Who holds the bar for how long. Variations of the Planck exercise. Your back muscles will improve

The versatility of the plank is amazing. Most physical exercises target specific muscle groups and ignore the rest, often with comical results. The bar allows you to evenly strengthen and heal the body, it does not disregard either the back or the legs.

1, 5, 10 minutes planks - what will happen to the body?

Let's look at the beneficial effects of the plank on a specific example. As a sample for research, let's pay attention to the classic plank, because most beginners start work with it. Pay attention to the results depending on the duration of the sets. They will tell you how many minutes you need to stand in the plank for weight loss or muscle development.

1 minute

You read the instructions and learned the correct technique, stood up and were surprised to find treacherously trembling abs and wobbly legs! This is not surprising - an unprepared person will very quickly get tired of the colossal tension directed at once to all muscle groups. But let's talk about the pleasant - in 1 minute in the bar you burned 5 calories, kneaded and surprised your muscles. Blood circulation has improved, the muscle corset is strengthened and receives more oxygen. Beginners should stop at this mark so as not to overstrain unprepared muscles.

5 minutes

5 minutes of a flawless plank is a result worthy of respect. During this time, you have burned 25 calories, warmed up and tensed every muscle fiber in your body. Speaking of muscles. After 5 minutes in the rack, they should begin to "clog", which signals that you have received enough load and you can stop the exercise.

10 minutes

To the madness of the brave we sing a song! Standing in a plank for 10 minutes is a severe test even for a trained body. You got rid of 50 "extra" calories, the abdominal muscles work at full capacity, your posture becomes smoother, and your movements are more confident. This is worth stopping so as not to inadvertently damage the muscle fibers. That's all for today, relax, you deserve it!

Tip: do not chase the duration of the approach. Short but regular exercises will bring more benefits than long and tiring sessions.

Optimal exercise time

"How long do you need to hold the bar?" - probably the most common question that fitness instructors or just experienced and trained people face. There is no unequivocal answer to it, since the duration of the approach rests on the capabilities of your body - where someone can easily stand for 3 minutes, the other will not stand even 30 seconds. Soberly assessing your strengths, you will choose the best option that brings not only benefits, but also pleasure.

Making a schedule for the month

Despite the fact that the duration of the approaches is selected individually, there are still general recommendations on the training schedule for a month. They consist in a gradual increase in the volume of training and their duration. Following this technique, you will achieve excellent results and make your body stronger and more resilient. Let's start with the classic plank and short approaches. Looking back at the end of the month, you will be surprised to find that you have increased the approach time several times.

Here is another example of a training schedule for a month (with rest on certain days):

While you are in the plank, your body is working!

Don't be under the illusion that the plank can replace a full body of exercise or save you the hassle of hitting the gym. Relief muscles and a slender figure will have to be obtained with labor and sweat, but you should know that the bar not only facilitates this process, but also turns it into a kind of game. By devoting a bar a few minutes a day, you provide the body with an invaluable service, prevent diseases of the digestive and excretory systems, and also get rid of back pain. Standing in the bar in the mornings or evenings will not become a painful necessity for you. Remember that your health is your treasure, and sport is the best way to keep it.

We offer to watch videos with different types of dynamic bar:

Stunning plank results: before and after photos

Hello my dear readers! If you have a great desire to tone your body, become slimmer and fitter, lose a few pounds and reduce your waist, then a very simple exercise called the plank, as far as technique is concerned, will suit you. More and more often I see on the Internet that static classes give an incredible result. The plank for weight loss is becoming more and more popular every day, and positive reviews about its effectiveness literally flooded fitness sites and communities. Today we’ll talk about what, in fact, this physical activity is, how to perform it correctly and what can be achieved.

Imagine, in just 2-5 minutes a day you can not only get in shape, but also strengthen the muscles of your back, abdomen, arms and hips. Unbelievable, but true! Regular exercises will give you a great result, the buttocks will become more toned and elastic. Many people think that these are just promises, how can you lose weight in 5 minutes a day, and even literally carve out a body? In order to understand everything, you need to understand the essence of the exercises.

