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Duration of the plank - intense training or exercise for the body? Plank exercise: what is the effect in a week

What a cool exercise! The plank is both effortless and makes you feel every second as if it were your last. However, despite its simplicity, many people do it wrong. We've chosen three ways to help you improve your bar and make it even cooler!

Test yourself

Proper technique in fitness is everything! If you do it wrong, then your exercise is not only ineffective, but also potentially harmful. Of course, in the case of a plank, you are unlikely to get injured, but it’s better to do the exercise correctly, right?

So here is the correct procedure:

Take a lying position.
Bend your elbows and place your forearms on the floor so that they lie parallel to each other. Clench your palms into fists.
Straighten your body into a string, but do not overstrain your neck and back.
Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles. These are the two main muscle groups that are worked in this exercise.
Hold the plank until your muscles start to burn. Look at the floor in front of you and do not raise your head up.

Time yourself

When doing a plank, many people don’t hold it long enough. I'm not arguing that this is a hard exercise and sometimes the burning becomes unbearable, but I'm sure you want to improve and become stronger. And to do this, you need to time yourself and hold the bar a little longer each time.

Use a timer on your smartphone or watch to keep track of time. I don’t recommend keeping your eyes on the timer all the time, as every second will seem like an eternity. :)

Breathe

One tip that will noticeably improve your bar is to breathe. After the first 20 seconds, breathing correctly becomes more and more important. At first it will be quite difficult to pay attention to breathing, but after a while you will understand that by inhaling and exhaling correctly, you can significantly increase the time in the plank.

At rest, we breathe 12 times per minute. And with intense exercise, this number increases to 80! This is a good reason to start thinking about proper breathing.

Plank is a great way. And, remembering the sensations that accompany this exercise, I want to repeat it again and again. And you?

Hello my dear readers! We continue to disassemble ours, there is not much left, today we are studying the penultimate exercise, which is called the Elbow Stand “Plank”. The exercise is quite original.

In each of the exercises we studied there was a striking similarity: the positive phase of the movement is as you exhale, the negative phase as you inhale. There are no twists or straightenings in today's exercise. The exercise is static, we are in the same position throughout the exercise. Unusual, right? for the rectus abdominis muscle, according to research, is equal to classic crunches on the floor. For the oblique muscle, “Planck” showed very high effectiveness, scoring 2.3 points.

You can reinforce your abdominal workout with a plank by performing the exercise after other exercises planned in the workout. Elbow stands can also be used as daily exercise. Just 2 minutes a day can make your abs firm and your muscles toned. Of course, hovering above the floor, even if only for a couple of minutes a day, is not the easiest task. But the results will begin to appear after two weeks.

This is the second edition of the article about the plank. After the first publication, I began to actively implement this exercise, and today the article will contain features that I personally noticed.

Benefits of the elbow stand:

Just a few minutes daily is enough to keep your body in good shape;
There are no contraindications, you can do it even on a full stomach;
Helps great;
Very fast results;
All muscles work;
The plank can be performed wherever your heart desires; no equipment is required.

What muscles work?

The main muscles involved are the abs, buttocks and core muscles. But in order to use the muscles as effectively as possible, you need to follow the technique as accurately as possible.

Exercise technique

Out of habit, I almost started writing: “in the original position...”. Here, essentially, all you need to do is master the starting position. Since the exercise is static, it is very important to consider the position of the body in detail. I suggest you look at the figure below and consider each point carefully:

Body position:

Elbow position: To avoid unnecessary stress on the deltoids, the elbows should be placed clearly under the shoulders.
Abdomen: To increase the effectiveness of the Plank, you need to tighten your abs and in this position pull it towards the ribs. You need to keep your stomach tense from the beginning to the end of the time allotted for the exercise, while breathing evenly, without holding your breath.
Lower back: The main condition is that there is no discomfort. It happens that in a certain position the lower back pulls and ache (especially when the lower back bends). So this shouldn't happen. I noticed that by rounding the lower back and at the same time tensing the abdominal muscles, the abdominal muscles are worked out especially well! In general, we listen to our own feelings and feel how comfortable we are and how not.
Buttocks: You need to keep your buttocks tense the entire time you perform Plank. A tight butt puts more strain on your core muscles.
Legs: Straight legs, the muscles of which are tense throughout the execution, will increase the load on the abs. If we allow ourselves to relax our legs, part of the load will be removed from the muscles we need.
Feet: It is better to press your feet together. The area of support will decrease, balance becomes more difficult to maintain, and accordingly, the load on the abdominal muscles will increase.

