What is the "plank" exercise, what benefits does it have on the body and possible contraindications, how to correctly perform the stand in various variations. The plank exercise is a great opportunity to get a flat stomach, toned buttocks, and slender legs. At the same time, you do not need to burden yourself with various workouts for a long time. It is enough to stand still for 2 minutes in a special position once a day.
What is plank
The plank is a static exercise. When performing it, the person does not make any movements. However, at the same time, under the weight of his own body, he has a large number of different muscles: abs, back, buttocks, arms and legs.
It is worth noting that this exercise has many advantages:
- One of the few that allows you to quickly lose weight and completely get rid of subcutaneous fat in the abdomen.
- It does not take a long time to complete it (maximum 2 minutes per day).
- A minimum of space is required to complete.
- Can be performed with any physical fitness.
- Universally suitable for both women and men.
- Thanks to its many variations, it helps to strengthen different muscle groups.
For a modern person with his accelerated pace of life, the "plank" has become a real boon, allowing you to save time on going to the gym. That is why it is so popular.
However, it is worth paying attention to the contraindications that exist for performing this exercise:
- The bar is not recommended for the first six months after childbirth and cesarean section.
- In case of active diseases of the cardiovascular system and the locomotor apparatus, the "bar" is not done.
- The presence of a vertebral hernia or spinal injuries is a ban on standing in the plank.
- During the period of exacerbation of chronic diseases, training is postponed until the state of subcompensation is reached.
What is the use of the plank exercise
Women actively strive to lose weight and keep themselves in good shape. To solve many problems with the figure will allow daily standing in the bar. You can see the result in ten days.
Exercise "plank" for weight loss
Regular plank exercise will help you lose weight. This effect is achieved by accelerating and normalizing metabolic processes in the body. This is what contributes to the burning of excess fat, and as a result - weight loss. In order for the effect to be as fast and noticeable as possible, you must adhere to a number of rules:
- Eating fatty, smoked foods, fast food, mayonnaise, ketchup, chips in large quantities will not let those extra pounds go away. Therefore, they need to be limited in your diet.
- Your diet should contain cereals, protein foods, including dairy products, lean meat and fish.
- Compliance with the drinking regime. You should drink at least a liter of water (excluding tea and coffee) during the day.
- Don't forget about fresh fruits and vegetables, which you can eat especially a lot during the summer.
- Do not severely limit yourself to sweets. A couple of sweets or a chocolate bar will not spoil the result.
It is important to remember that increased physical activity in combination with a strict diet can provoke the development of anorexia and bring you to a hospital bed.
What does the plank exercise give for different muscle groups?
Plank is considered a universal exercise that involves all muscle groups. The benefits of it are enormous. Performing this exercise every day, you will not only strengthen your abs, eliminate extra pounds, acquire a slim figure, but also significantly increase the overall tone of the body.
"Plank" allows:
- Make the buttocks firm and firm. This effect is achieved due to the muscle tension that occurs when sagging. If you add alternate leg raises to the plank, then you can eliminate cellulite as well.
- Strengthen the back muscles, get rid of osteochondrosis and strengthen the shoulders. In addition, the plank eliminates the pain in the shoulder region, which often bothers office workers with a sedentary lifestyle.
- Strengthen all leg muscle groups.
- Strengthen all abdominal muscles. In this case, it is enough to perform only one "bar", and not a whole set of exercises. For the best effect, when performing, it is recommended to draw the stomach in and fix it until the end of the approach.
- Strengthen the muscles of the arms without the appearance of large biceps. This is especially important for women who don't need pumped up arms.
In addition, the "plank" guarantees getting rid of the "orange peel" by actively affecting the problem areas of the thighs and buttocks. Thanks to the work of deep muscles, which are quite difficult to engage with other exercises, excess fat is burned, intracellular metabolism improves.
You can stand in a plank any time of the day and even after meals. The only thing worth paying attention to: in the absence of constant physical activity, before performing this exercise, you need to stretch your muscles a little.
How to do the plank exercise
There are several varieties of the plank exercise: in the classic version, on the side, on the elbows, in the complicated version, with a Swedish ball, V-shaped method, with raising the arms (legs). This variety makes it easy to find the best method for anyone. Moreover, they differ not only in the technique of execution, but also in the load exerted on the body.
The correct exercise "plank" in the classic version
The classic version of this exercise is as follows. From the "lying on the floor" position, you need to rise with outstretched arms. In this case, the spine and the whole body should remain level and straight. Leaning on the tips of your socks and hands, tense and fix all the muscles. It is necessary to be in this position for a period of time that is comfortable for you. It is recommended to start with 10 seconds and gradually increase to 2 minutes.
The main points of the classic plank:
- To increase the load on the abdominal muscles, you need to keep your heels together.
- You should not bend your knees. Thus, you reduce the load on the press.
- To enhance the work of all muscles, you need to keep the buttocks in a tense state until the end of the exercise.
- It is forbidden to bend the lower back. This leads to unnecessary stress on the vertebrae of the back and reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.
