With all the complex exercises out there, planking for beginners may seem almost too simple to be worth it. But don’t let appearances fool you. Planks strengthen your whole body, in particular your core, legs, hips, glutes, shoulders and chest. And that’s just for starters. Planking is one of the best exercises for your core. Try the 30 day plank challenge for beginners, discover how to make it as effective as possible and avoid common mistakes.
Perfect your plank form to start!
If done right, the plank can be the perfect conditioning exercise to strengthen your core and tone up those abs. While the plank seems pretty straightforward to perform, keeping your body held in the proper position takes technique and strength. To perform the perfect planking position and reap the rewards of this powerhouse exercise you need to keep you back straight, engage your core, keep your eyes on the floor and feet together like in the picture below.
One of the most common mistakes when planking is having your hips raised to high, this will put too much pressure on your shoulders and you won’t engage your core enough to see any benefits. You should also ensure that you keep your head inline with your body, otherwise this will put a strain on your neck.
30 Day Plank Challenge for beginners
Planking will improve your overall athletic performance and should be part of your workout regime. That’s clear. But when should you plank and how often? Try the 30 day plank challenge to help build up your strength, starting with just 15 seconds and working your way up to 120 seconds. Once you’ve mastered the basic beginner plank, start adding variations into your regular training plan each week.
Up your planking game
Once you’ve got the basic technique down (and you can hold the basic plank for at least 60 seconds) try adding more challenging elements to the mix. Try the side plank, rocking plank or alternating shoulders to up your planking game and accelerate core strength building by mixing up with different types of plank.
Pic cred https://blog.paleohacks.com/different-plank-exercises/#
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Mountains, trails, paddleboards – if it’s outdoors, I’m probably obsessed with it! As an Outdoor Adventure and Travel Editor, I’m always seeking my next escapade. Through my blog, I share adventure stories, mountain-tested advice, healthy food inspiration, and training tips.
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