Can i plank everyday

That said, beginners are advised to start with the basic or standard plank. Some people may refer to it as the traditional or regular plank. Regardless of how you call it, the process of correctly doing a plank is as follows 11 :. This move appears pretty easy to do but is, in the real sense, pretty challenging.

The possibilities of injuring yourself are pretty high, especially if you do not learn the correct form. Work with an instructor first before deciding to take on this plank challenge. Once you master the technique, you can do planks daily or even try more challenging variations. Betterme will keep you laser-focused on your weight loss journey! Nutrient-packed meal plans, fat-blasting workouts, galvanizing challenges and much more.

Try using the app and see for yourself! As seen from the results of planking every day, there are numerous benefits you can reap from doing this exercise. However, some people can do this exercise every day yet still not see results.

Even more so, they may end up reporting injuries. Here are some tips to help you avoid such injuries but instead reap the named benefits:. If you are looking to get a six-pack, get rid of love handles and reduce the risk of several diseases using this exercise, you must learn the correct technique.

Most people make the mistake of wrongly placing their arms and arching their back when planking. Wrongly arching your back can lead to back pain.

The correct form is placing your arms directly underneath your shoulders. Make sure that the two align When it comes to your back, make sure that you keep it straight throughout the movement. If you are looking to reap the results from doing planks every day, start with the basic plank. This is particularly if you have never done a plank exercise before. Do not start with complicated plank variations such as the side plank knee to elbow crunch, side plank rotations, or the bent-knee side plank.

Although they are very effective and rewarding, they are not suitable for beginners. These are advanced exercises that better suit individuals in the advanced fitness level. Start by familiarizing yourself with the regular plank, and there after, try out other plank variations as recommended by your instructor. So much goes into play into getting a six-pack or reducing love handles besides doing planks every day.

Nutrition is one of them. So, as much as you are breaking a leg planking, remember also to pay attention to your lifestyle. You will hardly lose muffin tops or belly fat if you continue drinking alcohol excessively or eating junk or processed foods. Such behaviors only compromise your efforts of losing such fat when you are doing planks. With that in mind, also work on changing your lifestyle for the better. Try to limit your alcohol consumption, eat mindfully and healthy, and get good rest 4.

Such behaviors can shorten your road to losing both love handles and belly fat. Even if you are only doing planks, remember to warm up before performing this exercise and cooling down afterwards. Most people who are doing one single exercise tend to ignore warming up. It would help if you warmed up to loosen tight muscles and prepared them for the upcoming activity. Your warm-up routine does not necessarily have to be extended. Instead, it only has to be effective. A short and effective warm-up routine stokes your blood flow and prepares your body for the plank exercise program You will find that your muscles quickly respond to the workout because they are loose and warm.

Warm-up to avoid injuries that may result from forcing tight muscles to exercise. You can seek the help of a professional to help you craft a meaningful warm-up routine lasting between 5 to 10 minutes Remember also to cool down after you are done with your planks. It helps prevent the sudden reduction or drop of both your heart rate and blood pressure For this routine, you need to incorporate exercises that allow you to stretch and relax. Do not add on vigorous activities as these will only increase your heart rate, further telling your body it is continuing with the exercise routine.

Doing planks every day is beneficial as it can help you get ripped abs, get rid of your love handles, reduce your obesity risk and other related health conditions. Likewise, performing this exercise every day can help improve your general health, fitness, posture, and daily functioning. Talk to your doctor and trainer before starting this exercise program.

Similarly, remember to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the correct planking technique, and do warm-up and cool-down exercises. These behaviors promise to maximize your benefits. This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making.

Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

Rodah is a competent and skilful writer with a deep interest in nutrition and healthy living. Her speciality is writing articles that fall under the fitness and weight loss category.

Her unparalleled style of writing and ability to explain difficult concepts in simple terms has made her garner much acclaim. Her top priority is creating informative pieces that advocate for or propel individuals towards healthier lifestyles. She believes that health is wealth, which is why she chose fitness and nutrition as her area of expertise. She believes adopting such a lifestyle is easy, as long as you are consistent, hopeful, and disciplined.

Hey there! You will be investing less time and getting great results. You can do plank anywhere and will not require any equipment other than an optional mat.

The exercise engages several muscle groups and tones your abs. It also works your buttocks. It will strengthen your body. Here is a list of some of the incredible things that will happen to you when you start doing planks every day.

It takes effort and a whole lot of muscles to hold the plank position and this burns calorie. By doing planks, you burn more calories than the traditional ab exercises like sit-ups and crunches.