How long to hold the Plank?

Of course it all depends on your level of preparation. Some people hold the Plank for 2 minutes, others for 10 seconds. I advise beginners to start with a little time. For example, on the first day, stand for 15 seconds, the next 25, and so on, progressively reaching your maximum. The main thing is not to stop at any limits. If you manage to do 2 minutes, you don’t need to anchor on this number.

Typical beginner mistakes

The most common mistake when doing planks is arching your lower back. A bent lower back brings us unpleasant sensations and a possible risk of injuring the lower back.

In order to avoid these mistakes, you need to pull the lower abdomen as if towards the chest, and pull the tailbone as if towards the heels. It is important to form an even, parallel to the floor, line from the chest to the knees to the chest. When performing the exercise, you need to feel your abs, it is especially important to feel toned bottom part belly. To do this, you can pull your heels back a little.

I try to tense my abs as much as possible while doing the Plank. And although I’ve been actively practicing this exercise for half a year, at maximum tension I’m already pounding. After 3 approaches of “Planks”, the abs become just like stone.

The knees are tense all the time, which will not allow them to sag down;
You need to hang in the air with the help of abdominal tension and stretching of the spine; there is no need to shift the weight forward by shifting the load on the forearms;
During Planck, the shoulder blades are pressed against the spine, and do not stick out upward like wings;
The head should not go down, there is no need to pull the chin to the chest, the gaze is directed just above the horizon line;
The socks are brought together; the wider the socks, the more load goes from the abs to the knees.

Plank abdominal exercise as a morning exercise

Plank is a wonderful way to wake yourself up in the morning. When sliding out of bed, you can hover above the floor for 30–90 seconds with your eyes closed. It’s hard, of course, but awakening is guaranteed. Ideally, you can repeat the procedure after the morning toilet.

Consequences of elbow stands

A few more words about Planck

When mastering the “Plank”, it is quite possible that your abs and legs will tremble. It’s okay: trembling means you’re tense, and tense means you’re working!

Variations of the Planck exercise

When the classic “Plank” no longer works and has become too boring, you can try different variations of this exercise:

Plank on straight arms

Perhaps you should master the exercise from this type of “Plank”. This type static abdominal exercise minimally strains the lower back and is in fact the easiest.

We get into the starting position of push-ups from the floor and fixate in this position. After it is no longer difficult to hold such a “Plank” for 2 minutes, we move on to the classic plank on the elbows.

Plank with raised leg

You need to stand in a stance as for a regular “Plank”, and then raise one leg and hold in this position for a certain, maximum possible amount of time. Then take a break and do the “Plank” with the same amount of time for the second leg. This version of the exercise will greatly increase the work of the core muscles when performing. The support area decreases, and the load directly increases proportionally.

Well, the exercise, of course, becomes more difficult to do, not without this. An excellent solution for trained people would be to stand in the classic “Plank” for two minutes, and then stand for a minute on each leg.

Raised arm plank

It is necessary to stand in the same way as for a regular “Plank” on your elbows, fix the position of your body, and then straighten your arm. Stand on one hand for as long as you can, and after resting a little, do the exercise on the other hand. The version with the raised arm is more difficult than the one with the leg. Accordingly, the effectiveness of the exercise increases.

Side Plank

Of course, the exercise becomes much more difficult, because instead of four points of contact with the floor, there are only two left. Balance is more difficult to maintain, and accordingly, the load on the muscles increases.

Performance:

Lying on one (conditionally right) side, you need to place your elbow under your shoulder. The other hand rests on the thigh. Legs are strictly straight.
You need to lift the housing as shown in the figure. We tighten our abs and lift our pelvis off the floor. Raise it until the body occupies an even diagonal line.
Balancing on the forearm and the side of the foot, we stay on the forearm for the maximum amount of time. In a good way, it’s 30–60 seconds, but whoever has the time can do it.
After doing the exercise on one side, you need to rest a little and do the exercise with the same time on the other side.

