Plank for weight loss for beginners

Hundreds of marathons, flash mobs all over Our Country, challenges with the motto “change yourself in a month”: and the bar rules all of this! A very popular exercise for many years among yogis and those who lead a healthy lifestyle. It attracts beginners with its apparent simplicity: they say, a super asana for the lazy and very busy! I stood in it for two or three minutes a day – and already what a result they describe: extra pounds will go away, the body will noticeably tighten. Indeed, the bar is recommended for weight loss and strengthening the whole body. But not everything is so clear in this asana! To achieve the effect, it is important to perform it PERFECTLY! And this is far from simple. Plus, you need to know about all the contraindications, about the strength of its impact, because this is a static posture, and it is not suitable for everyone.

In yoga, the plank is known as Chaturanga Dandasana. From Sanskrit, “danda” is translated as a staff, a log, “chatur” is four, “anga” is limbs or supports. If you combine all the words, literally it turns out: a pose on four supports. And there is. Below we will tell you in detail how to do the plank for beginners in order to lose weight. In the meantime, let’s look at its positive properties.

Plank Benefits

Basically, those who really want to lose weight come to the bar. Surely you have heard about the guy who staged a flash mob all over Our Country. His name is Evgeny Senkov, and he calls for doing the bar for everyone and everywhere. He himself is the record holder in our country for this asana: he stood in it for 1 hour 45 seconds! And I came to the exercise a couple of years ago because of excess weight and a swollen tummy. He says, they say, he heard somewhere that for quick weight loss, you only need to stand in the bar for 4 minutes a day. “Only” was a strong word. Eugene admitted that for the first time he could not stand even a few seconds. But the guy had a goal, and he achieved it. Now he is pushing the bar to the masses.

What other useful properties, besides losing weight, does asana have? It is believed that if a person starts to fulfill the bar every day, at least seven more pleasant changes will await him:

1. Exercise improves the condition of the muscles of the back, lower back, neck and shoulders. This is an excellent prevention for back and neck pain.
2. Strengthens and tones the abdominal organs.
3. Strengthens the abdominal muscles. The plank burns more calories than classic ab exercises. This is back to the question of weight loss.
4. Makes arms and legs strong.
5. Strengthens and tones the upper and lower airways.
6. Removes stoop, makes posture beautiful.
7. Improves psychological state. Here I would like to dwell in more detail.

If you feel lethargic, lethargic, fatigued, or realize that you are depressed, start doing the plank. Of course, in the above states it is very difficult to start doing even ordinary exercises, not like the bar. But if you don’t gather your strength now, if you don’t realize that the best thing you can do for yourself is to start moving and moving in the right way, you can drive yourself into more serious states. Therefore, through overcoming, for 30 seconds, but every day, and you will see that you will feel better. And after this exercise, other help will follow. Remember, under a lying stone and water does not flow.

And the asana has a good effect on the children’s body! You can safely involve your children in classes. Just read below about contraindications.

Plank Harm

Exercise is contraindicated in the following cases:

• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• for any problems with the eyes, especially after recent eye surgeries;
• with carpal tunnel syndrome;
• pregnancy.

How to do plank for weight loss

ATTENTION! The description of the exercise is given for a healthy person. It is better to start a lesson with an instructor who will help you master the correct and safe performance of the pose. If you do it yourself, carefully watch our video tutorial! Wrong practice can be useless and even dangerous to the body.

Step by step execution technique

Step 1

Lie down on the mat face down. We bend our arms at an angle of 90 degrees. And we rise, focusing on the forearms and the tips of the toes. Hands are shoulder-width apart, your feet are on the same line, the whole body is extended from the heels to the top of the head.

ATTENTION! You should have a straight line. It is very important. Tense buttocks help to keep it. And if you direct the tailbone “under you”, then the lower back will immediately line up properly.

Step 2

We rest on the floor with the bases of the palms. The fingers look forward: the middle ones are parallel, the rest are spread apart. The heels are pulled back.

We turn the elbow joints forward, press the elbows to the body and lower ourselves lower. So that our body is on four reference points parallel to the floor.

Let’s check the pose:

• the back is even, it does not bend or round;
• pelvis parallel to the floor;
• abdominal muscles tense;
• elbows and wrists are located exactly under the shoulder joints;
• the coccyx is twisted down;
• legs must be straight and tense;
• shoulders away from ears;
• the gaze is directed down, we do not raise our head, the crown is extended forward.

Step 3

Hold this position with even breathing for as long as possible. Over time, we increase the duration of the asana.

ATTENTION! Remember three NOT in plank:

1. we NOT lift the buttocks
2. NOT dropping the lower back
3. и NOT lower the chest below the level of the elbows.

How to make sure you get a plank

One feeling is not enough. Plank in front of a mirror or record yourself on video. If you are practicing in the gym, ask the instructor to follow how you do this asana.

lead time

Start from 20 seconds. This will be enough for the first and second day. On days three and four, increase your plank time by another 10 seconds. And so on. Write out a plan for the whole month so that by the end of it, you can be in Chaturanga for 2-3 minutes, or even all 5!

To motivate you, here’s an example. My friend yogi reads one of the sacred texts in the bar: and this is 20 minutes. It turns out that every day he stands in the bar for 20 minutes. Cool? Of course it’s cool. But this path is not for everyone, especially if you are just starting out in yoga. My result: it’s two minutes in the plank. Get to that time. And you will already notice the result! And then look at your feelings, there is strength and desire, increase your stay in the asana. Or continue in the same spirit, but this should already be not only a plank, but a yoga complex, which will include Chaturanga.

IMPORTANT! Watch your breath. Do not do this exercise on hold! Try to breathe slowly and evenly.

Tips for beginners: how to lighten the plank

Whoever has tried it knows: at first, the plank is simply unbearable to perform! No strength. The whole body trembles. Here is the time not to give up, but to teach yourself to overcome, to do the maximum of what is possible.

But if you feel like you can’t even stand in a plank for 20 seconds, there are ways to make the exercise easier. So what do you recommend for beginners?

• perform emphasis on the knees, but at the same time keep the torso as straightened as possible,
• perform an emphasis on the elbows when they are on the floor shoulder-width apart, and the palms are folded into a fist. But remember: in this position, the whole body should also be stretched out in one straight line from the heels to the crown of the head.

Try these options. But then move on to the classic version of the bar.

How to deepen

Over time, your body will get stronger and you will be able to increase the effect of the plank. How to do it? There are several ways.

1. With the help of breathing. You can lengthen it, make it as slow as possible.
2. At the expense of runtime: increase and increase it.
3. Focus on your hands not with your palms, but with your fists.
4. Focus on one hand. Put the second one on your thigh.

Can you plank every day?

Of course you can. Even necessary! In yoga, discipline and following one’s obligations is important. We decided to take care of ourselves: for our body and emotional state, so keep your promise to yourself. You can always find time, even in the busiest schedule. Two minutes on the mat – and already a completely different state. In addition to a pleasant feeling in the body after physical activity, there is also self-respect: I did it, I could! I overcame my fatigue, laziness … In Kundalini yoga, for example, sets of exercises are given that must be performed for at least 40 days. Missed one, start counting from the beginning. This is how discipline, perseverance and … habit are developed! The habit of loving yourself and taking care of yourself through yoga exercises.