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Plank is a static exercise on the floor, focusing on the hands or forearms. Plank is considered one of the most effective ways to remove belly fat and tighten the body. Whether so it actually? Let’s see, what’s the use, benefits and harms of the strap, how and how often to do it, how effective is bar for weight loss? As well as offering you a unique selection: 45-exercise options with the strap in the pictures!
Exercise plank: General information
Placket long been a classic exercise not only exercises for the abdomen, but also in the General training for the whole body. This multi-functional exercise allows you to use a large number of muscle groups, and requires neither additional equipment nor special skills or a great experience. The bar can practice both beginners and advanced student. Thanks to its practicality, efficiency and universal access exercise plank received widespread popularity.
Plank engages the muscles of the upper and lower body, so you will strengthen your body, making it firm and taut. This exercise is especially useful for the development of the muscular system (stomach, back, buttocks). Strong muscle corset supports your back and spine, and therefore helps to reduce the risk of injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
How to do bar?
Stand in the stand position on the floor – position push-UPS. Bend your elbows 90 degrees and shift your weight on your forearms. All your body should form a straight line, stomach pulled up, muscles tense.
What to pay particular attention to:
- Head and neck: should be relaxed and free. Look at the floor, not lift the head up.
- Hands: hold right in front of you or cross them. Place the elbows well under shoulder joints, so as not to create unnecessary load on the shoulders. Lower your shoulders, don’t lift them by the ears.
- Loin: it can neither be rounded nor bend. Imagine your lower back pressed firmly against the wall.
- Feet: must remain straight and tense. Otherwise, the main load will go to waist and not the abdominal muscles.
- Buttocks: also to be stretched and to be at the same level with the back. Not prohibite the pelvis and do not lift the buttocks up.
- Abdomen: drawn, and then (already drawn) try to pull up to the ribs. Keep it taut throughout the exercise, the don’t hold your breath.
- Feet: can be joined together, it is possible to arrange. The closer they get to each other, the greater will be the load on the abdominal muscles.
- Breathing: don’t forget to breathe deeply throughout the exercise. Inhale and exhale slowly and steadily.
Hold the plank position for as long as I can. Beginners can hold a plank for 15-30 seconds, the average is 30-60 seconds, advanced – 60 seconds or more. When you feel that it becomes difficult to maintain proper form, finish the exercise. Never increase the duration of the exercise to the detriment of technique. Better take a break and repeat the exercise 3-4 round with short stops.
Strap suitable for all fitness levelsbecause you can always increase or decrease the duration of static standing depending on your level of training. Also, this exercise can always be modified and complicated. If you are a beginner, then follow the bar, dropping to his knees. If you are an advanced student can raise a hand or leg and hold the bar in that position.
How to increase run time trims?
- Practice plank every day, do the exercise in several approaches. If possible, do the bar 3-4 times a day.
- Try to progress every 4-5 days. For example, by increasing the time of retention straps or increase the number of approaches.
- Do other exercises to develop different muscle groups. For example, push-UPS, sit-UPS, exercises with dumbbells for arms and shoulders.
- If you have been practicing the bar and calmly hold it for a few minutes, then proceed to more complex variants of this exercise. Probably your muscles accustomed to the load, so the efficiency of the strap is reduced.
For every exercise sooner or later the body adapts. Do not constantly move in the direction of increasing time strap, the better to move on to more complex variants of this exercise. If 2-3 minutes in the bar do not make for you easily, feel free to move on to more complicated modifications.
Contraindications to performing planks
Despite the fact that the bar seems pretty harmless exercise, in certain cases, to execute it is not recommended. Strap has the following contraindications:
- Injuries of the hands, shoulders, feet
- Pregnancy and the postnatal period
- A large overweight (you can run the option straps on the knees, but no more than 30 seconds)
- Hypertension or hypotension
- Disc herniation
- Spinal injury
- Diseases of the internal organs
- Exacerbation of chronic diseases.
What muscles are involved when you run the bar
During the execution bar in the first place involved in the work of the abdominal muscles, back and shoulders. Plank also works the muscles of the buttocks, chest, calves, front and back of the thigh.
