The plank abdominal exercise is rated as one of the top 10 abdominal exercises you can perform. There are numerous abdominal exercises you can perform to develop the tone and size of your abs. In the past, everyone was familiar with the beneficial sit-ups and crunches.
As well as toning your abdominal muscles, the workout also works your back, legs, and arms are the other primary parts of your body that also benefit from a plank exercise.
You may be thinking that this workout is easy and simple – WRONG; the fact that this exercise appears to be simple, you will soon discover that it is much harder than it appears.
So, do you want those defined abs? Keep reading this article, which will discuss the benefits of the plank exercise and how to perform it, and I strongly advise you to toss out your expensive equipment for working out your abs.
How to Perform the Plank
For an effective way of doing plank exercise, consider the following steps should be followed when performing the plank exercise:
- Place the mat on the floor and lie face down on your forearms
- Now lift yourself up using your forearms/elbows as if performing a standard push-up
- Keep your back, hips, and legs straight, and tense your abdominal muscles
- Hold this position until your hips begin to sag
It is important to take a break, and then do the exercise again, also if you’re just starting out, you can hold this position for 10 seconds, then rest and do it again.
By doing this exercise on a regular basis and other variations of the plank exercise, you will soon be able to hold the position for much longer.
Consider holding the plank position for 30 seconds to 1 minute as you become more accustomed to it. This will help you achieve the flat stomach you want in order to look good for the summer.
Next level plank exercise
Once you have mastered the basic plank exercise, you are now ready for the next variation of the exercise, – Plank Rotation and Swiss Ball Plank, in the videos below I demonstrate how to do these workouts:
Plank Rotation – Prg 1
Instructions: Rise & Fall Plank, Side Bridge & Rotate (L), Drop Leg Ab combo, Side Bridge & Rotate (L). Repeat three times. Intermediate level.
Plank Rotation – Prg 2
Instructions: 3x 30/15s – Plank Leg Tap, Side Plank (L), Banana Crunch, Side Plank (R)
Swiss Ball Plank:
Instructions: With your feet on the ground, place your elbows on a Swiss ball, then raise your hips off the ground forming a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Do 3x 20-60s or the second version 3x 8-15r each. Be careful as these do require a level of core strength to begin with, so don’t underestimate them.
Exercise anywhere – home or gym
With the Plank exercise, it is a workout that can be performed at home or at the gymnasium, all you need is a floor mat and you’re pretty much good to go. One of the most notable benefits of plank exercise is that it can be performed anywhere, either at home, the gym, or even the office.
All you need is a floor mat and you are good to go.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to know that if you combine the plank exercise with other ab exercises, cardio, weight training, and a healthy diet, you will soon see results.
Remember the plank is not going to give you the six-pack you want if you do it on its own. Instead, it should be done as part of a comprehensive abs workout routine.
Be aware that plank exercises have a number of notable advantages, including the following: plank exercises help improve balance, improve posture, strengthen your core, and reduce back pain.
Therefore, diversify your workouts and really put yourself to the test rather than simply performing hundreds of sit-ups per week.
In conclusion, the plank exercise works the abdominal muscles and contributes to strengthening your core and can be done virtually anywhere.