Side Complicated Plank

This variation is for gourmets. This version of the exercise is very difficult; to perform it, it is not enough to be an amateur; you need to play sports professionally. To perform this, you first need to lock into the side “Plank” position, and then extend your arm and leg up. The arm and leg are as even as possible.

Hold this position for a while, then roll over to the opposite side and repeat the exercise.

Plank on fitball

A fitball is great at adding weight and at the same time diversifying an exercise. It is more difficult to maintain balance on a fitball; at the same time as the muscles on the ball are trained, the sense of balance is also trained. To perform the exercise, you first need to kneel in front of the fitball, rest your hands on the ball, then straighten your legs and stay in the position for the required amount of time.

Ab exercise Plank video:

conclusions

Elbow stand “Plank” is an excellent exercise for shaping beautiful body. According to the results of the study, this exercise was equal in effectiveness to classic crunches. We already know what to pump beautiful abs is possible only through an integrated approach. However, doing an elbow stand every day as an exercise can improve results and bring each of us closer to the dream of a beautiful and sexy body.

I wish everyone to quickly get closer to the standards of beauty and sexuality. And of course, success in sports and happiness in your personal life!

As usual I was with you Vitaly Okhrimenko .

Plank – universal exercise, which works almost all muscle groups: back, arms, hips and abs. At the same time, the muscles do not increase in size, since there is no additional scales. How long to stand in plank depends on the goal pursued - losing weight or improving physical performance. The plank strengthens and heals the body, improves mood through the production of the happiness hormone and improves posture. It effectively burns the fat layer on the abdomen, which helps to create relief or simply make the stomach more toned. If you stand in the plank for at least 5 minutes every day, after a month the results will already become noticeable. Beginners can start with 1 minute per day, gradually increasing the time to 10 minutes per day. Of course, you need to exercise intermittently; after two minutes of training, you need to rest for 30-60 seconds.

The speed of the result depends on the time allotted for execution.

The duration of the plank can last:

1 minute. During this time, the body burns only 5 calories, but during training the muscles begin to actively work, starting metabolism for the whole day. Blood circulation throughout the body is also activated, vigor and efficiency increase, and mood improves. Usually, beginners stand in the plank for 1 minute, taking short breaks. In the first days, you should not overexert yourself by training for more than a minute. Later, you can gradually add a few seconds a day to give the muscles time to get used to it;
5 minutes. Five minutes of planking a day, done with short breaks, is very good result, meaning that you have perfectly trained your muscles. This good charge which burns 25 calories. During this time, the muscles should get very tired, but if you celebrate that you are not yet at the limit, add another minute a day.
10 minutes. Only true professionals who have been training for months can do this much in the plank per day. During this time, the body burns 50 calories, the muscles warm up perfectly and disperse blood throughout the body, starting metabolism. This training time per day is the maximum; standing any longer is not recommended so as not to damage the muscles.

It is worth focusing not on the duration of one approach, but on the quality of execution. It is better to do several approaches with a break throughout the day than to do everything at once.

Plank standing time

The time it takes to stand in a plank varies depending on the person and the goals they are pursuing. You should start with one minute a day, gradually adding 20-30 seconds.

What matters is not the longest execution time without interruptions, but the quality and overall execution time. It’s better to stand in the plank for 30 seconds and take a 1-minute break than to stand for a minute straight and give up training.

Interesting! Research shows that an athletic and trained person can hold a plank for 2 minutes without any problems. If you have not exercised before, you will have to start with less time and gradually increase it.

Despite the fact that the duration of the approaches is selected individually, general recommendations for a monthly training schedule still exist. They consist of gradually increasing the volume of training and its duration. By following this method, you will achieve excellent results and make your body stronger and more resilient. Let's start with the classic plank and short approaches. Looking back at the end of the month, you will be surprised to find that you have increased your approach time several times. By doing different variations of the plank exercise for 5 minutes a day, you can easily lose weight.