So, during the classic bar involves the following muscles:
- Straight and transverse abdominal muscles
- Latissimus dorsi
- Muscles of the lumbar
- Muscles of the shoulder girdle
- A-line
- Chest muscles
- Gluteal muscle
- Quadriceps and hamstrings
- Ikronozhnye muscle
When performing the side plank is additional load on the obliques and the muscles on the outer and inner thighs. The side plank is one of the best exercises to strengthen the oblique muscles and stabilize the spine for the health of the back.
Training plan with static straps
We offer you a training plan with a strap that can be run as a Supplement to any program. Just follow the plan and work on the perfection of your figure. You will find four exercises: plank on elbows, pLanka on his hands, BoCova strap on the right hand, bokowa strap on his left hand.
All the exercises you will repeat in several approaches. We offer you such a plan:
- First week: each exercise for 15 seconds 3 sets, the break between sets 30 seconds break between exercises 60 seconds.
- Second week: each exercise for 25 seconds in 3 sets, the break between sets 30 seconds break between exercises 60 seconds.
- Third week: each exercise for 35 seconds in 3 sets, the break between sets 20 seconds between exercises 60 seconds.
- Fourth week: each exercise for 45 seconds 3 sets, the break between sets 20 seconds between exercises 60 seconds.
If necessary, you can adjust the proposed plan or to perform each exercise more comfortable for you or perform simplified versions (on my knees).
Benefit, harm and effectiveness of strips for weight loss
Use run strap
1. Plank is the perfect exercise for the abdominal muscles, as it covers all major groups of abdominal muscles including the transverse, straight, oblique muscles.
2. Plank engages not only the muscles but also the muscles of the shoulders, chest, buttocks, upper back, front and back of the thigh. This is a unique exercise that will force your body to work almost entirely.
3. Thanks to the strap you will strengthen a muscular corset that supports your spine is one good prevention of back pain.
4. By using straps you strengthen the back and buttocks without destructive effects on the musculoskeletal system and joints (unlike, for example, from deadlift, squats and lunges).
5. Regular trims will help you maintain a straight posture and a flat back.
6. The exercise strap is available for everyone: from beginner to advanced. Just adjust the retention times in a static position depending on your training.
7. By strengthening core muscles you can improve your balance and equilibrium that will be useful to you in everyday life.
8. Unlike many other exercises for the abs, the plank having a devastating impact on your lower back.
9. Planck has a large number of modifications: in our article offers more than 40 options!
10. You can run the bar absolutely everywhere: at home, outside, in the hall. You only need some free space.
Harm strap
However, despite the benefits of plank, this exercise can be fraught with danger. For example, if your core muscles aren’t strong enough during the run of the bar, the spine will SAG, causing pressure on the vertebral discs, lower back and shoulder joints. At the slightest violations of the right forms of exercise, you may feel pain in the neck or lower back.
In addition, prolonged exposure in the strap may cause a rise in blood pressure and even heart attack, especially at risk are people with hypertension. Therefore, shouldn’t be in the bar more than two minutes at a time. If you want to increase the burden on the muscles, it’s best to go to more complicated variants of the strap (e.g., with a raised arm or leg)than in the direction of increasing time static state.
For people with a large overweight, it is recommended to run the bar, dropping to his knees. This will help reduce stress on the back and joints. However, the bar is one of the safest exercises for developing core muscles. It has much less harmful impact on the spine than most other exercises for abs that are performed on the back.
Typical mistakes when performing plank
In order to avoid back problems from an incorrect run of the bar, please note the common errors in this exercise:
- hunched back, the shoulders are lowered
- lift buttocks upward, above the head
- the deflection or rounding in the lower back
- relaxation of the muscles of the abdomen, legs and buttocks
- lift your head up and bend in the cervical
- breath holding
How effective is bar for weight loss?
Plank strengthens muscles, works the core, improves the tone of the thighs, buttocks, arms and shoulders, but for burning fat and slimming the plank is an effective exercise. The strap does not help to remove belly fat and get rid of the sides! This exercise intended for toning the muscles and not for burning fat.
