Walking the Plank

There’s an exercise that has been a stable in professional fitness circles for decades, it is relatively unknown in mainstream fitness circles, but has been catching on as of late, and for good reason. This exercise tones and tightens the whole body, especially the glutes and the abdominals. It will build endurance, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the heart and lungs… The best thing about this exercise is that you can do it almost anywhere and at anytime, it takes only a couple minutes per day, and it is fun and challenging… I am talking about THE  PLANK !

Now you may or may not know about this awesome exercise, so let me paint you a picture…

The  PLANK  is performed by laying your body on the ground, face down. You want to then balance your body on your forearms and elbows, with only your tip-toes on the ground in the back. Picture the push-up position, but instead of being on your hands, your forearms and elbows are on the floor. Keep your back straight with your abdominal muscles sucked in and tight, also keeping your butt level with the rest of your body.

What’s the purpose of this exercise?

This exercise in theory is quite simple to perform, the challenge comes when you try to out-do your previous record time. Your goal is to simply hold the position for as long as you can. At first, you may only be able to hold it for a few seconds, but you will develop more strength and endurance each time you do it, and you will notice how fast the results start to happen! Your abs, glutes, and overall feeling of well-being will be obvious almost immediately!

How often should I do this?

Do this exercise 2-3 times per week, performing about 5-10 times per session, or until you are exhausted.

Benefits of this exercise?

This exercise builds abdominal strength and endurance that will benefit you in every other exercise you perform. As well, it will improve posture and tighten you abs, which will create a slimming look. As well, it will give you some cardiovascular benefit since you are performing this as an endurance exercise.