Monthly training program

This monthly training program will help you make your body more resilient and fit, without overstraining it:

Day	Exercise time
1	20 seconds
2	20 seconds
3	30 seconds
4	30 seconds
5	40 seconds
6	Rest
7	45 seconds
8	45 seconds
9	1 minute
10	1 minute
11	1 minute
12	1 minute 30 seconds
13	Rest
14	1 minute 30 seconds
15	1 minute 30 seconds
16	2 minutes
17	2 minutes
18	2 minutes 30 seconds
19	Rest
20	2 minutes 30 seconds
21	2 minutes 30 seconds
22	3 minutes
23	3 minutes
24	3 minutes 30 seconds
25	3 minutes 30 seconds
26	Rest
27	4 minutes
28	4 minutes
29	4 minutes 30 seconds
30	5 minutes

The plank is not a replacement for training in the gym; it is only suitable as a warm-up for morning exercises. The plank will not help you pump up your abs or buttocks and gain beautiful figure without additional training. Along with the plank, you must do a set of exercises or do cardio exercises, such as running. If you spend a few minutes on the plank during a break between work or during morning exercises, it will definitely improve your performance. physical fitness, will help work digestive system and reduce back pain. This type of training does not last very long, which means it will not be difficult and not a burden.

The plank exercise is great way strengthen not only the abs, but the entire muscle corset, increase strength and, make the silhouette fit and improve well-being. The plank has dozens of variations, varying in degree of difficulty, however, they are all performed on the basis basic technology. The exercise is used in fitness, yoga, Pilates and various health practices. Let's look at what muscles work in this exercise, how to perform it correctly and what results it gives.

Muscle work

The main muscle groups that support the body in a straightened position during the plank are the abs and back. In addition, the muscles of the chest, shoulders, front surface of the thighs and buttocks are included in the work. In other words, the distribution of the load among the muscles when performing the classic version of the exercise (standing on the elbows) is as follows:

Abs, especially the rectus abdominis. The abs bear the main load - the abdominal muscles prevent the body from sagging down under the influence of gravity.
Back muscles, especially the lower part. They support the body in a straight position, tighten the ribs, and pull the arms towards the body, allowing you to stabilize the angle between the body and the shoulders.
Large chest and deltoids. These muscles allow you to hold yourself up in your shoulders without sagging your chest down.
Large gluteal muscles, quadriceps, calf muscles. These muscles ensure the level position of the legs and pelvis.

Looking at the list above, we can safely say that the plank trains almost all the muscles of the body. Variations of this exercise allow you to increase the load or shift its emphasis to certain muscle groups.

The classic plank exercise (sometimes also called a “plank”) is an isometric exercise. This means that if you do it correctly, there is no movement in the joints, i.e. the pose remains static. However, there are also dynamic options, including turning the body, raising and lowering the arms or legs.

Benefits of planks

The plank is not an exercise designed to build six-pack abdominal muscles. Its benefit lies precisely in the comprehensive strengthening of the entire muscle corset. The volume of muscles does not increase during its implementation, but the muscles become toned, their strength and endurance increase.

The benefits of the plank exercise are as follows:

Strengthens, develops strength and endurance large quantity muscle groups(abs, back, legs, chest, shoulders).
The stomach tightens, the waist becomes narrower, the looseness of the silhouette disappears, which is very useful in the process of losing weight.
The position of the lower spine is stabilized. At this point it is worth saying that if you have diseases or injuries to the spine, you should consult a doctor before performing the exercise. Sometimes increasing the tone of the muscles surrounding the damaged area may be contraindicated.
The skill of holding the body straight is developed. This will greatly help you both in everyday life and when you do other fitness exercises, such as squats.

In addition to the above, it can be noted that you do not need any additional equipment for training. You can exercise at home, in the gym or anywhere.

Will planking help you lose weight?

The effectiveness of the plank for weight loss, like any other exercise, is measured by how much energy you expend on doing it. In other words, you shouldn’t consider it as a magic remedy that will help you lose weight. Dynamic variations of this exercise burn more calories than static variations.
Regular execution planks, along with diet, helps to get more pronounced results in the process of losing weight.

In general, you can create an entire workout solely from planks. However, such monotony will quickly tire you. Therefore, it would be correct to combine the bar with others exercise. The weight loss effect will appear if you spend more energy than you get from food.

Visually, the bar helps make your figure slimmer by toning the abdominal and side muscles. In principle, this provides good help for starting to lose weight.

How to do the exercise correctly

There are essentially two classic versions of the exercise:

in emphasis on straight arms;
resting on your elbows.

