I’ve given myself a challenge: Do a one-minute plank every day from now through Labor Day. Join me for this very attainable goal and reap the benefits.
Planks work virtually every muscle group in your body. That’s not a bad motivator. In particular, you are working on torso strength. Improved posture and reduced back pain are two of the most recognized benefits of this exercise. My personal goals are to increase my ab strength and improve my pushups.
I go through a mental checklist every single time I get in the plank position. It’s in this video:
Here’s the checklist again for a one-minute plank:
- Lengthen through the neck and keep the spine aligned (neck in neutral, not looking up).
- Elbows directly in line with the shoulders.
- Push down through the shoulders to the floor.
- Pull the shoulders down away from your ears.
- Tuck the abs in without lifting the rear end.
- Tighten the glutes.
- Squeeze the inner thighs towards each other.
It takes a while to go through this list. If you work through each of these items from head to toe, your one-minute plank will be over before you know it.
To make your one-minute plank easier:
- Move your feet farther apart.
- Drop down to your knees for breaks as needed. Then, pop back up into plank when you’re ready. Your endurance will increase. Be patient and persevere. I promise you’ll see results.
To make your one-minute plank more difficult:
- Move your feet closer together.
- Put more focus into it. Go through that checklist and intensify your muscle engagement.
Like I said, my goal is stronger abs and better pushups from just one minute of planking each day. None of us need to hold a plank for 5 hours or even 5 minutes. Here’s a good article on why your max plank time should never exceed two minutes.
Define what YOUR motivation is and commit to doing this. It’s not a forever thing. Just one minute a day this summer.
By the way, I just checked. Each day has 1,440 minutes. I think I can spare one a day. Can you?
Planks for considering!
