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?

Hmm. Not sure about that. I do mine under supervision of a PT

35-40 seconds. Only recently started doing them to try and restrengthen my core postpartum - I swear the second baby has weakened me so much in comparison to the first.

We do similar - add in a wall sit and its agony!

Never tried one before, so I looked it up and had a go just now. I lasted about 20 seconds, but it was my elbows that started to protest.

I've been doing the Bowflex 3-minute plank almost every day for many years and it has made a tremendous difference to my strength and endurance. And my posture - to the extent that people have commented.

However, it is much more difficult to hold a particular plank position for a prolonged period, and I've not actually tried this in a very long time. I reckon I could probably do 3-4 minutes quite easily, but it would be interesting to see to what extent I could challenge myself.

Incidentally, Caroline Girvan has a nice 15 minute plank workout, but you change position every 30 seconds, with 5 seconds 'rest' before the next variation. I find it quite relaxing.

Wall sits are tough but very rewarding! Caroline Girvan has a couple of 15 minute wall sit workouts where you sit for 1 minute and then alternate with either squats or planks.

At least 2 mins but my class instructor doesn't make us hold them for any longer than that. I'll try and remember to challenge myself at home and find out.

If you mean holding a plank of wood, ages. If you mean the yoga position, about half a second.

I'm doing well to manage 1 second 😂 Thought I could make you all feel as good about yourselves as you deserve to!

I've developed a temporary obsession with gymnasts (often street performers) who can do gravity-defying feats using strength & stability. It's just fascinating - and intimidating. You're part way there with your planks & stuff!

I'd probably die if my blood pressure was lower @AliceInWonderlost 😂I'm trying to remember adding salt to my diet. It was noted in a health check its a tad low, and no bad explanations I read apply. My arms get sore before my abs tire. I prefer sit ups and laying on my back to do leg lifts, leg circles, bicycle crunches and reverse crunches.

I'm using the word "prefer" loosely here 😂Its more like "I'm only ending sore, or feeling the burn I guess, where I want to be feeling it"

I’m a yoga teacher and a lot of people can’t really hold a plank for very long st all (20-30 secs) BUT they all get better with practice.
if you are doing regular planks at all for any length of time you will improve, surprisingly quickly, as long as you persist.
I find I can hold much longer if I’m distracted eg reading something (mumsnetting). I do them at end of my gym strength workout for about 2m30 I also do wall sit for similar time, could prob hold for longer if I was “fresh”
but, that doesn’t matter, your only competition is yourself, are you doing better than yesterday? Probably. Are you doing better than you would be if you didn’t bother at all? DEFINITELY.

Depends how heavy it is...