Moreover, we stress once more that the process of losing weight depends on nutrition, not exercise. Exercises help to burn more calories, tone muscles, and improve the quality of the body, but the weight loss occurs only when the restrictions in food (a caloric deficit). Plank and its modifications is a great way to strengthen the body, to get rid of sagging and rastrineobola, but for weight loss mandatory dietary restrictions.
If your goal is to lose weight, it is better to focus on dynamic exercises that help to burn more calories than static exercises. Ideally, regularly engage in cardiovascular load. Moreover, cardio exercises can be performed in the strap, thus achieving two goals at once: burn calories and strengthen stomach muscles. Read more about cardio exercises in the bar below.
45 exercises in the strap: a unique collection!
If you are ready to improve the effectiveness of their training more varied exercises with strap, we offer you our unique selection: 45 different options of exercises with strap with illustrative pictures. Of these exercises you can be a complete training program. You can use our options of ready-made programs or create your own set of exercises.
If you calmly stand in classic plank 2-3 minutes, it is not necessary to increase the complexity to hold a static position for 5-10 minutes, as advised in many sources. Most likely, your muscles have already adapted to the load, so it will be more efficient to increase the load, i.e. to move to more advanced modifications of the exercises.
We offer you 45 exercises in the strap. They are divided into 5 groups: static exercises, exercises in the strap on the hands, exercises in plank on elbows, an exercise in side plank, cardio exercises in the bar. If you decided to create your own training plan, it is advisable to use exercises from each group.
To complicate the workout with straps you can also use the additional equipment:
- Fitness gum: the most effective gear for at home
- Fitball: a great inventory to complicate straps
- TRX: home inventory for slim body
Static exercises in the strap:
1. Plank to hands (Plank)
2. Plank on elbows (Forearm Plank)
3. Side plank (Side Plank)
4. Reverse plank (Reverse Plank)
5. Plank near the wall (Wall plank)
6. Plank with hands forward (Levered Plank)
7. “Zvezda” (Star side plank)
8. Plank with raised leg Plank (single leg)
Exercises in plank on hands:
1. Touch forward in plank (Plank alternating reach)
2. Leg lifts in plank (Plank leg raise)
3. Touch on the shoulder in plank (Plank shoulder tap)
4. Touch the opposite knee Plank (opposite knee touch)
5. Mountain climber with rotation (Crossbody mountain climbers)
6. Walking plank to side Plank (lateral walk)
7. Plank Spiderman (Spiderman plank)
8. Plank up-down Plank (Up & Down)
9. Lifting dumbbells in plank (Plank dumbbell raise)
10. The leg lift + elbow touch the knee (Leg raise + elbow Touch crisscross)
11. Right plank left Plank (In & Out)
12. Planck’s “Superman” (Superman Plank)
13. The lifting of hands in plank (Plank with arm raise)
14. The touch of the foot in the strap (Down to toe tap)
15. Wipers (Windshield wipers)
16. Slide the knee on the arm up and down (Arm sliders)
17. Walking plank (Plank walkout)
18. Rotate 360 degrees (barrel roll Plank)
19. The case rotation to the side Plank (T-rotation)
Exercises in plank on elbows:
1. Turns into a side plank (Side plank roll)
2. Plank Saw Plank (saw)
3. Touch knees to elbows (Knee to elbow)
4. Strap up the buttocks (Hip raise plank)
5. Abduction feet to the side in the strap (Starfish march)
6. Turns the body in plank (Plank rocker)
Exercise in the side plank:
1. Lateral raise hips in the plank (side plank Hip drop)
2. The rotation of the body in the side plank on elbows (Forearm plank reach through)
3. The rotation of the body in the side plank (Plank reach through)
4. Twist to side plank (side plank Crunch)
5. The rise of the hands and feet in the side plank (side forearm plank Star)
Cardio exercises in the bar:
1. Jumping with raising the legs (Jumping jack)
2. Jump into plank (Plank knee tuck)
3. Climber (Mountain climbers)
4. Touch stop in the bar (Plank toe tap)
5. Leap into bar buttocks up (Plyo plank peak)
6. Vertical jump in plank (Plank heel click)
For visual images thanks to the youtube channels: Republic of Strength, Jordan Yeoh Fitness, Dont Quit at Max’s Best Bootcamp, Ammar Montaser, The Live Fit Girl.
