When you first start to do planks, you may not be able to hold the correct position for very long. Keep practicing and you'll find it becomes easier to do. If resting on your forearms is uncomfortable, do the plank from a push-up position, with your arms fully extended.
Plank Scorecard
You're about average if . . . you can hold the feet elevated plank for about 10 to 50 seconds. You're above average if . . . you can hold the feet elevated plank for 60 seconds or more. You're strong if . . . you can hold the long-lever plank for about 10 to 50 seconds.
If you are new planking, Samuela suggests beginning with short time intervals and working your way up. “I recommend starting with 10-second holds and then dropping to the floor and repeating a few times, then build up to 20-second holds, 30, 45, 60,” she says, “A one-minute plank is a great goal!
Clasping your hands in a forearm plank makes the exercise feel easier—but that means you're not maxing out the benefits. “It can also promote a rounded posture instead of a stable, upright one,” says O'Brien, and that's the opposite of what you're going for in this position. Instead, press your palms into the floor.
Bad posture and sinking of the hips will prevent you from improving in your planks due to improper form. “A lot of people will let their hips sink when they get fatigued but this is not good form as you will be putting additional strain on your lower back and can later cause injury,” says Shackleton.
You are not engaging your core
If you don't engage it, holding a plank will be very difficult. So, keep it straight and tight. Don't suck your stomach in because then you won't be able to breathe but don't leave it loose either. Engaging the core is something you'll learn with practice.
A fit, healthy guy should be able to do a two-minute plank. John is also clear about the value of going beyond two minutes: There is none. “Enough is enough,” he says.
The fact that the plank recruits so many muscle groups at once is what makes it one of those exercises that is much harder to perform than it looks. Although it seems simple, it's easy to perform a plank incorrectly. Improper form not only negates the core-strengthening benefits, but can lead to back strain as well.
The short answer to whether planks on the elbows (which are often called forearm planks) or planks on the hands (which are also called straight-arm planks) are more effective is that planks on the elbows are more effective for targeting more of the core muscles.
A Weak Core Can Make Planking Harder
You're also using your core, though. Your abdominal muscles are engaged when you perform a plank. If your core muscles are not very strong, it's going to be tough to hold that plank for long. That limits your ability to support the middle of your body when you plank.
As a general guideline, Doug Sklar, a certified personal trainer and founder of PhilanthroFIT in New York City, recommends striving to do three sets of up to 60 seconds. “It's OK to start with shorter sets and work up to 60 seconds,” he says.
Tips to Gain Maximum Benefits from Plank Exercise
Try performing the plank for a minimum of one minute at a time. Start by doing 1 plank a day to slowly 3 to 10 a day to reap the maximum benefits. Then, slowly also try side planks which can help improve your flexibility.
A plank or different variations of it helps target your core and reduces the fat in the stomach region. There are not many steps to follow, but it is important that you get your posture right. That said, here's a list of plank exercises you can do in order to cut down on your belly fat!
There are many non-aesthetic benefits to planking
"A strong core is vital for injury prevention and will massively improve your workouts and ability to move more, too. "Planking is also great for arm, neck, and shoulder strength, as you need to hold your bodyweight.
To lose belly fat, experts suggest that you stick to the goal of holding a plank for about 60 seconds for a minimum of 3 times. According to trainers, following this practice of holding a plank for 60 seconds gives the best results.
But for a deeper (and arguably more useful) burn, try taking the plank into a low position. When your forearms are planted on the ground, your abdominals are challenged even more than in a high plank when your arms can take on some of your body weight.
As you progress, you can extend your plank for up to one or even two minutes, but don't go beyond that. “Two minutes is often considered the maximum, and you don't get much more benefit after that,” says L'Italien.
Stay up: The straight-arm plank is more difficult than the elbow plank, so if you're finding that you need more of a challenge as you hang out on your forearms, focus on perfecting a plank just on your hands. Plank on a BOSU: Get unstable by resting your forearms or palms on a BOSU or exercise ball.
Since you're on a wobbly surface on your soft mattress, this exercise might be more challenging in bed to keep your body in line. It'll work your abs more to keep your body in line on this unstable surface. You might find it easier to do this—and any planks—on the floor if you're a beginner.
A man from the Czech Republic breaks the record for longest abdominal plank The record is now 9 hours, 38 minutes and 47 seconds, according to officials at Guinness World Records. Josef Salek achieved the record for a man holding plank in May.
Most people put too much weight on the arms and their shoulders get tired before their core. Try to keep the weight evenly distributed across the legs and arms. The plank is also a shoulder exercise. Slightly push the shoulder blades wider and lock them in place to help activate the shoulder muscles.
All in all, I lost two inches from my waistline and four inches from my belly. These results are nothing to scoff at from just 30 days of a one-minute workout. My posture also improved, which speaks to my increased core strength. As part of this process, I realized that consistency is key.