Strengthen more than just your core muscles with the humble-yet-mighty plank.
At first glance,doing the plankmight not look like much.
What could bethatgreat about holding up your body without even moving?
This bodyweight exercise is especially excellent for working the core, which is crucial for mobility and pain relief.
But it’s also great for pain relief, flexibility, balance, and more.
confirm you are doing the plank properly: you oughta engage your muscles the right way to prevent injury.
Planks Strengthen the Entire Body
Do you love multitasking moves?
Target multiple muscles at once by doing planks.
This forces the core muscles to engage and provide stability, ultimately making them stronger.
Planks Improve Your Posture
As the plankstrengthens your core, it also promotes good posture.
This includes muscles like the diaphragm, pelvic floor, internal obliques, and abs, according to Dean.
Doing planks keeps these muscles healthy and strong, ensuring they can brace your spine with ease.
As the center of your body, the core handles the load of your movements.
This can trigger back pain, especially in the lower back.
Poor posture also places pressure on the muscles in your back, according to theErgonomics Program at UCLA.
Enter the benefits of plank exercises.
Stabilizing your core with exercises (like planks) can reduce low back pain.
Planks can also provide relief by increasing your awareness of spinal alignment and posture, according to Rhodes.
Translation: Doing planks can help you become more mindful ofhowyou hold your body.
Planks Aid in Preventing Injury
Another benefit of stabilizing your core is a reduced risk of injury.
According to theJournal of Athletic Training, a strong core helps transfer force to your extremities during movement.
A weak core, on the other hand, is unable to handle the load.
The posture-related benefits of planks can lend a hand, too.
According to Rhodes,good posturekeeps you safe by evenly distributing your weight during activity.
This helps you avoid doing awkward, incorrect movements that can lead to injury and pain.
Thisimproves your ability to balance, which is key for controlling your body’s position.
It sort of brings the floor up to you, making a plank easier to hold.
“The more upright your torso, the easier the plank,” she says.
Looking for a challenge?
Hold a plank for longer than usual, or elevate a leg or arm, says Rhodes.
Meanwhile, the side plank stretches the obliques, making it easier to rotate your trunk with ease.
Planks Can Help With Breathing
Planks provide an opportunity to work on healthy breathing techniques.
Because of the way your body is positioned, your breathing will become more shallow during a plank.
This is a great time to practicediaphragmatic breathing.
As you start your plank, take a deep stomach breath through your nose.
Hold it for two seconds while flexing your abdominals; then breathe out through your mouth.
Before inhaling again, hold for two seconds.
Do this six to eight times while in the plank position.
And there are numerous ways to challenge yourself, like by performing a hip raise plank.
Planks Can Help Lower Blood Pressure
All exercise can help lower blood pressure.
The study found that performing isometric exercises (like planks) lowered resting blood pressure more than high-intensity activities.
