Holding the plank correctly. How to perform the exercise and why it is useful

Holding the plank correctly. How to perform the exercise and why it is useful

A fitness trainer tells you how to do the plank to get results.

The plank is a simple but very effective static exercise that will help you keep yourself in shape. Doing the plank can replace both warm-up, warming up the body, and exercises that work the abs and back muscles. Also, the plank will ensure perfect posture.

Fitness trainer Manvel Mamoyan shares his advice on how to do the plank correctly and what mistakes you should pay attention to.

How to perform the exercise?

The exercise is performed from the initial position of push-ups. Your elbows should be bent at a right angle and be in line with your shoulders. Your body should represent one straight line. Keep the weight of your body on your elbows and toes, distributing it evenly across the fulcrums. Freeze in this position and try to hold it for as long as possible.

When performing the plank, it is important to constantly tense the muscles of the abs, back, legs and buttocks, it is this that will keep a straight line from shoulders to heels and increase the effectiveness of the exercise.

It is necessary to hold the position firmly, without relaxing for a second. Execution of the exercise is recommended to start with the easiest variation “15 sec plank + 30-60 sec rest”, totaling 3-4 repetitions. Gradually increase the time spent in the plank.

Professor, candidate of biological sciences Victor Nikolayevich Seluyanov noted that exercises should be performed until the moment when there is a burning sensation and pain, only then the body begins to produce the necessary hormones for muscle growth and fat burning. That is, when the exercise becomes painful and heavy, you need to overcome this moment and continue for another 15-20 seconds for the necessary result.

What mistakes should I pay attention to?

Try to follow the correctness of the exercise. Be sure to keep a straight back, do not bend in the spine. Otherwise, the load on the spine will increase greatly, while on the abs – reduced. Do not slouch, as in this case it will be more difficult to hold the position of the body. Also do not lift your head and take your eyes off the floor, so as not to overload the neck.

What is the purpose of the plank?

Despite its simplicity, the plank is a very effective complex exercise. Firstly, static exercises are important for the development of tendons, endurance and muscle tone. Secondly, the plank involves a whole group of muscles: all the abs, spinal extensors and partially the muscles of the whole body.

The plank in the Guinness Book of Records

The absolute record for standing in the plank position was set in May 2016 by Mao Weidong, a policeman from China. He stood in it for 8 hours and 1 minute. Among women, the record in 2019 was set by Dana Glovaca, who stood in the bar for 4 hours and 20 minutes.