The plank exercise brings quick and amazing visual effects, because many muscles are involved in the work - the muscles of the abdomen, back, arms and legs. If you dream of a nicely sculpted body, a waistline and shapely thighs, don't hesitate and start planking.

The effects of the plankare not only a sculpted body. You get a number of he alth benefits for free. The plank is one of the exercises that belong to the "core" training group. Properly performed, it strengthens the trunk muscles and deep muscles responsible for the correct body posture and helps to eliminate back pain. The board is therefore the perfect complement to traditional crunches and 6 Weider.

Plank effects - amazing visuals

What does a plank give you? Regularly performed plank makes the first visual effects visible after a month of exercise. There are many advantages to making a board. This kind of inconspicuous and simple exercise engages the whole body to work, strengthens it, slims it and sculpts it.

You can start your adventure with the planner by practicing 2-3 times a week, initially staying in the position for about 30 seconds. With each subsequent week, you should extend the time by another 15-20 seconds, thanks to which the muscle tissue will develop. This is because the muscles have a strong adaptability, so the initial time you hold the board after a while may not be as effective. Do you want to lift your bust and slim your figure? Start planking.

Take the 30-day plank challenge!

The effects of the plank will be much more visible when you add it to your daily workouts, such as aerobic or interval exercises, i.e. short workouts of high intensity.

You will notice better results when you add to your exercise a diet with adequate calories and maintaining the correct proportions between proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Read: Reduction Diet

Initially, it is worth giving up products with a high glycemic index, i.e. those that cause a large release of glucose into the blood. These include: sweets, highly processed products, fast food, pasta and wheat rolls. Instead, you can add pasta and wholemeal bread, more vegetables and protein to your daily diet.

This has to do withdegreasing the body - very often the muscle mass is not visible due to the increased level of fat.

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  • Challenge: flat stomach in 30 days

Plank effects - better results on the gym ball

From the article published in 2010: "Activity of the deep muscles during exercises with the use of a gymnastic ball", we learn that in order to accelerate the appearance of the effects of plank exercise, a gymnastic ball should be added to the training. The legs must be rested on the ball, and the whole body should be positioned as in a standard plank - thanks to this, we will be forced to increase the effort to stabilize the figure.

According to the "Boeckh-Behrens & Buskies" study, plank and side plank, i.e. a board in the side support that additionally stimulates oblique muscles to work, are one of the five best exercises for developing all parts of the abdominal muscles. In addition to the work of this part of the body, other muscle groups are also involved - the deltoid muscles, the pectoral muscle, the rectus and oblique muscles of the abdomen, quadriceps and the lats of the back.

See the benefits of plank

See the gallery of 6 photos

Plank effects - he alth benefits

What are the additional effects of the plank? Strengthened muscle tissue gives the skeleton a solid support, making the body stronger and less prone to injuries that often result from muscle weakness. Additionally, the strong "corset" of the body protects the internal organs.

People who lead a sedentary lifestyle often complain of problems related to back pain. It is estimated that up to three-quarters of the general population complains of this problem. A properly performed plank will strengthen, stabilize and improve body posture, thus reducing back problems. The board is the perfect complement to your daily workouts. For advanced people who train more often, this exercise will help improve strength and overall condition.

At first, staying in the plank can be very difficult, but with time the exercise will become easier and easier, then we can also choose other variations of the board, e.g. side plank or plank mountain climber, i.e. a board with alternating legs to the chest .

See also: 21 variants of the plank exercise

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Effects of planks - overtraining reduces the effects

To increase the effectiveness of the board, remember to also take breaks between training sessions. Unfortunately, there is still a myth that in order to reveal the abdominal muscles, you have to train yourself every day. Nothing could be more wrong.

Daily exercise may be counterproductive. Lack of rest and regeneration damages the muscle tissue, which weakens the body and increases the susceptibility to injuries. This is the effect of overtraining. Not only that, unregenerated and tired muscle tissue cannot develop, so you can exercise every day, and the effects of this work will not be visible.

It will be best if each training day will be separated by one day of rest or low-intensity training (e.g. stretching). If you do heavy, intense training in one day, give yourself two or even three days to regenerate.

Read also:

  • Muscle stretching methods: types of stretching
  • Static stretching
  • Dynamic stretching

Plank effects - who should be careful

Plank is an exercise that causes a lot of muscle tension.The plank is not the best exercise for pregnant women . A better idea would be endurance (aerobic) training, which improves cardiovascular capacity and the overall fitness of the musculoskeletal system, and strengthens, e.g. yoga, Pilates or exercises on a gymnastic ball. Remember to drink more water during training so as not to overheat the body.

If you suffer from discopathy or have a distorted spine, it is worth consulting a doctor. Plank strengthens the deep muscles, but in the case of back diseases, it is necessary to control whether the curvature or the protrusion of the disc is made worse by training.

The board knows no age limits - so you can do a plank regardless of age (if possible, of course). Exercise will strengthen your muscles, slow down the rate of loss of strength, and increase overall fitness. Nevertheless, if you feel that you should not do this exercise due to your age, consult your doctor.

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