What does one minute of plank a day do for us?

The plank exercise has become an integral part of every exerciser’s daily life to the point that sometimes it seems that a workout without a plank isn’t really a workout. So what does one minute a day of the exercise do for us and what is there in this plank that is so dominant?The plank can sound like a “simple” exercise that in general requires holding the hands and feet (state 2 we know from the military) for a predetermined period of time and that’s it. It does not require the movement of certain joints and is performed statically, which requires the muscles to perform what is known in the professional language as “isometric contraction” without lengthening or shortening. But upon a thorough examination of the muscular activity during the exercise, it appears to have a significant contribution to our body, and moreover, even if you have been working out for many years in the gym and your body is built for lifting, one minute of plank a day can directly affect the strengthening of your core muscles and posture and contribute greatly to them.

“Remind me what a core is?”

Contrary to the common myth that the core is a small group of muscles in the center of the body, it is a much wider family that includes ten muscle groups including the pelvic floor, the straight abdominal muscles, the obliques, and the widest of them, the thigh and buttock muscles, the back muscles, and recent studies even associate the shoulder muscle group with the celebration . From this we can learn that a correct plank can create an important physical harmony that should be of interest to all of us.

And what does it really do to the body?

A practical study carried out in the United States shows that a minute a day can improve balance and coordination in the long term, as well as prevent injuries from simple daily activities. The plank practice contributes to creating strength for other exercises, helps to feel alert and lower blood pressure. Many subjects testified to a reduction in lower back pain after 8-12 weeks of practice, as well as an improvement in neck or shoulder girdle discomfort.

How do you get to a minute a day? Start with 30 seconds and increase

As with any adapted training program, the body needs its own adaptation time, so start the first week with 30 seconds daily. If you have not done the exercise before, you will probably feel contractions in different parts of the body, but they will disappear after two or three days.

In the second week, go to 40 seconds and put emphasis on reducing the base area by connecting the legs. During the week you will already feel the effect and strengthening of the core muscles.

In the third week – 50 seconds of holding. You will be able to feel an improvement already in simple everyday activities such as sitting, walking and lifting the children.

In the fourth week – 60 seconds of holding that a month ago would have seemed impossible to you will give you a sense of success and significant strengthening, and if you stick to a caloric deficit during the period, you will also gain a long-awaited aesthetic change.