Plank for Beginners – Plank Exercise Variations You Can Try

Plank is considered to be the best exercise as per the fitness gurus for tightening the core area, and tone oblique muscles. Whether you can practice plank to 20 seconds or 2 minutes, a simple plank exercise works on arms, back, shoulders, hamstrings, and glutes. The best part is you don’t need any equipment or lot of space to do a plank exercise routine. You can take advantage of plank exercise variations and initiate your workout regime with the plank for beginners to help you get stronger, leaner, and healthier body.

Over the years, plank exercises have gained acceptance by many fitness experts. As many of them are active on social media, they have also introduced some of the unique plank exercise variations and popularized the trend.

Plank is highly recommended to tighten the core, but it also has many advantages. If you don’t indulge in regular exercises or follow a workout regime, then you should begin with plank exercise variations.

Plank for Beginners:

Plank for beginners may seem to be a form of torture in the name of the exercise, but after practising for a week or two, you will notice that the resistance to hold the position has increased to a minute. There is no easy way of doing a plank. Instead of getting demoralized by looking at the ticking watch, use a timer and go to happy place while holding the plank.

In the beginning, you might feel pain and shaking of muscles while performing the plank. Start slowly by keeping the countdown at 20 seconds and increase it every day. Remember, you might feel a slight pain in the core area which a good thing but never over exert as it might damage back muscles or joints of arms.

Despite body telling you to give up on the plank, try to motivate yourself by doing ten more seconds of the plank with every set. We assure you that the one needs to use mental power with correct posture to practice plank for more than a minute.

How to Do a Plank for Beginners?

Plank is one type of static exercise, which means you have to hold yourself in the same position as long as you can. For beginners, it’s advisable to do the plank on a yoga mat.

Step 1: The first step is to get into a push-up position. Now, bent the elbows in 90° in such a way that the weight rests on your forearms.

Step 2: Make sure that the elbows are right beneath the shoulder. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.

Step 3: Remember to breathe normally and hold the position as long as you can.

If you feel too much pain while holding the plank, place the knees on the floor and perform the plank as long as you can.

Benefits of Plank Exercise

Plank is all about resistance to your body weight against you. It is one of the most effective exercises that you can perform which doesn’t require any weights or other equipment.

There are a lot of plank exercise benefits, to begin. However, here are some of the best advantages of plank exercises that you must consider.

Toned Belly

Planking helps strengthen the inner core muscles which outline the abs. But, to get the perfect six pack abs, you need to shed belly weight which is possible by doing cardio or HIIT session every alternate day.

Reduction in Back Pain:

Only a few people know that a healthy back depends on the core strength. People who have rounder waistline are most likely to face back pain problem. Practicing plank requires no jerky movements which reduce lower back pain and improve core strength.

Increase Flexibility:

While this exercise focuses on the mid-region of a body, it indirectly works on shoulder blades, leg muscles, and lower back. With correct positions, you will notice that with plank, the muscles open easily making your body more flexible.

Mood Booster:

Exercise is the best way to destress mind and improve blood circulation in the body. There is no exception with a plank as it requires effort using muscles from head to toe as well as mental strength to hold the position even when the body is ready to give up.

Improve Posture and Balance of Body

To perform this exercise or other versions like side plank, one needs to engage the abs to stay upright and maintain balance to hold the posture for a longer time. Plank is the best exercise for those who want to correct their overall stance.

Types of Plank Exercise Variations

To master different version of planks, start with the easiest one for building strength and balance. Remember, with regular practice; you will be improving endurance will help in performing different versions of planks. The ideal way to begin your plank workout regime is to follow the exercise variations of plank for beginners.

There are plenty of different plank exercise variations that you can try. However, it is essential to building some resistance and strength before moving to the advanced plank exercise variations.

Here are some of the simple plank exercise variations for beginners:

Forearm Plank:

Forearm plank is the most standard version of plank which can be performed by the beginners. Lie face down on the mat with legs extended straight and elbows bent right under the shoulders. Feet should be hip width-apart to maintain the balance of the body. Remember, your position should be in straight line from head to toe.

Side Plank:

Side plank is another version of plank targeting the oblique muscles of the body. To do the side plank, place right hand on the mat and pull your body up so that the weight gets transferred to the arm and right foot. If the posture is hard to hold, you can always bend your legs and stay in the position as long as you can. Repeat this on the other side.

Plank Tuck

This version of plank works on the whole torso region. For Plank tuck, lie face down with legs extended straight feet hip-width apart and elbows bent. Contract the abdominal muscles and bend the knee to tile pelvis up. Hold each position for three breaths or seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do this routine for at least a minute. Watch this video to see how you can do it!

Twisting Knee Plank

To perform this version, get into straight arm plank position. Now bend and bring your left knee towards left elbow and hold the position for 1 second. Go back to the start position and repeat the same with the right knee and elbow. Perform this plank exercise variation for 1 minute or 20 repetitions.

Over to you!

You can love it or despise it; plank is the only way to tighten your core muscles. Different types of plank positions and workouts are ultimate isometric exercises which engage muscles of abdominals, lower back, shoulder, hips, calf and hamstring muscles.

Initially, you must get a grip or control over the newbie exercise variations of plank for beginners and later move to the advanced levels to achieve more out of this workout. With so many versions of plank exercise variations to choose from, you get the freedom to make your very own abs workout routine.

Uttpal K

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