What looks like a simple exercise but is almost never easy? The plank!

The plank is a bodyweight exercise that you can do anywhere, whether you’re at our Thornton gym, at home, or even when you’re traveling. All you have to do is hold your body up on your hands and feet, as if you’re about to do a pushup. Sounds easy, right?

Sure, getting into the plank position is easy, and holding the plank position for a few seconds can be easy. But since planking is something that can be done indefinitely, the difficulty level can range from easy, 5-second planks to an excruciating exercise that leaves your entire body trembling.

It turns out, holding a plank is a seriously challenging workout that also comes with a serious list of benefits. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to perform a proper plank and the many benefits that this straightforward exercise offers when you do it every day.

How to do a plank

The two most basic plank positions are high planks and low planks. Both are almost identical — the only difference is, with a high plank you’re holding your body up higher up on your hands (as if you’re about to do a pushup), and with a low plank, you’re holding your body up on your elbows. These plank variations work the same muscles, but with a low plank, you’re putting less pressure on your wrists.

To perform a low plank, follow these steps:

1. Lie face down on the floor, preferably on a mat, and have some type of stopwatch with you so that you can time yourself. Cell phone stopwatches are perfect for this.
2. The next step is to get your body into a proper plank position. True to its name, the exercise is called a “plank” because you’re going to be suspending your body in a straight line during the entire exercise, as if you’re a plank.
3. Staying in the prone position, bend your elbows 90 degrees directly under your shoulders and keep your forearms in front of you. Keep your head relaxed and looking at the floor.
4. Extend your legs behind you to hold up your lower body by your toes and the balls of your feet.
5. The point of the exercise is to hold your body off the ground, as straight as possible. Don’t rise your hips up or let them sag down.
6. Hold this position for as long as you can. When your form begins to suffer, stop the exercise. You can start with 5- or 10-second planks, and then go a few seconds longer every day until you work up to 4- or 5-minute planks.
7. Remember to breathe properly, too. Inhale and exhale rhythmically throughout the duration of the exercise.

What are the benefits of planking every day at the gym?

One of the main benefits of planks is that they engage almost every major muscle group in your body, especially your core. Some of the most important muscle groups targeted by the plank include:

• The transversus abdominis, the set of muscles that is the foundation for developing your abdominals
• The rectus abdominis, which is the “six-pack” area that most people think of when they’re looking at their abs in the mirror
• Your oblique muscles which are responsible for your ability to twist and bend at your waist
• Your glutes which help support your back and provide that often-desired shape to your backside
• Your biceps, neck, and shoulder muscles
• The muscles in your thighs

Improve your core definition

Since planking is known for its ability to work your core muscles, this exercise can help you build some impressive looking six-pack abs. In addition, strengthening your core muscles will help you lift heavier weights, jump higher, and be more stable when bending down and to the side.

Your core muscles must be trained on a regular basis, but they’re often neglected, which can lead to injuries later in life. Planks are a great way to maintain strength in your core, enabling you to carry yourself through almost every action you perform on a daily basis.

Improve your posture

A lot of people don’t give much thought to their posture, and even from a young age many of us aren’t taught to sit or stand properly. The good news is, planking can improve your posture by helping you to be more aware of how you hold your body. Having strong core muscles also improves your posture naturally since these muscles help your body carry its own weight and achieve proper balance and alignment. By targeting all the areas of your body that are responsible for good posture, planks effectively improve it. In turn, this will help you suffer less back pain and look healthier and more confident overall.

Reduce and prevent back pain

Similar to how planks help improve your posture, they also can help reduce and prevent back pain.

First, by improving your posture, planks help to align the vertebrae which takes stress off the spinal region. They also help to align the ligaments in your back properly, which helps you prevent painful back conditions.

Also, by building up your abdominal muscles through planking, you’ll take a lot of pressure off your back muscles. Similar to how a back brace supports the muscles in your lower back, strong abdominal muscles help to hold up your body’s weight when you’re standing, sitting, carrying things, and performing other everyday tasks.

Having strong abdominal muscles also can help prevent osteoarthritis – a degenerative joint condition – from forming in your spine. Osteoarthritis is a leading source of back pain. By building up the muscles in your abdomen and the rest of your core, you can support the joints in the spine and prevent them from wearing down as much over time.

Boost your metabolism

In addition to burning about 2-5 calories per minute, planking helps boost your metabolism by building muscle mass throughout your body. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, which means the muscle tissue you gain by planking will help you burn more calories throughout the day, even if you’re just sitting at your desk.

Improve your balance

When you plank, you’re forcing yourself to balance your body on your arms and toes without falling over. This improves your ability to balance, which helps you move in ways to prevent injury whether you’re walking to your mailbox, hiking on the trails, or skiing on the slopes. Many people think their legs and arms are responsible for balance, but the majority of your stabilization comes from your core, which are the muscles that you’re working during a plank. Planks also help build endurance in your core muscles, which helps you maintain balance for a longer time during exhausting situations.

Improve your concentration, confidence, and mood

Would you be surprised to learn that planks can also be good for your mental health? It’s true, planking can have multiple benefits on your state of mind.

Many people say that half of working out is in your mind, and the plank offers proof of this — many of us can hold a plank for much longer than we think we can, but we give up too soon. Planking every day and building up to do longer and longer planks can be incredibly beneficial for your concentration, focus, and confidence.

Additionally, planks exercise muscle groups that are known for creating stress and tension in the body. If you sit in a chair for most of the day, you know the tension that can build up in your shoulders, arms, lower back, and thighs. Planks work all these areas, making them stronger, more flexible, and better prepared to carry you through your day.

Plus, all forms of exercise trigger the release of “feel good” chemicals in your body called endorphins. These endorphins interact with receptors in your brain, helping to reduce your perception of pain. After planking, you can experience a feeling similar to a “runner’s high” that gives you a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Increase your flexibility

Planking doesn’t feel like your typical stretching exercise but it can boost your flexibility. Doing a classic plank lengthens and stretches your hamstrings, which are the major muscles in the back of your upper legs that cause pain when they get too tight. Planks also stretch the arches and balls of your feet which can improve your range of motion and balance. You can also do variations of planks, like side planks, to stretch your oblique muscles and help you rotate your trunk easier.

AFAC Gym Is the Perfect Place to Plank Every Day

Planking is a great exercise to use as part of your warm-up or cool-down routine at AFAC gym. Combine your daily plank with our wide range of strength training equipment, cardiovascular equipment, and fitness classes, and you’ll have everything you need to achieve your fitness goals. The personal trainers and staff at AFAC gym are here to provide you with ongoing support and assistance.

Are you interested in becoming a member of AFAC gym? Learn more about how to join the best gym in Thornton, Colorado, by stopping by or giving us a call. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

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