PLANK – how to plank properly

Planking, or otherwise: supporting the front on forearms. This is an isometric exercise, beautifully shaping abdominal muscles.

Planking is one of the basic exercises recommended for shaping abdominal muscles. The advantage of exercise is that the plank involves the deep abdominal muscles, and also strengthens the muscles of the shoulders, spine and legs.

Apparently simple and less demanding exercise involving almost the whole body, and the number of combinations based on the basic figure is very large. The exercise looks very childish, but it’s enough to try to stay in this position for a short time for it to appear that untrained muscles are not able to withstand such simple effort.

PLANK - how to do it properly?

1. Lie on your stomach. Rest on your forearms, bending your elbows at right angles.
2. The shoulders should be exactly above the elbows.
3. Raise your torso while also balancing on the balls of your feet. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
4. Do not lift the buttocks up or bend down the lumbar region - your heels, hips and shoulders should remain straight.
5. Hold for a certain number of seconds (Beginners can start from 30 seconds and extend the exercise by 10 seconds every week until they are able to withstand 60 seconds.)

PLANK - types

• Plank - basic position, planking resting on the forearms;
• Plank jacks;
• Plank mountain climbers - pulling the legs up to the chest;
• Plank with one leg raised - while in the planking position we alternately lift our legs up (pausing for a few seconds);
• Plank with one hand raised - remaining in the planking position alternately raising our hands (straightening them), pausing for a few seconds;
• Side-plank (the body rests on one forearm and one leg);
• Side-plank pulses - Raise hips up and down in lateral position (waist shaping exercise);
• Side-plank with a raised leg – lifting the free leg up (in the side planking position)