How long can you plank for?

ourmaninthenorth – Member
Just tried it.

Context: 2.5st overweight. Haven’t ridden a bike in anger for over 12 months. Haven’t done any other meaningful exercise for even longer. Don’t go to the gym.

Time: 60 seconds.

Feedback: am in pain.

also, your arse was too high. Go and do it again properly.

Of course, self-timed plank are pretty meaningless. Almost as meaningless as self-counted press-ups which notoriously stink of bullshit. At my circuits class, if you look across the line, you’ll see plenty of arses up in the air. Your body from your shoulders to your ankles is supposed to be flat as a plank. The moment you break and stick your arse up, it’s time up.

What DD said.

And planking will do nothing for your back. Back extensions will work that lot though.

Hold on..

Not very long.

Wall plank onto a medicine ball. Ouch

Just managed three minutes – at 2.30, I was trembling like a priest in a catholic boys school, at 3 minutes I was shaking like a shitting dog.

Go on then, someone please tell me what “planking” is???? I don’t suspect I can do it, or may not even want to, but I’d really like to know what it is.

My 10 yr old does the plank and side plank as part of his core strength building exercises for his tennis. 2min’s front and 1 min each side. That’s so it doesn’t strain him to much!

Lady Gresley – this is the standard (looks easy doesn’t it?). Google plank exercises > images for other variants.

Hmmm, just as I thought, at my age that’s not something I want to do!