But in fact, the plank is a static exercise, the purpose of which is to keep the muscles of the abdomen, arms, thighs, buttocks in tension. It is actually effective. And don't think it's very easy to do. Yes, in technical terms, nothing is particularly visible. No need to jump, run in a special way. Nothing but desire, your body and gender will be needed. The meaning of training is that the hands and toes rest on the floor, and the body, as it were, hangs above it. In this case, it is necessary to observe the correct technique so that instead of burning fat, you do not get injured. We will talk about this further.

When I first learned about these classes, I thought that it could be complicated and difficult. Just think, you need to hold out in a certain position for a few seconds. Yeah, my first attempt was super difficult. I wouldn't say I don't work at all. I like running, but the 30 second static exercise was still difficult for me. I completed it, but I lost 100 sweats.

Plank exercise: what are the advantages?

• You will not only tone your body, but also achieve significant results in losing weight. Due to the high tension that is created in the muscles during exercise, the metabolism improves, which undoubtedly leads to the loss of body fat.
• As I said above, the bar perfectly strengthens the muscles of the back, abdomen, arms and legs. The external, internal and transverse muscles of the press, the muscles of the front of the legs, the spine, and the buttocks are pumped.
• This is an excellent prevention of osteochondrosis. The risk of the disease is reduced in those who regularly perform the plank.
• Improvement in posture occurs due to the same strengthening of the back muscles.
• During classes, the thigh muscles are involved, and this is a problem area for many women. Hated by many women, cellulite most often makes itself felt in this area of ​​the body. Therefore, such exercises are another effective way to deal with orange peel.
• The rhythm of life does not allow many people to waste time in gyms and play sports under the control of coaches. The plank for weight loss is a great opportunity to put yourself in order at home, while spending a minimum of time and equipment that you don’t even need. Spent 2-5 minutes a day will bring a guaranteed result.

Cons of exercise plank for weight loss

The disadvantages of this type of physical activity do not actually exist. The only thing that can be noted is pain in the muscles and body after the first classes. But this applies to any sport, if a person is just starting to get acquainted with physical activity. Regular exercise, warm baths and massage will quickly solve this problem.

How to do plank exercise. Rookie Mistakes

In order for the exercises to be effective, the body to tone up, and the extra pounds to go away, it is necessary to perform classes adhering to certain rules. There are not many of them, but, nevertheless, they are very important. The lack of results can only be attributed to the wrong execution technique, so be sure to pay attention to this.

1. Remember to keep your body straight while exercising. The buttocks should be tightened, the stomach is tense, do not lower or raise the hips. Legs, buttocks and back should be on the same line. If you relax even a little bit one of the parts of the body, then everything will go downhill - the hips will bend, the back too.
2. Stretch your legs during exercise, do not bend.
3. Keep your head in line with your body.
4. If you are performing the plank on outstretched arms, then the hands should be under the shoulders at shoulder width. Thus, you protect yourself from injury.
5. If you have just started to master static exercises, do not rush and do not strive to fulfill the norm that is superfluous to you. Start doing each exercise from 15 seconds, gradually, day after day, increasing the time. Thus, your body will gradually get used to the loads.

plank for weight loss

More than once I have already said that the plank is a great opportunity to get rid of the stomach and bring your weight back to normal. Despite the fact that this type of physical activity is very effective and efficient, you will not be able to achieve your goal if you do not follow a few rules. They are mainly about nutrition. Indeed, in case of gluttony, eating pies and pies at night or before bedtime, hobbies for soda and chips, no super-efficient sports will help.

It is important to understand that, first of all, you need to take care of the quality of your own.

• First, always eat breakfast.
• Secondly, .
• Thirdly, eat 5-6 times a day in small portions of 200-250 ml.
• Fourth, do not eat 3 hours before bedtime.
• Fifth, prepare food at home, prepared food is not the best option for weight loss due to the huge amount of additives and fat. Instead of soda, cook compotes, kissels, instead of hamburgers, cook and so on.

These simple rules, coupled with statics, will help you in the fight against excess weight and generally improve your health.

Plank types

There are several types of planks. Which one to choose is up to you, but consider the degree of your physical fitness. Beginners are best to start with the classic version.

