anyone know about the ''plank''?

[TKD]

Hi,

Has anyone tried or use the plank? Its meant to build abs.

The actual exercise is

1. Lie face down on resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels

anyone?

Thanks.

 

[iMan323]

Yes! It's a terrific, awesome excersize for your abs and core muscles. I do it as a part of my regimen all the time. A variation of the plank works your obliques extremely well, and basically, what you do is turn to your side and support all your weight with your feet and your elbow. Works great in supersets...

crunches
plank
side plank for left side and right side

 

[TKD]

i guess ill start the side plank as well now

how long do you hold for? i can go for 60seconds b4 it really starts to hurt.

thanks.

 

[iMan323]

i like to do it in supersets..20 good crunches, 20 seconds plank, and 20 seconds side plank per side, no rest in between. how you approach it is up to you, i suppose. but yea its extremely effective and hurts like a sunovabitch.

 

[Hammerlynn]

Yup. It sucks like the stairmill but I love'em

 

[AKIRA]

I can do planks with opposing leg and arm extended for periods of time.

Planks on stability ball.

Side Planks on elbow, on hand (extended arm), with leg in air, all at once.

I used to work at a circus before I worked out.

 

[robousy]

do you have a link demonstrating the move visually? I'm not seeing it in my head.

 

[seank02]

do you have a link demonstrating the move visually? I'm not seeing it in my head.

haha i think i read the example 5 times i dont understand either.

 

[AKIRA]

Its quite clear.

Youre making your body into a "plank." If you were to do that facing down on the ground, how else would you word it?

Picture being in a pushup position on your hands, arms extended, which is the end of a pushup. Now, instead of your hands making contact with the floor, align your forearms on the floor, keeping your elbows at your side, so your forearms are runnign parallel with you. Without removing your forearms from the ground, push against the floor with your elbows, until you are slightly elevated and your back is straight. Now hold it. For as long as you can. The adjustment is small and the move is mainly isometric.

Remember, youre still on your toes as if you were doing a pushup. The idea is to keep a straight figure from your heels to your head, no arches, bumps or dents. Youre making yourself look like a table, a board, or...a plank!

I believe a progression, other than mentioned, can actually be the end of a push up (as described from the start of this reply), but bringing your arms out to the sides, while remaining erect. I think Cow mentioned this before. Ive tried it and its the hardest Ive done yet. I couldnt do it when my arms were out to my sides and my body looked like a "T" from a birds eye view.

 

[Nate K]

I don't think that helped

 

[P-funk]

 

[danny81]

i do wheel rollouts also.

 

[Pianomahnn]

4 medicine balls
1 for each appendage, feet and hands
go down like a wide armed pushup, elbows at 90 degrees
hold

that is my plank

 

[Uthinkso]

I've been mixing them in. Held my first one minute plank the other day, coming along well. Still long way to go.

 

[AKIRA]

Thank you

 

[TKD]

20seconds on middle plank with 20seconds on each side plank sounds good ill try it out later.

Thanks.

 

[P-funk]

20seconds on middle plank with 20seconds on each side plank sounds good ill try it out later.

Thanks.

do it without touching back down to the ground. transition from prone, to one side, back to prone and then to the otherside. Try and do 15sec of each hold.

 

[Pianomahnn]

I've been mixing them in. Held my first one minute plank the other day, coming along well. Still long way to go.

...I'm curious where you're trying to go. 10 minute planks?

 

[AKIRA]

do it without touching back down to the ground. transition from prone, to one side, back to prone and then to the otherside. Try and do 15sec of each hold.

I just tried that today.

CAKE!

Actually, I can do these pretty well. Ever since NASM + rehab, Ive done these in desperation of perfecting form and desperation of hoping I never re-injure myself.

P, do you ever progress a side plank to a plank with the arm extended? I can do it, but I find some pain in the wrist when the body maintains its stability.

 

[P-funk]

the bottom arm extended? No way....it would be killer on the shoulder.

If you can do it with 20sec holds...try it with 30sec holds, 60sec holds etc...

try it on signle legs when you are prone and then top leg abdutced in the air when you are on your side.

lots of ways to make it harder.