By Paul Wantuck
Prone iso abs, also commonly known as the Plank, is one of
the most frequently seen exercises performed in the gym. Many perform planks because they read it’s
good for them or because their trainer tells them to. Others overlook the plank because it’s not a
“sexy” exercise that earns you cool points in the gym. Of those who do them, so many are missing out
on the full benefit of this exercise. The
plank can be a waste of energy and actually further along muscle imbalances
when performed incorrectly. However,
when performed correctly, you will undoubtedly make it a staple in your
training routine.
The plank is an example of an isometric exercise used to heighten
the activation of underactive muscles.
Ideally, they would be used early in your workout to provide a better
initial stimulus of these underactive core muscles prior to performing more
complex exercises that also would like to integrate these same muscles during
dynamic movement. The more you do them, the better everything seems to get in
the gym and during daily activity. Whether you’re attempting to get stronger,
recover from an injury, or look better naked, planks will help.
To properly perform a plank, lie down on the ground on your
stomach and prop your body up on your forearms and toes. Depress your shoulders in a reverse shrug
like position, tilting your scapula down into your rib cage. At the same time, clench your glutes and tilt
your hips posteriorly as if you’re trying to pull your pelvic bone up towards
your belly button. Keep your neck neutral, squeeze your thighs and lock out
your knees to complete this fierce total body battle. As you continue to actively contract all
these working muscles, focus on forceful and deep breathing to further activate
core muscles such as the transverse abs and internal obliques. Your inhalation should be deep and lasting 3
seconds, followed by a complete exhalation lasting equally as long or longer.
Some common sources of error during the plank include a
rounded upper back, hips higher off the ground than your shoulders, low back
hyper extended and hips “sagging”, arms internally rotated with hands together,
head protruding forward towards the floor, and rotation of the hips to the
right or left. It would be beneficial to have your workout partner cue you into
the correct position as you practice. If
you don’t have a workout partner, a video recording from your cell phone can
help you determine what areas of your posture need to be corrected during the
plank. Simply trying to feel the correct
position yourself with no visual proof can lead to more bad habits since you
don’t yet know what a proper plank feels like.
Many treat the plank as a marathon exercise, trying to see
how long they can hold their body up in the air. During this ego trip, you’re
most likely going to lose all that hard earned tension as muscles begin to
fatigue, sending your total body muscle contraction into a passive and futile
effort. The plank should be a maximal effort 100% of the time spent up in the
air, and should last at most 30-60 seconds.
If it’s anything less than an all-out effort, then drop to the ground
and save your energy for the next set.
If you’re lasting longer than a minute in the plank, chances are you’re
not doing it right, or you’re so advanced that it’s time to progress towards a
more challenging isometric hold.
Upon completing the plank as described above, you should
instantly feel increased stability in the low back which will in turn increase
mobility of the shoulders and hips as these joints no longer have to work as
hard and stay as taut to stabilize movement.
This makes movements such as the squat or push up that much more
effective, allowing for greater range of motion and therefore greater muscle
activation in those movements. You could
then deduct from this reasoning that the plank not only helps with increasing
core strength, but total body mobility as well as total body strength.
From an aesthetic standpoint, the plank can help create a
leaner look in the torso. I’m not saying
that planks alone will help you lose body fat around your waistline, but
developing a strong transverse abs can definitely give the appearance of a more
slender and tight midsection. This
“natural weight belt” called the transverse abs, runs horizontally across your
midsection and is the deepest of all abdominal muscles. When you breathe deep and draw in your abs
during the plank contraction, your transverse abs activate to a greater
extent. When the transverse abs
contract, they increase intra-abdominal pressure and stiffen the spine. Done frequently and effectively over time,
this increased tension can take inches off your waist by tightening your trunk
from front to back.
With all the benefits derived from performing the plank:
increased core strength, increased joint mobility, increased total body
strength, a leaner physique and more, this exercise is truly a unique and
irreplaceable exercise that everyone should be performing in the gym. Now, hopefully, more of us will be performing
them correctly and gaining the benefit they deserve.
For more Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness advice contact Paul Wantuck or stop
by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started on the path
towards a healthier you!
