One of the most effective isometric exercises, planking is suitable for beginners of all ages and can be done in the comfort of your own home. You train your core muscles with your own weight, whereby you can target different muscle groups through different variations of the exercise. However, it can be initially challenging for newbies to execute this type of training flawlessly to get the desired results. If you are one of them, the following tips and examples can help you to optimize the training process.
Why can planking be a beneficial fitness exercise for beginners?
The key to the effectiveness of such a training exercise and to holding a stable plank is to do it gradually. If this is your first time, it may be very difficult to stay in position for more than 10 seconds. The biggest advantage of this type of training, however, is that it becomes much easier over time with repetition. This will make you easily maintain the plank position, which is similar to a push-up, for the maximum amount of time possible for best results.
In addition, there are many options for planking for beginners, although it is advisable to start in a high position. This requires less effort and encourages the muscles to get used to it slowly. As already written above, you can strengthen your back, shoulders and stomach with such a workout. In contrast to cardio training, such exercises are suitable for anyone who wants to get physically fit. Even children can start and effectively continue the practice into old age to increase their overall body strength over time. Here are some of the best variations of this exercise for the inexperienced, as well as possible mistakes to avoid.
Basic variations of the plank
Even with this type of exercise, sometimes the muscle building methods are the simplest. This is especially the case for beginners, as planks help build strength and thus trust your body more. Although the sit-up is not an easy exercise, with the right approach, it can be easily accomplished. There are also some variations, such as the forearm plank, where you stand on all fours with your torso flat like a tabletop. This allows you to contract your abs to keep your spine straight.
- Place your forearms flat on the floor and straighten your legs so only your toes and forearms are touching the floor.
- Then stay in this position, remembering to breathe.
The lateral variation of the exercise with the forearm is also suitable as a plank for beginners. In this case, from the standard position, you need to turn to one side while keeping one elbow and forearm on the floor.
- Place your other hand on your hip and stack your feet on top of each other while pointing them in the direction you are facing.
- Then lift your hips to keep your body in a straight line.
Once you’ve mastered these basic variations, you can add a few other quick moves to make the training process even more effective. In addition, you can start by trying one of these four exercises for 30 seconds at home or at the gym. However, it’s also important to rest after those 30 seconds before doing a rep.
How does planking for beginners affect overall health?
Given the nature of this workout, it’s best for newbies to start with the plank exercise for at least 30 days. This comes with a number of health benefits, such as improving overall posture thanks to core strength. Additionally, it can also increase your body’s flexibility and endurance while losing belly fat. From a medical point of view, planking for beginners helps to get rid of back pain with exercise, while also improving coordination and metabolism.
As far as muscle groups go, planking is considered a full-body workout that can benefit multiple muscles. So you can not only train your core muscles, but also your shoulders, upper back, arms, glutes and hamstrings. In addition, such exercises also help build functional movement patterns over time. This also includes simple, everyday activities such as walking, shopping and climbing stairs, which can feel more comfortable and easier as a result. To achieve all of this, you can try the following training methods to reap the numerous benefits of this exercise.
Start with a high plank
A high plank is all about starting with a push-up position. Do this by keeping your palms and toes firmly on the floor while keeping your back and torso straight. Perform this beginner’s type of plank by starting on all fours. However, instead of resting your forearms on the floor, you can place your palms shoulder-width apart and fully extend your arms.
- Then raise your knees and push your feet back while extending your legs straight behind you. This looks like the top of a standard push up.
- Keep your core, legs, and glutes tight while being careful not to arch your back.
- Focus your gaze on the floor a few inches in front of your hands to keep your neck in a neutral position.
Proceed to more intense variations of planking for beginners
The main idea of this full body exercise is to add time and intensity as your core muscles get stronger. So once you’re able to hold the basic variations for a full minute with impeccable form, it’s a good idea to tweak the training process to increase the intensity. There are a variety of options out there, many of which are great for beginners too. So, once you’ve learned how to do a basic plank, you can now move on to the more intense training methodology.
- Perform Forearm Planking – Drop from the base plank to your elbows. Then align your elbows under your shoulders. You can interlace your fingers or form the number eleven with your forearms. Hold your hips and legs as you did for the basic variation.
- Rocking back and forth – From a plank position, you can add more intensity by rocking back and forth from your feet. Gently push your body in an area of about 3 cm to increase the challenge.
- Combine plank for beginners with mountaineering exercise – With shoulders stacked, perform a regular plank over your wrists and pull one knee in, then the other knee toward your chest. Do this at a slow or fast pace. When you move fast, you also increase your heart rate.
Perform side plank and reverse plank for beginners
These can be two amazingly beneficial variations for obliques and for those in the intercostal space. Do a side plank by twisting on your side, straightening one arm, and balancing on one foot. This isn’t as easy as it sounds and requires a lot of balance and flexibility to execute.
- First, transition from a base pose or forearm plank to a side pose.
- Then ground yourself through your left hand or forearm and open your body to the right side of the room.
- Engage your hips to work your obliques.
- Once your whole body is pointing to the right, you can raise your right arm towards the ceiling and/or lower your bottom knee for more stability.
- After three breaths, switch sides to keep things even.
The so-called lapel plank is great for glutes, hamstrings, the entire core, and the back of the body. This is done by lying on your back facing the ceiling. Then the upper body is pushed under the body with the arms. The body must form a straight line and one must hold this position.