variations of planks like side planks, reverse planks, and others to challenge your core in different ways and increase your endurance.
Variations in plank exercises
Side plank
Credits: Shutterstock
To perform side planks, start by positioning yourself in the basic plank position, shift your weight to one side and lift your opposite arm straight up. Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
Benefits of side planks
Side planks focus on the muscles in the core, including the obliques, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis. By holding a side plank, you work on these muscles, helping to better their strength, endurance and stability.
Side planks challenge your coordination, stability and balance, as you need to hold your body weight on one arm and foot. Over time, this can help improve your overall balance and coordination. Side planks also improve your posture.
Reverse plank
Credits: Shutterstock
To do reverse planks, sit on the floor with your legs stretched in front of you and your hands flat on the floor behind you, and fingers pointing away from your body. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight and slant line from your head to your feet. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Benefits of reverse planks
Reverse planks engage the muscles in the shoulders, arms, and wrists simultaneously, helping to strengthen and tone them.
Single-leg plank
Credits: Shutterstock
Begin in a basic plank position, then lift one leg off the ground and hold for 10-15 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. By lifting one leg off the ground, a single leg plank also engages the hip muscles, including the glutes and hip flexors, helping to improve their strength and stability.
Benefits of single-leg planks
Single-leg planks challenge your coordination, stability and balance, as you need to hold your body weight on one foot.
Plank jacks
Credits: Shutterstock
Start by placing yourself in a traditional plank position, then jump both feet out to the sides and back in again, like when you’re doing a jumping jack. Continue for 20-30 seconds.
Benefits of plank jacks
Plank jacks are a cardio-intensive exercise that elevates your heart rate, helping to better your cardiovascular fitness. Like other cardio exercises, plank jacks can also aid in burning calories and promoting weight loss.
Knee-to-elbow plank
Credits: Shutterstock
Starting from a basic plank position, bring your right knee up toward your right elbow, squeezing your core. Return to the original position, then repeat on the left side. Continue alternating for at least 20-30 seconds.
Benefits of knee-to-elbow planks
Knee-to-elbow planks can help in fat loss and promote healthy weight loss. This variation requires stability in the hips and shoulders, which can help improve these regions over time. They also require bringing the knees to the elbows, which can help enhance flexibility in the hip flexors. This plank variation requires coordination between the upper and lower body, helping to improve coordination and balance.
Benefits of plank exercises
Credits: Shutterstock
Improved core strength
Plank exercises primarily target the muscles in the core and lower back. By performing a plank exercise, you engage these muscles in your torso, helping to improve their endurance, strength and stability. Planks also help in toning these muscle groups.
Increased overall strength
Plank exercises also focus on the upper body muscles in the shoulders, arms, and lower body muscles, benefitting overall strength and stability of the body.
Better posture
Planks are one of the best strength training exercises to improve posture. Strong core muscles can help improve your overall posture, reducing the risk of lower back pain and promoting better alignment.
Reduced risk of injury
By strengthening your core and improving your overall body endurance, plank exercises can help reduce your risk of injury during other intense physical activities like sports or weightlifting, etc.
Improved athletic performance
Many sports and activities require strong core muscles, good balance and stability. By improving these physical elements, plank exercises can help enhance your athletic performance in various sports and physical games.
Convenience
Plank exercises require no fitness machinery or equipment. They can be done anywhere and at any time, making them a convenient option for everyone. They are also time-effective exercises that provide a maximum amount of health benefits.
Guide to incorporating planks in different exercises
Planks are one of the most versatile exercises that can be incorporated into a number of cardio and weight training exercises to enhance their intensity and focus on multiple muscle groups. Here are some of the few ways to incorporate planks into other workouts:
Planks with push-ups
Credits: Shutterstock
Start in a high plank position and do a push-up. Return to the original plank position and repeat for several reps. This variation exercise targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and the core, strengthening and toning.
Planks with mountain climbers
Credits: Shutterstock
Starting in a high plank position, bring one knee toward the chest, alternating legs at a quick pace. This exercise focuses on the muscles in core, shoulders, and legs.
Planks with side planks
Credits: Shutterstock
Beginning in a high plank position, rotate to a side plank on one arm, lifting the opposite arm upwards. Return to the first plank position and repeat on the other side. This exercise targets the core and the obliques.
Planks with leg lifts
Credits: Shutterstock
Start in a high plank position and lift one leg. Return to the plank position and repeat on the other leg. This exercise works on the core and hip muscles.
Planks with shoulder taps
Credits: Shutterstock
Starting in a high plank position, tap one shoulder with the opposite hand, alternating sides rapidly. This exercise is mainly suitable for toning the core, shoulders, and triceps.
Planks with renegade rows
Credits: Shutterstock
Place yourself in a high plank position with dumbbells in each hand. Perform a row on each side alternately, lifting the dumbbell towards the chest. This exercise targets muscles in the core, back, and arms.
Special Story [widgetId: 15979]
Social and lead images credits: Instagram/kareenakapoorkhan, Yash Raj Films
