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Plank

VeryWellFit: "There are many benefits of planking as planks are an excellent abdominal and core exercise. To ensure you keep your core strong and stable, add the plank to your ab workout program." [ID: plank]

Instructions

First time: Hold your plank position for 30 seconds

Steps:

1. Start position: Lie on the stomach with your feet together and forearms on the ground with elbows under your shoulders Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor.
2. Engage your core and hold the plank position

Another popular option: In a push-up position, do the plank with your arms fully extended

Details

Progressions:

• An easier plank variation: Keep your knees on the floor
• More time: 30 seconds, then 45...
• More sets
• Mix in different types of planks; see list below
• AMRAP - Hold your plank as long as you can

There are lots of (cool) plank variations:

• Reverse plank - an abs/core exercise that some people swear by, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNAxdJ6Bt00
• Plank with leg lift - lift one leg during plank, www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9j5_BriCW4
• Plank with shoulder taps - while planking lift arm to touch one shoulder, then the other, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOCn3_iOAro
• Side plank, side_plank.htm
• Plank walkup - 4 steps: 1) right elbow down, 2) left elbow down, 3) right elbow back up, 4) left elbow up, www.nasm.org/exercise-library/plank-walkup
• How about trying a scorpion plank, www.tomsguide.com/wellness/fitness/i-just-added-scorpion-planks-to-my-core-workouts-heres-what-happened
• Spiderman plank, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVyHcalg61g
• Article: "15 Plank Variations", www.healthline.com/health/14-plank-variations-your-core-will-thank-you-for-later

Little help

Video: Great demonstration of 3 plank variations (forearm, straight arm, and side plank) from Bowflex, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASdvN_XEl_c

Article: "How to Do a Plank" from VeryWellFit, www.verywellfit.com/the-plank-exercise-3120068

Video: Plank demo from NASM, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwlp75MS6Rg

Playlist: video demos of 9 plank variations from NASM, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeVb1RGNTvdeadYv7SCl_7dWgDt6rhLEu

Video: Another good demo of the Spiderman plank, www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-vocJfWEM

To pass the US Marines Physical Fitness Test (PFT) you must plank for at least 1 minute, 10 seconds. Plank for 3 minutes, 45 seconds and you'll get you a perfect score. Yow! www.fitness.marines.mil/PFT-CFT_Standards17

Image source: NASM, www.nasm.org