Classic variant

• To do this, lie on your stomach.
• Bend your elbows at an angle of 90 degrees and take emphasis on your elbows. They should be on the floor with their shoulders.
• Spread your legs a little and lean on the tip of the foot.
• Head, back and legs in one line.
• Tighten your buttocks and tighten your abdominal muscles.

For beginners, this kind of exercise is considered the easiest than the rest. Therefore, I advise you to start by trying to perform the classic bar.

Straight arm plank

• Lie on your stomach.
• Stretch your arms so that your wrists and hand form a right angle.
• The wrists are under the shoulders at a distance of their width. The heels are slightly raised.
• Do not bend under any circumstances. Keep your body straight, tensing your buttocks and stomach.

side plank

This exercise is considered difficult, since the support goes only to 2 points. Here, in addition to strength and endurance, you also need to keep your balance, which will be difficult for the inexperienced.

• Lie on your side.
• Place your elbow so that it is under your shoulder.
• Draw your legs in and join them together.
• Place your free hand on your thigh or lift it up.

Back plank

Another type of exercise that, judging by the reviews, fights cellulite and extra pounds in the lower body. Well, if you want to tighten your ass, then this kind of exercise will do an excellent job with this task.

• Lie on your back.
• Rise up and place your hands so that your wrists are under your shoulders.
• Lean on your heels and stretch your legs forward.
• Do not lower your hips, but try to keep them in a straight line with your legs.
• But, and if you want to pump up your calves, then you should not pull your socks forward.

Complicated planks

Each of the previous types of exercises can be complicated, thereby getting more stress on the body. This option is suitable for already trained individuals who have been playing sports for more than one day.

For example, you can improve the bar on outstretched arms like this:

And the classic pose is like this:

Training program "Plank for weight loss"

And so, now you know how to properly perform workouts without mistakes and get the maximum result. I am sure that they will bring incomparable health benefits and play a huge role in losing weight. But the last but not least question remains regarding the training program. It is very important in this matter to find a suitable mode and amount of physical activity.

For example, if an inexperienced person starts exercising immediately from 1 minute, but the next day he will face a fiasco, as the muscles will ache from pain and there will be no question of repeating the exercises.

Therefore, I offer you a program of classes that are suitable for beginners. Its essence is to bring the total exercise for a month to 5 minutes. And you need to start small, with just 20 seconds. Day after day, the time of classes will increase, the body will gradually get used to the loads.

As for the type of bar, as I said, you can start with the classic one, then move on to more complex training options, for example, combine them with each other. Thus, classes will become more diverse and effective.

And in order to have fun, turn on the music louder or put on headphones.))

That's all for today. I hope the article was useful and interesting for you! Write your comments and leave feedback. See you soon!

A perfectly flat stomach, delicious toned buttocks, a strong and healthy back, unsurpassedly slender legs, aesthetically pumped up arms and a beautiful body without cellulite - all this gives the Planck press exercise. Description of the exercise […]

A perfectly flat stomach, delicious toned buttocks, a strong and healthy back, unsurpassedly slender legs, aesthetically pumped up arms and a beautiful body without cellulite - all this gives the Planck press exercise.

Description of the plank press exercise

Handstand and footstand is an isometric type of load and involves muscle contraction, coupled with their tension. This technique is fundamentally different from isotonic, where against the background of muscle contraction, their length varies. It is known that static exercises have a positive effect on the fat burning process, heal all parts of the spine, alleviate manifestations, and are a panacea for people accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle or people working in sedentary work. Correction of the figure is achieved, different muscle groups are moderately loaded and developed due to the fact that there are several variations of the Planck exercise for the press, how many repetitions to do, how often to do it, what technique and what varieties are - it is useful for everyone to know about all these interesting facts.

Benefits of the Plank Abs Exercise

Plank exercise works well on the press

The first indisputable advantage of different types of Plank is high performance. It can be easily verified in practice that a stand with an emphasis on the elbows or palms in different variations is no less effective than classic twists. Of course, a really beautiful press can only be obtained with an integrated approach and the study of all sections of the abdominal muscles, but the ingenious and accessible Planck exercise will certainly improve the results of training.

