Benefits of Doing The Plank Exercise Every Day

Plank is a type of isometric core strengthening exercise, which requires maintaining a push-up-like pose for as long as possible that usually goes from 30 seconds to one minute. In this exercise, your weight is distributed evenly on your forearms, toes, and elbows.

Coming to the effects of planking, it targets your abs and a majority of your core muscles, including your traps, rhomboids, pecs, delts, rotator cuff, glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Doing planks every day results in strong back, shoulders, and abdominal muscles. The best part about this wonderful exercise is that it can be performed by everyone regardless of their age, weight, gender, or fitness level.

Before discussing daily plank benefits, let us talk about how to perform planks. The following is the correct method of doing planks:

Step 1: Lie with your face down and forearms on the floor. Keep your feet together and legs extended freely. Make sure to use a yoga mat to avoid any injury and do planks comfortably.

Step 2: Next, raise your body by pushing into your forearms. Your body should form a straight line with your neck, head, and feet. While doing so, avoid rising or sagging your hips. Keep them tight instead.

Step 3: Tuck your core inside and gaze down to hold this position. Focus on your breathing.

Step 4: Maintain this pose for at least 30-40 seconds, and then slowly lower your body and lie down in a resting position. This is one complete set. Take a 30-60 second break and repeat the exercise at least three times. You can use a timer for doing planks in an efficient manner.

When getting started, you might not be able to hold the plank for 30 seconds. In this case, try holding it for 10-15 seconds and then keep practising until you perfect the pose.

Moreover, if you find it very difficult to do a plank while resting on your forearms, do it in a push-up position.

Following are some of the best plank position benefits:

Helps in Developing a Strong Core: As discussed above, the primary targets of a plank exercise are the core or abdominal muscles. It suggests that a strong core and defined abs are some of the best plank benefits for males and females engaged in bodybuilding.

Improves Posture: Better posture and reduced postural problems are other elbow plank benefits. By performing planks on a regular basis, you can strengthen your back muscles, which in turn improve your spinal curvature and reduce the chances of developing back and neck problems.

It helps in promoting an aligned spine and offers more stability to your hips and shoulders.

Improves Balance: Holding a plank for 30 seconds and increasing it eventually to a minute will help you improve your balance and gain better coordination among your body parts.

Helps in Activating Full-body:** Apart from helping you develop a strong core, planks allow full-body activation. In simple words, doing planks alone will help you engage your complete body including back, shoulders, legs, biceps and triceps, and so on.

So, if you do not have time for a lengthy workout session, take 3 minutes from your daily schedule to perform planks.

Boost Metabolism: Gas, bloating, and acidity are some of the most common issues faced by females. The good news is that you can get rid of all these problems by including planks in your workout.

A higher metabolism and relief from gastrointestinal issues are some of the known plank benefits for females.

Relieves Stress and Anxiety: Not just your physical health, plank position benefits your mental health as well.

This simple pose allows your muscles to relax and neutralise. This, in turn, helps in relieving stress to a great extent. Besides, planking may also help you sleep better.

Once you perfect your plank pose and easily hold it for 1 minute, you can make it more challenging by trying some variations of this exercise. This will help you get the most plank exercise benefits.

Having said that, the following are the top plank variations to include in your daily workout regime:

Side Planks: Side planks are great for targeting your spine and side muscles. They can even help you correct your posture by reducing spinal curvature. In simple words, side planks can help you deal with spine-related problems. Here is how you can do them:

Lie down on your right side and then lift your body onto your right forearm, which should be kept firmly on the ground. Your elbow should be in line with your shoulder.

Now, lift your hips in a way that your body forms a straight line to the floor. Your body, your rested forearm and the ground should make a triangle.

Make sure that your right foot is placed on the ground, and your left foot should be stacked on top of it.

Hold this position for around 30 seconds and repeat the same with your left side.

Knee Touches: This is another simple plank variation that targets your glutes and hamstrings in the most amazing way. Here is how to do it:

Take the normal plank position with your forearms resting on the ground.

Now, touch your knees to the ground alternately.

Make sure to tap the ground lightly with your knee; otherwise, you will end up hurting yourself. Also, keep your back straight.

Arm and Leg Extensions with Shoulder Taps: This plank exercise is great for improving your balance while also defining your core. Here is how to do it:

Form the high plank position by keeping your hand straight on the ground instead of resting your forearms.

Now, raise your right hand and tap your left shoulder with it. Take it down to the ground and repeat the same with your left hand.

Do at least 10 taps with each hand and increase the repetitions as you progress.

There is no perfect time to do planks. You can do them whenever you get time, be it early in the morning or in the night. All you need to keep in mind is that planks or any kind of exercise offers the best results when done on an empty stomach.

Although planks are very easy, holding the correct position can get tricky for beginners. Following are some common planking mistakes to avoid for the best results:

• Do not arch your back. This will prevent you from engaging your core muscles as you will put more pressure on your arms. Instead, keep shoulders wide and back neutral.

• Avoid sagging your hips. Keep your feet separated and hips up and tucked.

• Keep your gaze down instead of looking forward. This can strain your neck and may also cause pain and discomfort.

• Avoid doing planks on a bare floor. Keep a mat or towel beneath to avoid any injuries.

That’s everything about the “benefits of planking every day”!

Plank is definitely the best core strengthening exercise that can be a great addition to your daily workouts. Besides defining your abs and targeting your abdominal muscles, planks can offer several other health benefits we have discussed in this blog.

But when it comes to achieving good overall health, only planks are not enough. You should also focus on eating a balanced meal and maintaining an active lifestyle. Moreover, to safeguard your health against any medical emergencies, buying a medical insurance policy is advisable.

A suitable health insurance plan from Tata AIG provides you with the required financial assistance during unforeseen medical emergencies.

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Do planks burn belly fat?

No one exercise can help you in spot reduction. However, if you maintain a calorie deficit and perform planks regularly along with other exercises, you can surely reduce your belly fat and achieve the desired physique.

How long should I stay in the plank position?

You can stay in the plank position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This is enough time to target abdominal muscles. You can increase your repetitions and try other plank variations if you want your planks to be more challenging.