- The abdominal area is retracted as much as possible and remains so until the end of the exercise.
- Breathing should be even and calm.
- Pay close attention to the position of your hands. Incorrect posture creates unnecessary stress.
The exercise time depends entirely on your physical capabilities. At the initial stage, it should be kept for 10 seconds. With the correct posture, even in such a short time, your body will receive a strong load. Gradually, the "standing" time should be increased, bringing it to 2 minutes.
If you have sufficient physical fitness, then you should give preference to the more difficult plank option.
How to do the plank exercise on your side
The side "plank" is one of the varieties of the classic version. To complete it, you need to take a starting position. To do this, you need to lie on the floor, turn on your side and raise your body on an outstretched arm or elbow. In this case, all muscle groups (gluteal, leg, abdominal muscles) should be kept in a tense state.
Your palm should be in line with your shoulder. Legs should be straight and straight. In this version, the body has only two points of support: the lateral line of the foot and the palm of the hand. Don't fall on your side. Try to keep your body level without bending to the sides. Your breathing should be even and calm.
This exercise is heavier than the classic plank. It affects the same muscle groups as the first option. However, for a beginner, its implementation is a rather difficult task. Therefore, this option is best used with good physical fitness.
The lead time depends on personal ability. At the initial stage, 10 seconds is enough. Then the "standing" time should be increased.
How to do the plank exercise on the ball
You can vary your exercise and use the Swedish fitness ball. You need to rest your outstretched arms on the floor, and put your feet on the ball. Now tighten all muscle groups, as in the classic version, and fix the position. Pay close attention to the position of your palms. They should be parallel to the shoulders. You can complicate the exercise and try to push up off the floor. If you can't, then just hold the position as much as you can.
The "plank" on the ball can be done in another way. Bend your elbows and rest them on the ball. Then roll it forward until your body is fully extended. Lock the position and stay in it for as long as you can.
Remember to tense the muscles in your glutes, legs, and abdomen when doing the ball exercise. Be sure to watch your breathing and do not overexert your body. Otherwise, it may end badly. Beginners should start with 10 seconds, gradually increasing the time.
The effect of the plank exercise when done correctly
If you follow the bar according to all the rules, then after a couple of weeks you will notice how your stomach, arms and legs have changed. However, a positive effect can be achieved only if simple recommendations are followed. Failure to do so can lead to more problems being earned than benefits.
What is the effect of the exercise:
- Due to the fact that the exercise is completely static and you will not perform any actions, it is necessary to take the correct position and fix it.
- When choosing a place to exercise, it is best to focus on where there is a soft rug or non-rigid flooring. After all, the skin on the hands is delicate, you should not injure it again.
- During the exercise, your spine should be absolutely straight, and your body should resemble a straight line. The chin should be placed at right angles to the spine, and the eyes should be lowered to the floor.
- The position of the elbows is strictly under the shoulders. This will avoid additional stress on the shoulder girdle. Connect the brushes in front of the eyes so that the hands form a triangle. When doing the exercise, remember that the arms are only a fulcrum, so they should not be tense.
- Pay attention to your belly when doing the exercise. It needs to be tightened up. The abdominal muscles should be tense, not loose. It is necessary to keep them in this position for as long as possible.
- The most questionable is the position of the back when performing the plank. Beginners make the mistake of fixing the spine incorrectly. Because of this, deflection is observed in the lumbar spine, and the vertebrae begin to experience a load that should not be. Experts recommend that you first fix the level position of the spine while standing, and then stand in the bar. The virtual pressing of the back against the back of a chair or wall helps a lot.
- Tension of the gluteal and leg muscles will help reduce tension in the back during the exercise. By performing this action, you activate deep tissues, which are very difficult to pump. Do not bend your legs, do not drop them to the floor, try to keep your body in one line.
- Let's not forget about stops. In this exercise, they play the role of a fulcrum. If you want to increase the load, put them together. If you want to reduce it, then put your feet shoulder-width apart.
When doing the plank, do not forget about proper breathing. It should be even and calm. Don't delay him. This can cause pressure to build up and cause facial flushing.
Plank exercise results
The results from the exercise will not be long in coming. Within a couple of days you will feel that your body has become lighter and more flexible. Of course, at the initial stage all the muscles will hurt, but this pain indicates that they are working and tense.
A more noticeable effect of this exercise can be noted after 10-15 days from the beginning of classes. The abdomen, buttocks and legs become more toned and firm. Excess fat is removed from the bottom of the abdominal cavity, and the appearance of cellulite on the legs is reduced. There is no definite recommendation for how many times a day you should be in the plank. Exercise can be done in the morning immediately after sleep, or several times a day. The execution schedule is chosen by you yourself. The only thing is that the exercise is best done at the same time. This trains the muscles and allows you to get the maximum effect.
How to do the plank exercise - watch the video:
Choose the right plank option for yourself and make your body flexible, slim, beautiful and fit. It will take very little time to complete it, and the result will please you very quickly.