Doing the exercise on straight arms is easier than on the elbows. This is because in this case most of the weight of your body falls on your legs, which is quite common, the load on top part the body is smaller and it is easier to maintain the position of the body. When you lower yourself onto your elbows, the distribution of weight between the points of support changes. You have to make much greater efforts to maintain your body in an even position.

Technique for performing the plank on straight arms:

Take a resting position on your palms. Place your hands directly under your shoulders. Your entire body should be in a completely straight line. That is, you keep your back straight, without bending in the lower back (your pelvis is slightly twisted), your legs are in one line with your back - your buttocks do not rise up, your stomach does not sag down (your abs are tense). Pay special attention to the position of your shoulders and neck. The chest should not sag between the shoulders. The neck is an extension of the back, the gaze is directed to the floor, there is no need to raise the head. Your legs are straightened at the knees, you rest on your toes.
Stay in a static position for as long as you can. Continue standing until your technique begins to break down due to muscle fatigue. The fact that the muscles begin to tremble in the last seconds - normal phenomenon. As soon as you feel that you are no longer able to maintain the pose correctly, lower yourself to the floor, rest a little and repeat the exercise 1-2 more times.

Technique for performing with straight arms.

As for the width of the feet, it is not of key importance. The wider your legs are, the easier it is to do the exercise. Feet together - a more complicated option.

Technique for performing the exercise with emphasis on the elbows:

The starting position is the same as in the previous version, only you place your hands not on your palms, but on your forearms. The elbows are located strictly under the shoulders, the body, neck and legs form one line. Make sure that there is no arching in the lower back, the buttocks do not rise up, and the stomach does not sag.
Stay in this position for as long as possible. Repeat the approach 1-2 times.

Technique with emphasis on the elbows.

Many practitioners have a question: how long should you hold the bar and how often should you perform this exercise?

If holding the plank “as long as possible” seems too vague to you, start with 30 seconds. After you master holding the pose for 30 seconds in three approaches, increase the time by 10 seconds and hold for 40. So, gradually strive to achieve three minutes in one approach. If you have reached a good level of fitness, start mastering more complicated variations of the exercise.

You can do the plank as often as your time and desire allow. It's great for completing an ab workout or complex training for the whole body. You can do this exercise separately any time you have the opportunity.

10 plank variations

As they say, you can make your life more difficult in two ways:

By reducing the number of support points (raising an arm or leg).
By adding dynamics (by doing push-ups with your hands or stepping with your feet or doing crunches).

You can diversify the load you receive by changing your body position, that is, by doing:

side strips;
back slats.

Let's look at how to perform all of these options correctly to get the maximum effect from your workout.

Raise your hands

This variation of the exercise will increase the load on the core and upper body muscles, in particular the shoulders. In addition, small stabilizer muscles responsible for maintaining balance come into play here.
Support on three points - the arm is extended forward.

Take a classic plank pose outstretched arms(easier) or on the elbows (more difficult). Shift your body weight onto one arm, lift the other off the floor and extend it forward. Lock yourself in this position and try to hold it as long as you can.
Lower your hand, then repeat the movement with your other hand.

Raise your feet

Here the additional load falls on the gluteal muscle and back surface hips. The core stabilizer muscles also work.
Raising your leg puts stress on your gluteal muscles.

Stand in a plank position on your elbows or straight arms. Maintaining a stable lower back position, lift your straight leg off the floor and lift it up. Lock yourself in this position. Raising the leg is performed without a jerk, in a controlled manner.
Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Two-point support

This exercise is a synergy of the previous two. You keep your support on just two points - this is a pro level.
Support on two points requires good coordination of movements.

Take a classic plank pose. Extend your straight arm forward and lift your opposite leg up. It is quite difficult to maintain balance in this pose, so it will require you not only physical training, but also mental concentration.
Lower yourself to the floor, switch legs and arms, and repeat the movement.

Plank with push-ups

Doing the plank exercise this way adds dynamic work to the exercise. The load on pectoral muscles and triceps.
Complicating the exercise by adding push-ups.

Take a plank pose with straight arms and fixate.
Without changing the straight position of your body, lower yourself onto your elbow with one hand. Then do the same with the second hand. So, you are already standing in a plank position with emphasis on your elbows.
Now you need to rise back to straight arms. That is, sequentially do push-ups with each hand. Straighten the arm that you bent first, then place it on your palm and straighten the other arm.
Repeat the exercise as much as you can.

