Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA
Planks to strengthen your core? For sure! We love planks and hope you do too. Aaaand, we just got ahold of some interesting news about a great way to progress your ab strength via planks (Hint: It’s not about going longer).
Plink, plank, plunk, who’d a thunk that holding a plank for a long time might be LESS effective than another approach?! Specifically, you may require your abs to turn on more and more often from interval planks as opposed to holding a plank longer and longer. Well, yippee yi yay as we’d much rather stay in the plank position 20 seconds or so, then drop down for a very short break, then come back into the exercise. Gotta love the options that are not only more accessible, but also more beneficial!
For more plank ideas (and actual exercises!) check out some of our previous posts:
- Planks: Beginning to Intermediate
- Planks: 3 Advanced Plank Exercises
- Planks: Rotating Side Planks: Abs Away!
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I know my #plankaday routine is not about going longer it’s about attempting to stay consistent! I do three types of side planks for 30 seconds on each side. One normal side plank, one with one leg raised and one with one leg pulsing. It’s my physical therapy routine that has made my hips and glutes stronger!
MegG recently posted..California International Marathon: A Recap
I love side planks. I make my students do them. They make faces. Probably from joy.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Crank Up Your Metabolism and Digestion
That makes perfect sense – keeping your core with shorter intervals would certainly be more effective than holding a long plank. Firing different parts of your abs and keeping your body ‘on its toes’, if you will. Thanks for sharing!
lgsmash recently posted..Fitness: My Sauconys Are Magic (or That Time I Ran More Than 10 Minutes Faster)
Yeah, baby. On your toes and on your elbows. Now, try to hold that pose while typing!
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Kettlebells or Medicine Balls When Strength Training for a Marathon?
THANK YOU so much for posting this!
The whole #plankaday movement towards longer and longer planks drives me CRAZY! I mean who needs to plank for 5 minutes??? The one time expressed my opinion I received a lot of flak. Glad to see science is behind what I knew all along!
(Can you tell that I’m passionate about this topic? Capitols AND exclamation marks!)
Tamara recently posted..5 Tips for Making Cardio Machines More Fun
Yeah, when we had to hold for 5 minutes at a CRXWrX training, we asked how it was functional. We were basically told to follow instructions. When in real life will we need to hold that way for 5 minutes?
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..How to Avoid Overeating on Thanksgiving
Well that is the BEST news I’ve heard all day! I also prefer plank with leg raises or hip rotation or doing something, anything, rather than staying static for so long!
Alison @ racingtales recently posted..#Running and #Triathlon Books for the Holidays
Oh, I LOVE the leg raises. I basically love any plank that makes my students squirm while I taunt them! And they keep coming back for more.
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I do plank intervals more than the max hold and my abs always burn more in the intervals. Love them!
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..Move It Monday: BBB Round 4 Registration Now OPEN
Yes, Tina, and that is because you are a fitness pro who knows what is what! For the holds I just feel tired; for the intervals I feel fired! hahahah I just made that up now. I’m a genius.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Lunges to Shape the Tush and Lower Body: Right & Wrong Way
My PT just told me this too and recommended that I do planks 10 second on, 5 second off!
AmyC recently posted..TrainingTruths: Spontaneous Running
Thanks for this great news! I would much rather do plank intervals than hold a super long plank but I was never sure which one was actually more effective.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Winter Bucket List
You have our official permission to bag it on the long hold planks. However, you are required to do the intervals. We’ll wait…….
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Lat PullDown with a Resistance Tube: Right and Wrong Ways
Great video! But, what do those of without the bangs do?
Oh, if you don’t have bangs you must do one-legged planks to balance out the weight difference. Go ahead and start without us.
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