make the most of your workout - full plank
As we continue this series for the purpose of making the most of the effort we put into our strength training routine, we’re focusing on the core and the full plank exercise. Sounds simple enough, but this exercise requires focus and intentionality if you want to get the greatest benefit from your time spent in this position.
WHY – The full plank is exceedingly straightforward, and according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, helps to build core strength more quickly than most other abdominal exercises that involve movement, such as the abdominal curl. Why is this? Because when you are holding a full plank, there is no rest for the working muscles. You are contracting your entire core which includes your transversus abdominis (think deep ab muscles running across your belly), your rectus abdominis (the muscle that extends along the whole length of your abdomen), and your internal obliques and external obliques (these run diagonally along your waist). But in order to maintain proper form in your plank, your gluteals, shoulders, arms, upper back, and legs must engage as well. Say hello to your new favorite total body strength exercise! And as if you needed another reason to love the full plank, as you read in the last newsletter, planks of any type are classified as an isometric exercise which means without movement at a joint. So, remember, isometric exercises have been proven to help maintain muscle strength and can be especially beneficial for exercisers who have arthritis or other bone issues, which can be aggravated by using muscles to move a joint through its full range of motion.
HOW – To make the most of your full plank workout, keep these tips in mind:
- You can perform full planks on the floor, on the wall, or using a tabletop or chair.
- In any position, you are bearing weight on your forearms and your toes. Forearms will be on the surface you have chosen, and your elbows should be in alignment with your shoulders.
- Maintain proper posture and alignment of your back (spine) and your neck (cervical spine). In other words, your back should form a straight line without your hips dropping or rising, and your gaze is face down to keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Hold this position as you squeeze your abdominals and gluteals. This is active work that requires focus.
- Keep breathing!
- When you find yourself losing tension in your muscles, take a break and reset your plank position.
- For starters, hold a full plank for 10 seconds, performing 6 repetitions. Increase your hold-time gradually until you can hold your plank for a full minute.
by Amy Stafford
Panama City Beach, FL
Amy Stafford is the President of Body & Soul® Fitness, Certified Personal Trainer, ACE faculty and ACE Group Fitness Instructor. She is a leader in the fitness industry and is a popular speaker for women's events, retreats, fitness conferences. For information on booking Amy for your event or for an interview please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Amy currently resides in the Panama City Beach, FL area and teaches virtually.Body and Soul® Fitness is an international Christian fitness organization that trains and equips instructors to lead a variety of group fitness programs including choreographed aerobics-style Cardio Strength & Flexibility™, cardio dance style Dance Blast™, free-weights-focused Power Strength™, boot camp style FIT360™ and Longevity FIT360™, and GOLD™ - lower impact programming for participants that are pregnant, have weight challenges, injuries, or other medical conditions. These exercise classes meet in church gyms, community centers, gymnasiums, parking lots, schools, etc. across the United States, Europe, and Africa. In-person and virtual fitness classes are available.
Key words: Christian fitness, women's exercise classes, group fitness, dance aerobics classes, Christian group fitness, Christian fitness app, FitTV, Body & Soul, Body and Soul, fitness instuctor training, low impact exercise