Feet together - legs to the sides

This variation of the abdominal plank gives additional stress to the gluteal muscles.
Alternately, we move our legs to the sides and return to the midline.

Get into a plank position on your elbows or straight arms, depending on your fitness level. Bring your legs together.
Step one foot to the side. Step sideways with your other foot. Return the first leg to its place. Place your other foot towards it. While “walking”, control the position of your lower back.
Repeat the exercise.

With twisting

Another dynamic variation that works the obliques.
Add body crunches to the exercise.

Take a support position with your arms straight.
Lift one arm off the floor and lift it up, twisting your torso. Both legs remain on the floor, but the shoulders change their position from horizontal to vertical. The arm is extended vertically, the gaze is directed to the side.
Lower your arm and return your shoulders to a horizontal position, but instead of placing your palm on the floor, move your arm under your body and stretch in the opposite direction.
Raise your arm again and lower it, stretching in the opposite direction.

Knees to shoulders

This version of the exercise is performed as follows:

Support yourself on your elbows or palms.
Pull your knee across the side towards your shoulder of the same name.
Return your leg to its place. Repeat the movement with the other knee.

The knee is brought to the shoulder across the side.

The side bar allows you to create static load on the oblique abdominal muscles.

Get into a classic plank position. Turn your body sideways, raising one arm vertically up. The legs can be placed crossed one after another, or the leg located below can be placed on outer part foot, and place the second one on top of it (this option is more difficult, since there are fewer support points). Your legs, pelvis, back, neck and head should form one straight line.
Lock the position and try to hold it for as long as possible. Then, switch sides.

The side plank trains the obliques.

This version of the exercise can be complicated. To do this, the leg that is on top should be raised up. The side plank requires perfect balance control and trains balance well.

This is the last type of plank in our selection. All the basic principles of performing the exercise, such as a completely straight body, remain in effect. Only the position of the body changes.

You need to get into a plank position with your belly up. To do this, sit on your buttocks and lean on your hands from behind. Extend your legs straight in front of you.
Transferring your body weight to your hands, lift your buttocks and stretch out. The gaze is directed upward. The neck and spine are straight. This is the reverse bar.
Lock yourself in this position. Get down to the floor.

Performing a reverse plank.

As a complication, you can alternately raise your legs up.

So, we figured out how to do the classic plank correctly, and also listed 10 of its variations that allow you to increase the effectiveness of your workout, diversify the load and work out almost all major muscle groups.

Beginners are recommended to start with the basic version of the exercise, gradually mastering more complex options. This way, you will strengthen your muscles, tone your body, become stronger and more resilient, and also be able to improve your results in other exercises.

As for losing weight, the plank can be a good help in this process, but doing it alone will not be enough. In order to get a powerful fat-burning effect, you need to engage in intensive physical exercise and.

15:45 6.02.2016

Plank exercise and weight loss effect from daily execution simple exercises at home they delight. Losing weight in 5 minutes a day has become possible. The good news: it's not just about losing weight. The bad news: you need to exercise every day.

The plank exercise is the best thing that was invented for lazy, unathletic women who dream of a good figure. Do you want to lose weight? Need to ? Or maybe you're not happy with your back or your arms? Try to do a plank and do it every day.

Fitness for the lazy is not a shame, it is very effective. Thisa simple and practical way to get your body in order, while not much is required of you, and the result will be amazing! Changes will begin in a week, but in a month the effect will impress you.

Please note that if you have problems with the spine or are too heavy weight, this exercise should be done after consultation with a specialist and only under the supervision of an instructor. But if you just gained weight, your body has lost its flexibility and lightness, then “lie down and stand up” is an excellent solution. It won’t be easy at first, but just consider what will happen to you after a week of torment, which, by the way, in a week will already be just a morning procedure. You may not be able to stand for 1 minute in each pose at once (I didn’t succeed). But even if you start with 20-30 seconds, there will be an effect. The main thing is to gradually increase the time. I have some cool tips and tricks. Just don’t be lazy: read, watch, do. And tomorrow too!