Planck exercise replaces invigorating exercises in the morning

As a second plus, we note that the handstand and footstand can replace morning exercises. A static exercise will help wake anyone up, add tone, cheer up, warm up the body after a night's sleep. It may be difficult at first to hang above the floor for half or a minute and a half immediately after waking up, but over time it will begin to bear fruit. At best, one approach is performed immediately when getting out of bed and repeated after putting yourself in order before breakfast.

Features and technique of the exercise Plank for the press

How to do the exercise on the Planck press?

FirstThe first step should be to master the technique. Having learnedhow to do it rightlanka exercise for the press how many times a day to do and how often to do the exercises - everyone decides for himself, depending on his strength. There are certain standards that should be followed when performing the Plank, let's consider everything point by point:

• back - stably held in a perfectly flat position, the absolute plane of the lumbar spine is maintained, in case of rounding or deflection, there is a high risk of injury;
• buttocks - a strong tension of the gluteal muscles, with a static handstand and feet, ensures the formation of athletic buttocks and the best study of the core muscles;
• legs - they must certainly be straightened along their entire length, even a slight bending of the knees is highly undesirable, since the incorrect position of the legs causes an overload of the lumbar zone and the inevitable complication of this serious exercise;
• correct body position - when performing planks of various types, the rule that is relevant for a huge number of isometric exercises should be observed, namely, the installation of joints under the joints (it is important to know that the wrists or elbows, depending on the variation of the Plank, are located strictly under the shoulders);
• pelvic area - should be aligned in a clear parallel to the floor line, proper twisting of the pelvis significantly reduces the load on the lumbar zone;
• shoulders, neck and head - all these points line up in one line and relax as much as possible;
• abdominal muscles - they must be tense, the stomach is pulled in as much as possible, but this should not interfere with deep and measured breathing when performing the Plank;
• an individual approach to the complexity of the Plank - for beginners it is better to choose the minimum time, for the advanced maximum, while it is worth emphasizing on the good technique of performing an isometric exercise, it is more efficient and safer to withstand a short period of time in the correct position than to hold out for a long time, but with errors.

How many times to repeat and how long to hold the Plank?

Next, we move on to the most interesting. In a static position, it is worth remaining approximately 20-120 seconds. The optimal Planck time is different for everyone. Some athletes can stand in the correct position for only half a minute, others show amazing results, standing like a string above the floor for 2 minutes. For beginners, trembling of tense muscles is the norm. You can do 3-4 repetitions at a time, each for 20-120 seconds, this will certainly give an excellent effect. Of course, success is ensured only on the condition of regular exercise, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Between exercises, sufficient rest is maintained, but still not long pauses. If possible, it is permissible to hold out in Plank for up to 300 seconds. Well, if isometric exercises are performed 3-4 times a week, this technique will provide intense muscle work and at the same time give them the rest they need for recovery and growth. The key point is that the gradual complication and new variations of the Planck exercise can only be introduced after 2 or more minutes have been maintained without problems in a static standard position without errors and discomfort, with even breathing. Well, if the Plank is part of a set of exercises.

Let's summarize the information:

• stand time in the Plank position - from 20 to 120 seconds;
• the number of repetitions of the Plank - from 3 to 4 times within one approach, this is enough for a beginner for a day;
• The frequency of the plank is from 3 to 4 times a week.

Alternative plank exercise schedule

A rather soft schedule was given above as an example, the advanced level implies maintaining static positions for up to 300 seconds and more frequent exercises. Many people like Plankaexercise for the press how many repetitions to do and how part to do - this is determined based on the individualphysical training. The following is a progressive chart for reaching 300 seconds in Planck.

Despite the availability of all kinds of well-thought-out simulators for strengthening different muscle groups, the effective Planck exercise does not lose popularity. It is often included in complexes for a beautiful relief press, but in reality it reveals much more extensive possibilities and everyone can be convinced of this. You need to pay attention to the fact that the Planck exercise is contraindicated in vertebral hernia, should be done carefully with problems with the joints and after various injuries of the spine. In any case, with deviations in health and the development of new physical exercises, you need to consult a doctor.

