Planks everyday for a month - Join me!

[Plankingplanks]

Hello

Does anyone fancy joining me in trying to tone up by doing planks? I've started today with 3x 20 second planks. I aim to build up to a minute each one over the next few weeks. I'm interested to see the results over a few months.

Join at your own pace, if you can do 3x 5 second ones then join me too!!

Has anyone found that planks have helped them do push ups? I have been doing planks for a few weeks but still can't manage a single push up without curving my back.

Planks definitely help, essential actually, but do you also do ab work and weight training?

Check out the video by Redefining Strength

Have been very on and off with the planks. Once the kids are back to school though I know I'll be able to get into a routine much easier.

I'm still here. I dropped off but I'm starting again today.

Right, it's 1st September, shall we have a concerted effort? Just did mine. 😁

Just realized I quoted the wrong YouTube video...... this is the one for planks:

This maybe useful too for those who are struggling:

Well done @PaminaMozart

I was awake all night, coughing. Turns out I have Covid 🙄

But I am determined to get some planks in later on. Will report back.

@AHugeTinyMistake juat start with one of however long you can do!! I hop you start to feel better soon

I didn't start yesterday but 1st September is a good time to start so I will do it today!

Day 2 of Sept... Just knocking mine out after a 12 hour shift!!

I'm still here. Anyone else

Still here but need to get serious about planking.. it's been an eventful month so haven't been focusing on my planks and I do miss feeling better in my head..

@halfpasteleven glad you are still with me. It's been a busy month here too, so after this weekend I really need to concentrate on my planks. Going on holiday in January so need to be bikini ready!! 🤣

Anyone still planking? After 6 weeks of planks I discovered I could finally do a few push ups last week so really chuffed. The Caroline Girvan 15 minute plank video is still defeating me though!

Oh yes, I do at least 5-6 minutes day, sometimes more. Typically the Bowflex 3-minute plank twice over, with different variations. Or half of Caroline's 15-minute plank. Usually only half because I get bored halfway through .

It's way easier to do lots of different planks rather than hold a simple plank for several minutes. I might actually challenge myself to do the latter...

NB: if you are struggling with push-ups, have a look at a tutorial by Redefining Strength.

I am still here but have got a bit slack recently. If you guys are still with me I suppose I should set my alarm again!! 🤣

<sheepishly enters thread>

That bout of Covid really did for my regular exercise habit. It's really difficult to get going again isn't it? Everything fell by the wayside, not just planks.

Did 2 lots today though, determined to get into the habit again

So I did one 2.5-minute plank on my forearms, then 1 minute side-planks each side, followed by another steady forearms plank for 90 seconds. I make that 6 minutes.

Plus 2x 12 push-ups.

I could probably have done more if I had done this at the beginning instead of towards the end of my workout.

I've restarted my plank challenge programme from beginners but I'm fast forwarding it a bit doing 2x a day.

Yay. Well done @AHugeTinyMistake I'm back on it too

I decided enough was enough. I want my firm midsection back!

Can anyone sell planking to me? What will it do for me? I've been lurking for months but not started - I need motivating

Are the results quick?

Will it hurt my elbows?

Sell it to me!

Planks are one of the most useful and effective exercises.
Planks - especially if combined with other abs work - will strengthen your core.
A strong core is the key to effective exercising - including walking - and overall fitness.
Planks are super-efficient as 3 minutes a day is all it takes.
Try the Bowflex 3-minute plank - take breaks as and when but try to get t 3 minutes, which should probably take about a month.

It's so, so worth it.
This is what I did today (NB: I am 69 years old...)

Thanks @PaminaMozart !

I didn't realise I could do it with outstretched arms - I was worried about putting weight on my elbows as get painful joints. Will try and see if my wrists can take it.

I also thought I had to do them for ages and I am very impatient and staring at the floor for 15 minutes would be so hard for me. 3 minutes is just about doable.

I'll try tmrw - thanks for the videos

Yeah a strong core will really help to stave off back problems and help posture. I run a lot and I noticed when I was regularly planking my running form would hold a lot better when I was tired than it does now. My hips wouldn't sag, I'd be a lot more upright and wouldn't start that hunching over thing.

I started on a very gentle plank challenge programme - it starts on 20 seconds per plank variation - there's a surprising number it turns out. By the end of the summer I was doing 3 minutes at a time.