To me, planks are one of the most perfect exercises that we can do for our physical health and strength. Here’s why:
- They can be done anywhere. Planks don’t require any special Pilates equipment, you literally only need your body to do them.
- They can be adjusted to increase or decrease the level of difficulty by simply changing the incline, or the lever. If a floor plank is too hard, you can shorten the lever by planking from your knees instead of your toes. You can also plank from a bench instead of the floor, changing the incline.
- Planks can be adjusted to accommodate wrists, shoulders, toes, and low backs that are not comfortable by changing the weight bearing. For tender wrists, planks can be adjusted to forearm support. For shoulder discomfort, try planking with hands on a countertop instead of the floor. For low back discomfort, try tucking your tail, or lifting your hips up a little bit until your abdominals are stronger.
- If the floor is not accessible, planks can be done with feet on the floor and hands on a countertop or wall!
The main reason I love planks is because they are a full-body exercise that is isometric. This means that all the muscles of the trunk are co-contracting and the muscles of the arms, legs, and buttocks are working too! Isometrics are great because we get more time with the muscles working without repetitive wear-and-tear in the joints. Planks are a full body exercise that is the prerequisite and the basis of required strength for many fitness exercises such as push-ups and Pilates exercises such as Long Stretch, Front Support Facing Back, Snake, and Twist.
To become stronger using planks, I recommend building up to a combined total of 3 minutes of time planking every day. Start with 10 or 15 seconds, three times a day, and gradually increase your time as you become stronger. Remember, small actions done consistently give great results!
All ideas and assertions expressed in The CORE are those of the individual contributors, offered to spark conversation, enrich understanding/inspire growth and share diverse perspectives within our community. They may not necessarily reflect the views of Balanced Body®.
Gwen Miller is the author of Safe Movement for All Spines – A Guide to Spinal Anatomy and How to Work with 21 Spine and Hip Conditions. A Balanced Body Educator, yoga therapist, Hendrickson Method Manual Therapist, CHEK Practitioner, NASM-OPT personal trainer, and ACE-certified group exercise instructor, Gwen is the owner of Gwen Miller Studio, an integrated clinical movement and manual therapy studio
With 20 years’ education and experience teaching movement, she enjoys mentoring teachers and developing community amongst movement professionals.
You can find Gwen at www.gwenmillerstudio.com, IG @gwenmillerstudio, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gwen.miller.37853/ and https://www.facebook.com/GwenMillerStudio/ YouTube @GwenMillerStudio