The plank is a great exercise to get rid of belly fat. It consists in the fact that a person stands on bent elbows and socks in a horizontal position. The longer you stand, the stronger the effect of the exercise. Many people who want to lose weight quickly are interested in - how many times a day do planks for weight loss? This exercise trains not only the abdominal muscles, but also the muscles of the arms, hips and back. This simple exercise develops flexibility, forms a good posture and tightens the muscles. The bar is best combined with a set of exercises so that it brings maximum effect. Plank sets can be performed both during one workout and several times a day. The exercise is great as a warm-up - you can perform sets in between work at the computer or other sedentary work to stretch your muscles. It does not take much time, but it brings good results. The main thing is not to exercise immediately after a heavy meal.

The plank is a static exercise. Its execution consists in standing on bent elbows and toes. The trainee is located parallel to the floor and stretches to full height.

It is very important in this exercise not to stoop and not to bend in the back - it should be even. With this exercise, you train your core muscles, making your posture even and tucking your stomach.

Important! The bar trains almost all muscle groups, it engages the abdominal muscles very well. It helps to flatten the stomach, without pumping up the cubes and without making the waist wide.

How long to plank

Starting to do the exercise, many complain that the results do not come immediately.

Reasons for poor or slow results:

If you spend a couple of minutes on the plank during morning exercises, you should not wait for the first results in a day or a week. For those who want to see the result as soon as possible, it is recommended to increase the number of approaches per day or the time of the exercise.

Important! The number of exercises per day depends on the physical fitness of the person. A couple of minutes is enough for a beginner in the first days, and this will not be enough for a trained person. At first, there will not be enough strength even for a minute of the strap, so you can perform the exercise 3-4 times a day.

How often should I plank for weight loss? The number of repetitions of the exercise depends on the goal that you are pursuing. In order to slightly tighten the muscles, just two approaches a day are enough, for example, in the morning and in the evening, each for 2-4 minutes.

If you want to lose weight more thoroughly and burn excess fat on your stomach, you will have to perform 4-5 approaches a day. You should start with a little time. From the first time, you are unlikely to stand in the bar for a minute, 30 seconds is enough for a start. Take a short break and get back into the plank until you can increase the approach time.

Regularity of classes

If you experience back pain while exercising, stop exercising and consult your doctor. With some diseases, the bar may not help, but only harm health. For example, with an intervertebral hernia or spinal injuries, it is forbidden to perform the bar.

It's important to know! The plank is a static exercise, and therefore it does not consume very many calories. Its main function is to strengthen muscles and develop flexibility. By learning how to stand in the bar for a long time, you can perform more complex exercises.

How long to do the bar, if there are no contraindications? You should start with half a minute, gradually moving to 1, 2 minutes a day or more. Over time (if health permits), you can increase the number of approaches per day and the time you stand in the bar.

After a few days, you will notice that it is already much easier to stand in the plank, and the stomach is slowly tucked up and becoming smaller. So, the number of bar approaches per day is the decision of the person himself, depending on his feelings and the purpose of training. The physical fitness of a person also affects the number of approaches. If there are no contraindications, you need to perform the bar as often as possible throughout the day. The greater the load, the faster the desired result will come.

Reviews

Lyudmila, 34 years old: I knew for a long time that the plank is a really good exercise. But something, how much she did, but there was no result. I turned to the coach for help. It turned out that I was doing it wrong. You need to do it 3-4 times a day and then the results will be noticeable. Now I try to follow all the recommendations of the coach. I hope that soon I will boast of excellent abs.

Svetlana, 40 years old: I am a professional coach, so I recommend all my athletes to stand in the bar. Yes, this is a difficult exercise, but if you want to have a beautiful press, then you can’t do without it at all. My wards understand everything, and try to follow all my recommendations. They stand in the plank for as long as necessary, and I must say that their press is excellent.

Maxim, 35 years old: My trainer constantly forces me to stand in the plank. He says that this is a very good exercise. And I try to do everything correctly. Recently, I began to notice that after training, my back began to hurt terribly. I talked to the trainer. And it turned out that I did the bar incorrectly. Now my trainer is standing next to me every time and controls the whole process. My back stopped hurting, and I began to feel much better.