Planks are especially important for those who have a sedentary lifestyle as it not only burns fat but will also improve metabolism. Doing plank daily will keep your metabolic rate high. But one of the primary functions of the core is to help the upper body and lower body work in coordinated actions.

Think about it: Something as simple as walking, which requires coordinated arm and leg swings that are connected through the muscles of the core, is actually quite complex when you take into account all of the muscles being used.

When planks are performed on a regular basis, athletic performance may even improve because your body learns how to efficiently recruit core muscles for stabilization and the transfer of energy between upper and lower body," Rozalynn Frazier, a NASM-certified trainer, explained in an article for Livestrong.

This helps improve body awareness, stability, and coordination, all of which play an important role in athletic performance. The shoulder joint is pretty amazing. It's the most flexible joint in the body, capable of rotation, flexion, extension, and both abduction and adduction in two planes of motions. The result is an incredible range of motion that allows for all sorts of movements that make day-to-day life easier. Of course, there's a downside to all that movement and range of motion.

The shoulder is also the least stable joint in the body. This makes it particularly susceptible to injury and dislocation. One effective way to help improve stability and strength at the shoulder is to perform planks on a regular basis.

As pointed out by Stack , the plank's isometric hold engages and builds strength around the shoulder blade and at the rotator cuff to keep these smaller muscles stable when performing other exercises. This helps enhance the activation of shoulder muscles during exercise, ultimately reducing injury risk — particularly if you tend to play sports that require swinging or throwing or if you tend to lift heavy weights.

If your mom still nags you to stand up straight or pull your shoulders back, it might be time to start incorporating planks into your daily routine. This is especially true if you work a desk job in which you're constantly rounding your back, shoulders, and neck while sitting in front of a computer all day.

You see, proper plank form is more or less perfect posture. Even though planks are performed in a horizontal position, the idea is the same — you're contracting your core, engaging your lumbar spine and glutes to prevent your low back from caving, and pulling your shoulder blades down and in toward the spine to prevent your neck from collapsing between your arms. If someone were to draw a line from your ears to your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles, it should form a completely straight line.

As Rozalynn Frazier, a NASM-certified trainer, explained in an article for Livestrong , the plank exercise teaches your muscles and joints to "stack" your spine in proper alignment, developing strength and recruiting the proper muscles for good posture. This ultimately transfers from the plank's horizontal position to proper posture when you're sitting, standing, walking, or running. A strong core can improve balance and help prevent falls, as pointed out by Harvard Health.

When your core muscles are efficient and strong, your lower body joints and muscles are more capable of making quick corrections to sudden changes in body position. To put it another way: If you're walking down the street and someone bumps into you from behind, a strong core will be able to contract and engage efficiently, helping prevent your spine from flexing or rotating awkwardly while simultaneously helping the muscles of your legs respond in a way that allows you to catch your balance.

This quick and efficient core engagement is essential for balance and can be enhanced with plank exercises. Health suggests using a plank reach — a variation in which you lift opposite hands and feet of the ground while holding a stable core — to further develop balance and coordination. But if you're not ready for this variation just yet, start with a standard plank, then try lifting one limb at a time for a second or two. Even small challenges like this can further build balance and stability.

Planks can help you lift heavier weights in two ways. First, because planks help develop strength of the "corset" muscle — the transverse abdominis — and develop strength around the stabilizers of the spine, exercises that require core engagement and a stable spine think: heavy squats or dumbbell shoulder presses may become easier as your core strength improves.

Second, the plank itself is a position that can help build baseline strength at the shoulders, hips, glutes, and core for other popular exercises. Rozalynn Frazier, a NASM-certified trainer, explained in an article for Livestrong that it's a good idea to consider the plank a "foundational move, one that builds your strength from the ground up.

When it comes to metabolism-boosting exercises, the plank isn't at the top of the list. Typically, you need to focus on dynamic movements, such as burpees, jump rope, squat presses, or mountain climbers if you really want to get your internal fires burning those extra calories. That said, performing a daily plank challenge certainly won't hurt your metabolism, and it can give you at least a little boost — especially if you're focused on engaging all your major muscle groups to perform the plank.

Andia Winslow, master certified fitness professional and pro athlete, shared with Livestrong , "Anytime prime movers legs and glutes are involved, there will be greater caloric burn, which is why, in a plank, folks have to remember to engage their legs, squeezing the thighs and glutes along with holding the core and trunk firm.

Running is a perfect example of an exercise in which a strong core and efficient transfer of power between the upper and lower halves is particularly important. When running, you need your shoulders to engage to create an efficient arm swing, and the arm swing needs to be coordinated with your leg swing, which originates from the hips.