Core muscle exercises are one of the most effective ways lose weight and remove excess fat from the waist. The plank exercise trains these muscles!

You will strengthen your core muscles and improve the condition of your internal organs.

Core muscles provide support internal organs. They are also involved in the formation of good posture, and, as you know, if a person good posture, then the whole body works many times better.

A strong muscle corset in the waist area is the key to maintaining intra-abdominal pressure at the required level. And this is a fixation spinal column, proper outflow of venous blood from internal organs and... more strength!

Just imagine: one exercise involves all the most important things at once. important muscles for beauty and health!

transverse muscle - helps lift heavy weights;
rectus muscle - is responsible for the “pack” and helps you jump better (the bar is just the beginning, you’ll want to go to the gym later);
oblique muscles - expand the possibilities of lateral bending and twisting at the waist;
gluteal muscles - will support the back and give a beautiful profile (well, just not in the nose area). Speaking of profile: the double chin will also gradually begin to shrink, so not only the butt will be beautiful!

Your back muscles will improve

Doing a plank will allow you to build your core muscles without putting unnecessary stress on your back and hips. If you exercise every day, you will strengthen not only your lower body, but also your upper body. And this will reduce the risk of back pain and improve posture (this is always visually minus 5 years).

Your metabolism will speed up

Planks burn more calories than classic abdominal exercises. Twisting and lifting your torso is great, but the plank speeds up your metabolism with less effort and for a long time: even at night the body will burn calories (don’t be alarmed: you won’t have to sleep in the plank, although... who knows what sporting peaks you will achieve in a couple of months).

Posture will improve

Strengthening your core muscles significantly improves the condition of your neck, shoulders, back and lower back. Daily execution The planks will help keep them in the correct position and improve your posture. By the way,It is a straight back that does not give you offense, as psychotherapists say. So don’t slouch: you always want to blame all the problems on such people and assign as many tasks as possible.

Develop a sense of balance

You will notice that it is much easier to walk in heels, and if you stumble, for some reason you do not fall, but maintain your balance. This is all the plank. By the way, a well-developed sense of balance will help achieve great results in any sport, and you will also become more balanced in daily communication: it has already been proven that your physical state greatly influences your psychological state. So practice ;)

Increased flexibility

Well, if you cannot reach the floor with your hands or, while sitting on the floor, you are not able to touch your head to your knee, then the plank will save you (and you urgently need to start doing it).

Thanks to the bar, the muscles and ligaments attached to the shoulders, shoulder blades, collarbones, hips, and toes are stretched. Using the side plank you will work the oblique abdominal muscles. By increasing the flexibility of your whole body, you will be able to easily perform other exercises, and when it comes to sex, you will surprise both your partner and yourself: it’s great!

Stop freaking out and being nervous

The plank has a special effect on the nerves, strengthening the muscles that become active in stressful situations. If you have a sedentary job, then you are nervous not only because of contacts with various wonderful people and misunderstandings. The body just goes numb and tension arises. physical level, which immediately affects the emotional state and psyche. In just a week you will look at the world differently (just do it every day).

It is very important that the lower back does not sag. The abdominal and buttock muscles should be in constant tension, while the stomach should be retracted. This will ensure correct position pelvis

Tuck your tailbone inward and keep your body parallel to the floor. If you feel like you can't, stop, rest and do the right thing.

Just 5 minutes a day will give you a boost of energy. In a week the results will be noticeable. They are not measured in kilograms. You'll just look and feel better. If you continue, in a month everything will be even better.

Three tips to make the plank exercise easier:

Use your watch with second hand or timer
INDuring the plank, you need to breathe so that the navel tends to touch the spine. This is if you want to get rid of your belly. It’s hard to count to yourself at this time. Set a timer!
Play some cool music
Music is distracting. And if you pick up something truly incendiary, it will make it easier to stand in the plank.
make a wish
I used Alexander Palienko's hint. Now, when I stand, but want to go somewhere to the shower or to the kitchen, I tell myself: “The longer I stand, the younger and more beautiful I become. The longer I stand, the more money and health I will have. the longer I stand, the more peace and there will be happiness in life." Or I make a clear wish and then, of course, I don’t give up.

Watch online how to do the plank exercise to easily lose weight at home

Photo in text: Depositphotos.com