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If you're not physically ready for held planks, try my 'SAFE PLANKS' instead. A challenging exercise with all the benefits, without the pain.
Similar to Push-ups, Planks are an advanced exercise requiring significant strength through the upper body, deep core, back, abdominals, glutes, leg strength, and the ability to connect the breath. They are not a beginner's exercise!
Ty my Safe Planks instead:
Get in position on the mat. Setting up correctly helps to protect your shoulders from extra pressure. Aim to get your forearms sitting almost under your shoulders, elbows tucked into your ribs, with palms flat on floor rather than making fists in front of you. Avoid drooping your head down before you go, so your back, neck, and back of your head will be aligned when you rise up.
Start to exhale through your nose just before you go, lift the pelvic floor (imagine it lifting towards your upper body as if you're stopping pee), then squeeze everything up - your abs and glutes, as you lift off the mat for a couple of seconds and continue with your controlled exhale throughout the whole lift. When you feel you can't hold it for any longer, gently drop back down controlled, take a breath in, prepare, then exhale to start again for the next rep. It's very important to keep exhaling through the lift and not hold your breath.
Over time (weeks/months), gradually increase the number of reps performed as well as the number of seconds held for each rep. For example, start with 2 sets of 3 reps 1 second hold. In a couple of weeks, increase to 3 sets of 3 reps 2 second hold, etc.
Unfortunately, planks are often included in group fitness classes such as HIIT, where beginners and unconditioned people are asked to do held-planks along with the fitter people in the group. Variations are also included in other classes and training including Yoga and Pilates, where planks are generally performed pressing on your hands with outstretched arms instead of resting on your forearms, which is even more difficult to hold. Pic below is a few years ago before my bad shoulder.
Full planks are a particular concern for added pressure on the shoulders. How many of you have tried to hold a plank and your arms and core are trembling like jelly? Then to add insult to injury, you could be asked to move straight into leg work from that position, like leg raises, knee to chest, etc. Dropping down to your knees is not really helpful, although it's often a modification suggested.
You probably can't tell or feel if you're doing planks with poor technique - it's hard to look in the mirror while you're planking and I wouldn't recommend trying, so maybe ask a friend to film you as you're performing your best/worst planks. The other way is to connect with your body and how they make you feel - trembly, pain through the shoulders, back, neck, abs, pelvic floor, feeling 'like a neurological assault', getting a bad headache afterwards, or making you feel like throwing up.
🤕 Signs of poor Plank technique include:
Bum is up too high (almost to a downward dog) whether on toes or knees, pressing all your weight down through the shoulders/forearms
Unable to lift up the abs high enough with excessive arch in the lower back
Belly drooping down or abs 'doming' or pushing outwards
Upper back hunched
Head and neck drooping down
Shoulders hunched up around the ears.
These mistakes place a lot of strain on your body and you're more likely to be injured.
If you don't have the strength to contract all your abdominals for the hold, you're pushing your tummy muscles outwards - the exact opposite of what you want to achieve! Pushing down on your pelvic floor occurs if you're unable to hold the pelvic floor 'up' through the hold. This could lead to pelvic problems such as incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse at worst. It's shocking that more than 30% of women 'BEAR DOWN' when asked to LIFT their pelvic floor or 'engage their TVA/Core' -because they aren't shown exactly how to 'engage' or 'brace', or what it actually feels like. Performing planks incorrectly leads to back pain, shoulder pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, sore glutes, and really bad DOMS for days after (extremely sore muscles).
REMEMBER, HELD PLANKS DO NOT MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT, GET FIT, OR BUILD STRENGTH (or stability) QUICKER!!!
Don't let anyone make you do them if you're not ready.
If you want to find out more about appropriate strength training, please reach out:
FB @strongbeyond50coaching
IG @coachwendymaree
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