How can the Plank Exercise Help Me?
If you’re wondering how balancing on your elbows and toes will help with your ab and stomach muscles you should give the plank a try. The weight of your body and gravity will pull the middle of your body towards the ground, and your back will have the tendency to sag and arch.
To prevent this you must use your ab and stomach muscles and pull in your belly button to keep your body in good alignment.
If you are a beginner, you may notice that your body starts to shake after a few seconds of holding the plank position. This is simply due to a lack of coordination and strength in your core muscles.
Over time, potentially in as little as two weeks you’ll notice significant improvement in your ability to hold this position without wavering.
If this exercise feels really easy by itself, try doing another exercise beforehand to slightly fatigue your stomach muscles.
Here’s a simple workout routine with just 2 exercises. Crunches- Plank:
Start with a set of crunches and then turn over and immediately hold the plank position. This will increase the intensity of the plank and give your abs more of a challenge.
There are so many ways to work you abdominal muscles. Master the basics and the sky’s the limit. Use isometric exercises for stomach and ab workouts, and use traditional exercises for your abdominal workout routine.
Don’t forget to have fun working out. Challenge someone you know to a plank contest. Winner gets a back rub, lunch, cup of coffee, or maybe just bragging rights!
Get a stop watch and hit start when both of you are in the plank position. Then, just hold as long as you can. Whoever stays up the longest wins!
Having fun during your workouts will help to keep you motivated. Any time you can do something to make your workouts more interesting and fun… Go for it!
Yours in Health, Dr. Charles
Isometric Exercises for Stomach Strength: Full Plank
Starting Position: Start by balancing on your elbows and your toes, while keeping your body in a straight line.
Form: This is one of the three isometric exercises for stomach muscles that I use regularly. Hold the same position for 10-30 seconds without moving.
Personal Trainer Tips: Make sure that you keep your body in a straight line. Keep your abs pulled in to stop your back from arching. When you are doing this exercise for the first few times, your body may start shaking. This is a result of muscle weakness and lack of coordination. After a little practice the shaking will stop and you will be able to hold this exercise for 30 seconds or more. If you feel your back arching, lift your hips slightly higher in the air.
Isometric Exercises for Stomach Strength: Half Plank
Starting Position: Start by balancing on your elbows and your knees, while keeping your body in a straight line.
Form: This is an isometric exercise for the stomach, which simply means that you hold the same position without moving. Hold for 10-30 seconds.
Personal Trainer Tips: Begin with the half plank if you have difficulty holding the full plank for less than 10 seconds. Build up to 30 seconds on the half plank and then graduate to the full plank. Make sure that you keep your body in a straight line. Keep your abs pulled in to stop your back from arching. Use a pad for your knees and elbows for comfort.
Isometric Exercises for Stomach Strength: Side Plank
Starting Position: Start by balancing on your elbow and your feet. Place your foot that is closest to the ground in the front, and keep your body in a straight line.
Form: Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Personal Trainer Tips: This ab exercise has a few variations. #1 Foot position: You can stack your feet one on top of the other to challenge your balance even more. #2 Top hand position: You can also place your top hand on your hip to make it easier to balance. #3 Bottom arm position: You can make this exercise a little more challenging by balancing on your hand and feet. These variations are isometric exercises for stomach, oblique, and back muscles.
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