In the struggle for a slim figure, elastic muscles and a toned body, women and men around the world are looking for a universal exercise that involves all the muscles of the body. And there is such an exercise - this is a plank. Some experienced trainers compare the plank to running - more than 90% of the various muscles are involved during this physical activity. Some are satisfied with the static nature of the exercise - no need to run anywhere, it is enough to keep the body in the correct position. For others, the plank is a quick and easy way to stay in shape. Even if you don't have time to workout, doing a plank every day will help you keep your body in good shape. And all this in just a few minutes a day! But for the result to be really noticeable, the exercise should be performed correctly. So, today we’ll talk about the bar - useful properties and the correct implementation of this exercise.

What are the benefits of the plank exercise?

Today, the bar is included in the training program of many areas of fitness, usually this is the final exercise, which, as it were, fixes the load on the abs, arms and legs. How useful the bar is for the body, let's try to figure it out.

1. High-quality "pumping". The load on the muscles in a static position is much more intense, since a person is in an unnatural position, it is much more difficult to maintain your body weight in the plank exercise. This allows you to better pump the muscles of the back and abdominals, which cannot be achieved with a dynamic load.
2. Slim stomach. The bar qualitatively pumps the lower, upper and side abs, back muscles, buttocks, thighs, biceps. With the help of the plank, you can achieve a perfectly flat stomach and embossed cubes, which is important for both women and men. Plank allows you to get rid of the beer belly.
3. Movement coordination. The bar allows not only to train muscles, but also to improve the functioning of the vestibular apparatus, because the exercise requires a long-term balance and coordination of movement. Especially if we are talking not about the classic, but about the side plank, it is much more difficult to maintain balance during such an exercise.
4. Back. This exercise is a great workout for the spine. Keeping the body in a horizontal position allows you to work out the muscles of the back with high quality, this gives feasible training loads on the intervertebral discs. The plank is very useful for performing with hernias, as it forms a muscular corset around the spinal column, which eliminates the displacement of the vertebrae. But it is worth doing the exercise only after the permission of the doctor. Regular exercise "Planck" relieves back pain.
5. Warm up. The plank is very useful for those who have to do sedentary work all day long. This quick yet effective exercise can tone your body in minutes.
6. Slimming. Despite the fact that the load in the exercise is static, this is a great way to burn fat. Regular exercise on the muscles stimulates their growth. Growing muscles need nutrition, they take energy not only from food, but also consume a significant part of the subcutaneous fat reserves that every person has. The plank allows many athletes to dry out and lose weight before the competition.
7. Posture. The plank is for you if you want to improve your posture. The load is mainly on the cervical and lumbar spine. Regular training will help to make your back even in a couple of weeks.

All these benefits make the plank an incredibly effective and versatile exercise that is accessible to many. The bar can be done by men and women, adults and children, professional athletes and novice amateurs, this does not require special sports equipment. But in order for the exercise to give you the maximum effect, it must be done correctly.

How to do plank exercise

The bar is one of the few loads in which technique is very important. Many coaches advise - do not chase the duration of the bar. It is better to hold the bar correctly for 10-20 seconds than to hold the body in the wrong position for more than a minute. Mistakes in plank performance will not only make the exercise useless, but can also be harmful - excessive bending of the lumbar spine can lead to disc displacement, back pain, etc. Here are some tips and tricks to follow when doing a plank.

