Over the last decade, the plank exercise has become incredibly popular. Simple and accessible to everyone, the iron offers surprising results after a month of daily practice. A wave of flash mobs, video tutorials and online marathons dedicated to planking has spread across the Internet, promising unwavering success in the fight against excess weight. The exercise is used in many training complexes, is often included in treatment programs and is perfect for exercising at home.
what is a table
The plank is a static exercise that comes from yoga and is classified as isometric: contracting the muscles involved without changing the position of the body. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of the plank, because this exercise is one of the keys to strengthening the core, the muscular corset, which includes the abdomen, back and sides. In power yoga exercise complexes, the posture when performing the plank is called the posture to develop balance and strength.
There are several types and variations of the complexity of the plank, involving different muscle groups. The essence of the exercise is to stay in the posture as long as possible, relying on four limbs: palms (elbows) and toes, creating a uniform line almost parallel to the floor. When positioned correctly, a harmonious contraction of all working muscles in the body occurs.
Do planks help eliminate abdominal fat?
The plank is an excellent exercise for training the muscle corset, abdomen, back, shoulders and neck, which helps maintain the overall tone of the body. But planking alone cannot guarantee the effectiveness of burning abdominal fat. The majority of the planet's population, leading a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, accumulates reserves of visceral (internal) fat, necessary to protect the abdominal organs. But excess visceral fat leads to abdominal obesity, in the stomach and sides. You can combat excess deposits by calculating your diet and physical activity so that you expend more calories during the day than you receive from food. Without a daily calorie deficit, exercising will only help strengthen the body's muscles. Your abs will tighten, your posture will straighten and only after that will abdominal fat begin to gradually disappear.
One of the main exercises in the complex aimed at combating abdominal fat is the plank. For neophytes in weight loss, the duration of its implementation starts from 10 seconds. The main thing when performing is to ensure the correct posture, otherwise the desired effect will not occur.
Benefits of the iron
The main advantage of the plank over other exercises is the accessibility of its execution: you need a more or less flat surface, desire and a little time. If you start the day without getting out of bed with a brief warm-up that includes a plank, the body quickly wakes up, the muscles become saturated with oxygen, and the sympathetic nervous system is excited, preparing for the stress of the day. If possible, it is a good idea to stand on a board several times throughout the day to tone the body, especially when working sedentarily.
Additionally, performing this exercise methodically and over a long period of time will help to:
- tighten your stomach, straighten your back;
- relieve tension in the muscles of the spine and shoulder girdle;
- improve blood circulation and oxygen supply to the body's cells;
- develop a sense of balance and poise;
- increase the body's resistance to physical activity.
Like any physical exercise performed with pleasure, the plank stimulates the production of hormones of happiness and good mood: serotonin and dopamine.
Contraindications
Even with such simplicity and accessibility of the exercise, there is a group of people for whom performing the plank is limited or completely contraindicated:
- for injured spine, intervertebral hernia, displaced discs;
- after major operations;
- during the period of colds and viral diseases or exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- for cardiovascular problems;
- in the last trimester of pregnancy and immediately after the birth of the baby.
Women should do ironing with caution during their menstrual period. Overstraining the muscles in the lower abdomen is dangerous due to bleeding and cramps.
How long to stand on the board?
The time spent on the board is selected depending on the state of the body and physical form. For untrained people, instructors recommend starting with 10-20 seconds for several approaches with 10-second breaks. Gradually, the load can be increased to 30-40 seconds. If you decide to get in shape seriously and plan long-term exercise, you can create a personal schedule for several weeks to gradually increase your exercise time to 3-5 minutes. You should not overdo it and try to stand for too long in the first days, this can cause overload and destruction of muscle fibers.
How often to do a plank
To achieve tangible results, regular exercise is important. Spend a few minutes ironing every day, in the morning and at night. If possible, do not stay in a plank position for long periods of time throughout the day. Remember that exercise will help tone your body and relieve back tension and neck fatigue. The night approach should be done no later than one hour before bedtime.
How to do it right
Correct plank technique leads to significant results. When doing the plank, don't forget the position of your arms, legs and torso. The classic board requires precise placement.
- the palms of the extended arms (or elbows bent at right angles) rest on the floor at right angles;
- the feet are raised and rest on the floor with the tips of the fingers;
- the position of the body is almost parallel to the ground surface, the body is frozen in immobility;
- the eyes look downward, the neck is straight following the body;
- the lower back does not bend, the stomach does not sink;
- all muscles are tense.
The closer your feet are, the harder it will be to hold the board. Violation of the established canons can cause harm to health.
For starters
If you have firmly decided to use the plank for weight loss and have set a goal to increase your exercise time to 4-5 minutes per set, start doing the plank according to a previously developed program. Connect with a coach and doctor and let their recommendations help you create a comfortable, high-quality schedule for yourself.
If you decide to practice on your own, it is best to start doing a plank by performing the classic type, gradually increasing the load and adding more complicated versions of the exercise. A sample plan for the first days of school is as follows:
- In the morning, after waking up and a brief warm-up, 4 sets of no more than 20-40 seconds with a rest of 10-12 seconds, make up a mini-series that can be repeated several times if you still have the strength. ;
- In the evening, an hour before dinner or no earlier than an hour after, the miniseries should be repeated several more times.
The version on the elbows is considered more difficult, so for beginners it is better to stand on a plank with outstretched arms.
For men
The plank routine for men is slightly different from the women's version due to physiological characteristics. Nature has created the male body to be durable, adapted to drag heavy objects and move quickly over long distances, which is why men have more developed legs, arms, back and shoulder girdle. Performing a plank in the male version, even for beginners, can be complicated with the different types of this exercise: side plank, plank with alternating lifting of the limbs, 4-5 times for 30-40 seconds, repeating the miniseries 3-4 times.
For women
Since the beginning of time, the female body has adapted to build up a "protective belt" on the stomach and sides to protect future offspring - that's how nature intended. Due to the general tendency to gain excess fat in the abdominal area, planking is almost a panacea for women. It helps to strengthen the muscles of the problem area, arms, legs and prevents osteochondrosis and age-related problems in the back and cervical spine.
types of planks
There are several varieties of the plank exercise:
- classic on the elbows;
- classic full of arms;
- classic with lifting of one limb;
- right and left sides;
- lateral with one leg raised;
- reverse gear or mirror.
From the classic full plank position:
- touch the shoulder diagonally with the hand;
- alternately raising the knee towards the chest.
For the best result, move from simple types to more complex ones.
plank technique
Remember the most important "DON'Ts" that it is important not to miss during training:
- do not allow the lower back and chest to drop below the elbows;
- do not raise your buttocks;
- Turn your head so that your neck is still and your eyes are looking at the ground.
Maintaining the correct technique for performing the plank is the key to achieving your goal: losing weight, strengthening the core muscles and giving your figure a graceful athletic shape.