How many planks should you do a day

Here's my trigger action — running. I do my two sets of five-minute planks making up for yesterday right after a nighttime run and my other core exercises. They're getting slightly easier. Day 6: Since I don't have plans to run today, I try to knock out my quota in the morning.

Sleepy arms don't like planks, but I do find one new trick. Instead of setting a one-minute alarm five times, I download a timer app , which can be programmed to automatically reset a one-minute timer.

No breaks, but I'm finished much faster. Day 7: Now I'm really getting creative. Full plank, forearm plank, side planks, and a bicycle plank. OK, maybe I made this exercise up, but I felt like moving my legs. Day 8: Time to check up on proper plank form.

I realize my back and hips are dipping, so I focus on engaging my core like I'm about to get punched in the stomach — and whaddya know, the planks become both easier I feel much more solid and harder all the other muscles I was ignoring begin to activate. Day 9: I turn on a short YouTube workout video to watch instead of my timer and it helps the seconds tick by.

And then 20 minutes pass and I realize I'm still lying on the floor watching YouTube in my workout clothes. Day I'm so busy with work and deadlines that exercise is the last thing on my mind. I forget to plank. Day I forget to plank again. I think about how finding time for exercise can feel like a luxury.

In the hierarchy of daily priorities, something's always gotta give. Day I remember to plank, but don't feel like it. Not going to lie, I feel pretty guilty.

Day Why do we self-sabotage our exercise habits? This is a real question. There are 1, minutes in a day, and this activity only takes up five. Instead of planking, I probably spent a half hour telling myself "don't forget" and another five minutes lying in bed thinking "you forgot.

Day Determined to make up for my failures, I resolve that this is going to happen. I get down on the floor, set my timer, and planking is hard again. I feel like I've gone backward, and the struggle is real. Day I don't plank, and in the process, I learn something new about myself. When I feel forced to do something, I can quickly grow to resent it. 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. Preparing for the holidays? Granted, it is often the longest and most grueling 60 seconds of my life. But spending quality time in a plank pose always pays off. The plank pose is where you hold a push-up position while resting on your forearms.

This simple move is the ideal exercise for strengthening crucial core muscles. As you go about your day, almost every move you make revolves around your core — from picking up items on the floor to twisting to see if the coast is clear when driving.

Your core is made up of several muscle groups and covers your abdominals, back, hips, pelvis, and buttocks. A weak core can cause all kinds of problems.

It can lead to poor posture, and inevitably to neck and shoulder pain. Sore knees and hips often can be traced to a weak core. But the biggest issue with core weakness is low back pain. Back muscles and your core help to stabilize your body before any movement. If your core is weak, the other surrounding muscles have to compensate. Over time, these muscles can suffer strain, which leads to lingering pain. The standard sit-up is often the go-to core strengthener, but it has limits. Most experts suggest anywhere from 10 up to 30 seconds is plenty.

You can perform a plank every day, on alternate days, or simply as part of your regular workouts. I sometimes like to do mine during workday breaks. When you first start to do planks, you may not be able to hold the correct position for very long. If resting on your forearms is uncomfortable, do the plank from a push-up position, with your arms fully extended. If you need more of a challenge, try alternating leg lifts during the pose: raise one leg for a second or two, and then repeat with the other leg.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. It had been a good start, but on day two I nearly forgot to do it.

I remembered just before leaving home that morning and made sure to think about squeezing my glutes, pressing up across my shoulders, and holding my core tight.

To be honest, I wasn't finding it hard, and on the fifth day I accidentally planked for 80 seconds. Nine days into the month, I went to Austria on a work trip. On the day I arrived in Vienna, I was about to go to bed when I realized I hadn't planked, so I did it in my pajamas at 11 p. It did not feel good. But I did it. This happened again a couple of days later. I forgot until the evening, which then resulted in a very heavy-feeling before-bed plank. As the month went on I realized it was so much easier to plank in the morning, or at least when I hadn't just had dinner.

On days when I planked first thing in the morning, I was far more likely to hold it for over a minute too, which I often unintentionally did. On day 24, however, I woke up really tired for some reason and the plank felt a lot more difficult.

I successfully completed my day challenge, though! I wasn't expecting to see any difference when I looked in the mirror, but my before-and-after shots tell a different story. Side-on, I think my stomach is slightly flatter in the after photo right below.