A plan exercises with a band for all fitness levels!
We offer you a finished exercise plan in the strap for all levels of training. Don’t know which group engaged in to refer themselves? Follow the beginners level, and if the load will seem insufficient, then feel free to move to the average level.
You can always change the plan at his discretion, adding, replacing or removing some of the proposed exercises. Repeat the exercise in a few laps or run one lap, if you do not plan to perform a set of exercises with a strap more than 5 minutes. If the exercise is done on one side, the first circle performed on the right side, the second circle is on the left.
Training with straps for beginners
First round:
- Plank on elbows (Forearm Plank)
- Mountain climber with rotation (Crossbody mountain climbers)
- Lateral raise hips in the plank (side plank Hip drop)
- The lifting of hands in plank (Plank with arm raise)
- Wipers (Windshield wipers)
Second round:
- Reverse plank (Reverse Plank)
- The touch of the foot in the strap (Down to toe tap)
- Jumping with raising the legs (Jumping jack)
- Touch the opposite knee Plank(opposite knee touch)
- The splaying of the legs to the sides (Starfish march)
How to perform this exercise with straps for beginners?
- Each exercise performed for 30 seconds, break 15 seconds
- Run each round for 2 rounds
- Rest between circles 1 min
- The total duration of one round 3.5 minutes
- Total workout length: ~17 minutes
Training with straps for intermediate level
First round:
- Plank with raised leg Plank(single leg)
- Climber (Mountain climbers)
- Twists side plank (Side plank roll)
- Walking plank (Plank walkout)
- Jump into plank (Plank knee tuck)
- Plank spider (Spiderman plank)
- Touch forward in plank (Plank alternating reach)
Second round:
- Side plank (Side plank)
- Plank up-down Plank(Up & Down)
- The rotation of the body in the side plank on elbows (Forearm plank reach through)
- Touch on the shoulder in plank (Plank shoulder tap)
- Strap up the buttocks (Hip raise plank)
- Right plank left Plank(In & Out)
- Lifting dumbbells in plank (Plank dumbbell raise)
How to perform this exercise with straps for the middle level?
- Each exercise performed for 30 seconds, break 10 seconds.
- Run each round for 2 rounds
- Rest between circles 1 min
- The total duration of a single round 4.5 minutes
- Total training duration: ~22 minutes
Training with straps for advanced
First round:
- Plank near the wall (Wall plank)
- Full housing rotation Plank(T-rotation)
- Touch stop in the bar (Plank toe tap)
- Superman (Superman Plank)
- Walking plank to side Plank (lateral walk)
- Touch the knees to elbows (Knee to elbow)
Second round:
- Classic plank on the hands (Basic plank)
- Leg lifts in plank (Plank leg raise)
- Leap into bar buttocks up (Plyo plank peak)
- Plank Saw Plank (saw)
- The rise of the hands and feet in the side plank (side forearm plank Star)
- Plank up-down Plank(Up & Down)
Third round:
- Plank with hands forward (Levered Plank)
- Rotate 360 degrees (barrel roll Plank)
- Vertical jump in plank (Plank heel click)
- Twist to side plank (side plank Crunch)
- Touch on the shoulder in plank (Plank shoulder tap)
- The leg lift + elbow touch the knee (Leg raise + elbow Touch crisscross)
How to perform this exercise with straps for advanced?
- Each exercise performed for 30 seconds, break 10 seconds.
- Run each round for 2 rounds
- Rest between circles 1 min
- The total duration of one round ~4 minutes
- The total duration of training: ~30 minutes
Strap is very high quality functional exercise for the muscles of the whole body. When regularly performed static exercises for the crust you will not only tighten the muscles and improve the quality of the body, but also get rid of back problems. Must see: Top 15 short video-based training modules.
Do you like to do on your own? View our selection of exercises:
- Top 25 exercises for buttocks and legs without squats, lunges and jumps
- Top 60 best exercises from Pilates to sifco for problem areas
- How to remove belly fat: basic rules, tips, features + exercise