1. Before the load, be sure to do a warm-up - do light stretching exercises, do exercises, jumping, jogging - all this will help you warm up your muscles. It is very useful to do the bar after the main sports activities, to consolidate the result.
2. Make sure you have good sports shoes with rubber soles. This will help you keep your body in a horizontal position, your legs should not slip, otherwise you will not be able to do the exercise correctly.
3. Another common problem when doing a plank is the skin of the elbows, especially in women. Many of the fair sex admit that it is difficult to keep the body in balance for a long time, because the delicate skin on the elbows hurts, especially if the exercise is done on a carpet or other corrugated, hard surface. To eliminate this, you need to wear elbow pads or simply substitute soft yoga mats under your elbows.
4. Take a horizontal position, toes of the feet and palms rest on the floor. On command, when the timer starts, you should take the classic plank position with a flat body.
5. The elbows should be directly under the shoulders, the shoulder blades should not be reduced and separated, they should be kept in a static position with muscle effort. Do not place your hands too close to each other, this can lead to injuries of the shoulder joints.
6. The head should not be raised up, the gaze should be directed to the floor or down. Imagine that you are squeezing a tennis ball between your chest and chin, which should not fall. Many make the mistake of raising their heads and looking in front of them in the mirror - this way the load on the cervical spine increases significantly.
7. The wrists in the correct position should be on the floor, parallel to the elbows. That is, the hands should be, as it were, clenched into fists. Some trainers allow the connection of two brushes in the castle, but it is better not to do this. And, moreover, you should not turn your hand so that the palm is completely lowered to the floor - this is a mistake.
8. The hips and abdominal muscles should be tense. You should also tighten your buttocks, you will feel special pressure on the coccyx. In no case should you bend your back in the lumbar spine, this is the most common mistake. In some cases, people feel less stress in this position, which is why they arch their backs. But it is very harmful for the spine.
9. It is important to watch your breathing - it should not be interrupted, you should not hold it. You need to breathe deeply, measuredly. The body itself will tell you the pace at which you should breathe, depending on the energy consumption.
10. Hold the plank for as long as you can. Do not rush to increase the time of the exercise. Now the body must remember the execution technique, this is much more important. Hold the bar at first for 15-20 seconds, gradually increasing the time to two minutes.

In many armies of the world, the plank exercise is a kind of indicator of the level of preparedness of recruits. If a young man can hold the bar for more than two minutes, he is in good physical shape. If the future fighter cannot keep his body in an even horizontal position for 30 seconds, he has very weak and flabby muscles, weaned from the load. If you easily exceed the two-minute mark, then you should modify the bar and consider other ways to perform this exercise.

Experienced trainers are always modifying exercises to increase or decrease the degree of load in order to change the group of muscles being worked. Here are a few more types of planks that can be performed in combination with a classic exercise.

1. Side plank. It is more focused on the development of the oblique abdominal muscles. You need to stand on the bar sideways, that is, the supporting leg with the side of the foot and one elbow. You will immediately feel the tension of the peritoneum on one side - you can even feel it with your free hand. The side plank is great for developing coordination, as you will need to maintain balance in order to perform it. As a rule, if you stand on your right elbow, the right side of the abdomen is pumped, but the left side does not rest either. If you bring your left (free) hand behind your head as much as possible, this gives an excellent stretch to the oblique abdominal muscles on the left side. Be sure to repeat the exercise on both sides.
2. Plank on outstretched arms. This exercise is considered more lightweight, since it is easier to keep your own body weight in this position. It is usually recommended for beginners or overweight people when the muscles are not prepared for excessive stress. It is not difficult to perform the exercise - you need to stretch your arms forward, put your palms on the floor, lean on the toes of your feet and palms, without bending your elbows. The most difficult thing in the exercise is not to stick out the buttocks, but to make a straight line from the back and legs.
3. Reverse plank. This is a very difficult variation of the exercise, which is not given to many. The bar in this case is done in the opposite direction, that is, you need to lie on your back, and then raise the body and lean on straight arms or bent elbows, the second point of support is the heels. Socks should point up, the whole body should be a straight line. In this position, a special load goes to the cervical spine and buttocks.
4. Plank with arms and legs. This exercise is also very difficult to do. After you get into the position of the classic plank, you need to simultaneously raise your right arm and left leg to the sides, keeping them in a straightened state. Then you need to change the reference points and raise the opposite arm and leg. Exercise should be done slowly, straining the press, keeping the body in a static and even position.

In no case should the plank exercise be done during pregnancy, whatever its term. Excessive load in the early stages (especially if you did not play sports before pregnancy) can lead to uterine tone and miscarriage. Also, you should not perform the exercise after spinal injuries - this is a rather serious load that can lead to problems of the musculoskeletal system.

Remember, the plank is not a panacea. But with its skillful execution, in combination with proper nutrition and cardio loads, the plank will help you make your figure beautiful and your body toned.

Video: top 5 common plank exercise mistakes