Southern Mail reporter ROSHAN ABRAHAMS, who is also a qualified personal trainer, has launched a fitness and health column, Fit Foundations, to help you kickstart your fitness journey. In part six this week, she focuses on how to do a plank.
Have you tried doing the plank exercise, yet? Planks are a great full-body workout you can do without any equipment.
Planks are an excellent beginner-friendly workout and it is a great core exercise.
Why is it important to have a strong core? Your core is the foundation of your body, and a strong core helps people maintain their balance. Apart from your abdominal muscles, your core also includes your obliques, which are located along the sides of the body; back; pelvic floor and glutes.
If you have a strong core and when you find yourself in a situation where you stumble or trip, it will be easier for you to stabilise your body and prevent you from falling.
The plank offers numerous benefits for athletes, desk workers, people who work on their feet, children, and older adults.
Poor balance improves when you work on strengthening your core. The plank will not only help those involved in sports and recreation but also the non-athletes.
Another risk factor for poor balance is ageing, and a strong core will benefit.
A plank is an isometric exercise and easy to do, but holding yourself up for 20 to 30 seconds can be challenging.
The plank also works your entire body. It requires your arms, your legs, and all of your abs, making them an all-encompassing workout and a more efficient way to exercise.
Planks can help improve your posture as well. If you’re experiencing back pain from sitting at an office desk all day, planks can help you sit in a proper posture.
If you’re looking to increase your athletic performance, research shows that repeated 10-second holds may be the best workout. You can also make planks part of your exercise routine.
Dropping to your forearms in the plank position is one modification you can do. Increasing the length of time you hold the pose is another way to maximise the exercise. Start with a 10 to 30-second hold, and increase your time from there.
Beginners can start with a 10-second plank a day and increase the time every other day by a few seconds until 30-seconds to a minute. Make two minutes your maximum time limit over time.
Being a runner and in my late 50s a plank and other strength exercises will help me maintain my balance on the road. In the early years of running, I fell quite a few times due to my weak core. But being consistent in doing a 30-second plank a few times a day improved my balance.
How to do a low plank
Get down on your mat. Place your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and straighten your legs. Balance your weight with your elbows and your toes.
Activate your glutes by squeezing them tight and engage your core by pulling your stomach in and holding.
Don’t drop your mid-section, and don’t raise your behind. Your back should be in a straight line.
Look straight down while keeping your neck in a neutral position.
How to do a high plank
Start in a push-up position. Lift your upper body by keeping your palms and toes firmly planted on the ground, your back straight, and your core tight.
Dig your toes into the ground and make sure you don’t have a saggy back or bottom during a plank as it can result in lower back pain.
Be sure not to compromise your form.
How to do a knee plank
Get on your knees and lean on your forearms.
You can dig your toes into the ground or you can cross your feet whichever feels comfortable.
Tighten all your muscles including the core, glutes, arms and hold for 10 seconds.
Relax and repeat.
To check out the step-by-step video on how to do a squat, visit https://www.southernmail.co.za
• If you have questions or suggestions, email roshan.abrahams@acm.co.za
Previous columns:
It’s never too late to start your fitness journey
Burpees have big benefits
Squats help strengthen muscles and bones
Lunges build leg muscle to give the body a lift
Push-ups improve body posture, core, muscles
