How long can you hold a plank for?

[AliceInWonderlost]

I've decided to plank 4 times a day as I've been reading how isometric exercises are supposed to be very good for you.

Anyway - I'm not very good! I've built up from 28 seconds to 59 seconds over the past week and aim to get to being able to hold it for 2 mins (I think anything after that is possibly diminishing returns?)

Anyway- what can you do and what's considered decent?

My record is 6 minutes

Oh stop showing off @BIWI

I can't do it now, but I routinely start my workout with a 2 minute+ plank

As part of a circuit class, we do 4 different things, eg lifting weights, box step ups and a plank. Each one for 40 seconds. Total time 15 minutes. Occasionally the trainer does a 'plank off' for a bit of competition. My record is 4 minutes. But it's torture!

New year’s challenge in 2023 was to build up to a 5 minute low plank. I could do a minute already, but planked every day, adding 5 seconds each week. So by the end of the year I was at 5 mins.

This year I started with a 1 minute forearm side plank, followed by a 2 minute low plank and then 1 minute side plank on the other side. Each month I add 5 seconds to each, so as of tomorrow I’m up to 1:25 / 2:25 / 1:25. By the end of the year it’ll be 2 / 3 / 2, so a total of 7 minutes. I do give myself 2 days off a week this year though.

I used to be able to do it for the length of a piece of music. Now, not so much.

5 mins 3 seconds... For the record I'm 56 and dead proud!

I'm 64!

Six minutes?! Wowsers!!! I would be slipping that in to every conversation regardless of what we were talking about! That's very impressive ⭐

30 seconds. Better than when I started but suck at them a lot.

I can do a 60 second plank routinely , sometimes more , but I aim for a minute
I had a plank competition with DH and managed 2 minutes ( I wasn’t going to let him beat me )
I'm 63 ( is this part of the competition? ) and started planking in lockdown as read it was important as you get older to try and improve core strength

For those that regularly do planks, do you see or feel a difference.

I do 2-5 mins daily but my record is 6 mins

I’m 42

I’ve not done a plank for a while but just tried & managed 1 minute 9 seconds

I don't know @zeddybrek - you build up to it, so I really have no clue what the difference might be.

I think I'd probably die around 0.001 second mark.

I was going to reply that it would depend on the size and weight of the plank, but I see that you're talking about an exercise position.😁

When I was planking regularly, my lower back pain disappeared. It seemed miraculous! However, Covid put paid to that: I've suffered chest pain ever since I had Covid, exacerbated by any upper body exertion. So I'm unable to plank and my back pain has returned.

I normally do the bowflex 2 minute plank but it is a bit of a cheat as you change plank position every 30 seconds.

I thought isometric was when you went beyond a plain plank and added more to it? I think holding the position alone isn't meant to be very efficient use of your strength.

I can't really say anything in more detail, I read something in passing about this. I think in general you want some kind of movement in there

It’s amazing how quickly I can build up the length of time I can plank, but also how quickly I can lose it if I don’t do them regularly!

I do them on my forearm otherwise it hurts my wrists too much.

I do a routine of rotating each minute between front and side planks. I can do 10 minutes then get bored.

@spookehtooth I 'think' an isometric exercise is just one where you isolate muscles and hold them steady (put very simply) so they're just a strength thing

Very important as you age but planking apparently has other benefits - some science showing it lowers blood pressure over time for example

@Daisy03 they are quite dull aren't they?

I think I'll try and get to 2 minutes 3 or 4 times a day and see how that goes

My fitness is very middling. I spin 3 times a week and swim 3 times a week but I'm aware need to build some strength in

I plank 3 x 1 minute. I will never try to do more. I read an article once that if you are planking properly you shouldn't be able to do more than 30 seconds. You should imagine you're on 2 icebergs and are trying to pull them ontogether. You should be rock hard. If that's too easy 1 legged or side. I read another article about a women with excruciating shoulder pain. Turns out it was caused by plank offs in a Pilates class. Do better. Not more.