Plank

- The plank is an isometric core strength exercise that involves maintaining a position
similar to a push-up for the maximum possible time.

Benefits of Planking
1. A Healthy Posture
- The plank position engages all muscles from your neck, shoulder and back up to your
pelvis, thighs and legs. Gradually, this results in a strong posture giving you the
confidence to walk tall and proper
2. Balance and Coordination
- Planks hold the core muscles taut thus teaching your muscle to endure. This builds
muscle stability and increases body balance.
3. Improves Body Alignment and Helps Avoid Illness
- Planks help build strong abdominal muscles which reduce the strain on your back,
shoulders and neck. Planking down after a long day of sitting on your computer can help
relieve neck and shoulder knots too and help your body come into alignment. Planks and
regular exercise can prevent degenerative muscle atrophy caused by osteoarthritis too.
4. Build Core Strength
- Planking’ needs to be regular in the build-up towards a routine consisting of multiple
exercises like cardio, weight training etc. in order to give your body a comprehensive
workout instead of a core burn out
5. Improves Flexibility
- They help improve flexibility in hips and thighs when combined with other poses.
Abdominal muscles are essential for performing a headstand or a handstand and planks
lead the way
6. Improves Metabolism
- Doing the plank position regularly improves circulation, thus improving body
metabolism. The stronger your muscles grow, the more your food intake will increase.
Regular planking can improve your metabolism and you will burn calories, even in your
sleep
7. Improves Overall Mental Health
- Planks can be special mood lifters because it engages the stress corners of our body.
Our shoulders, neck and back usually tense up and have knots because of strain and
stress, both mental or physiological. Contracting these muscles literally squeezes the
tension out from major muscles where the stress accumulates.
 Regular Plank Tiers
Level 1: Static Knee Forearm Plank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDSHokfXqyA

a. Start with your knees together and on the ground.

b. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your weight on your forearms.
c. Flatten your spine, and press through your elbows to keep your chest from falling forward.
d. Suck your navel into your spine and tighten your abdominals. Look straight down, allowing your
neck to stay aligned with your spine.

It is best for beginners considering that the knee provides the lower body with support, and
that, it is easier for me to balance and hold up my weight. It is not hard and painful. I think this
is an exercise which prepares and activates my core.This plank is a fantastic exercise to help
strengthen and stabilize core muscles in a very safe way.

Level 2: Static Forearm Plank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xu5CsUH4os

a. Start with your toes together and on the ground.

b. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your weight on your forearms.
c. Flatten your spine, and press through your elbows to keep your chest from falling
forward.
d. Suck your navel into your spine and tighten your abdominals.
e. Look straight down, allowing your neck to stay aligned with your spine.

This is quite simple and as well as achievable, yet effective. I can say that forearm plank is
effective because this really burn and workout my abdominal core and lower back muscles, and
also my shoulders and upper back. I think this is best for full-body exercise since this contract
almost all of my core muscles.
Level 3: Static Single-Leg Forearm Plank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk31eO2cJBk

a. Start with your toes together and on the ground.

b. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your weight on your forearms.
c. Flatten your spine, and press through your elbows to keep your chest from falling
forward.
d. Suck your navel into your spine and tighten your abdominals.
e. Look straight down, allowing your neck to stay aligned with your spine.
f. Lift one leg off the ground to challenge your stability. Be sure to alternate legs.

Same as static forearm plank, this also targets my oblique and in the glutes, lower back,
shoulders, triceps, abs and outer thighs.It is a balancing exercise so this will help me improve
mybalance and coordination. This exercise can also help in maintaining or building an excellent
posture andcreating a strong core.

Level 4: Dynamic Elbow to Wrist Plank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLI-U6G6_zQ

a. Start in a high plank and move into low plank.

b. Repeat for as long as you can.

This helps me in learning how to balance myself during movement and strengthen my biceps,
chest, and shoulders. Pressing my bodyweight up and down is a difficult challenge for my arms
and shoulders, but it truly puts my strength to the test and challenges my upper body. Dynamic
Elbow to Wrist Plank is an excellent workout since it improves all of the core muscles as well as
my arm and shoulder.
 Side Plank Tiers
Level 1: Static Knee Side Forearm Plank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UurF0EhHFLg

a. Start with your knees together and on the ground.

b. Place your right elbow on the ground directly under your shoulder.
c. Straighten your spine, tighten your abdominals, and look straight ahead.
d. Hold. Repeat on the left side. Once you reach one minute on each side with little struggle.

The knee really helped me in my balance and support. I think this is a great exercise when I am
trying to learn how to do the side forearm plank but aren’t quite ready for the whole thing. The
knee forearm side plank is also an excellent technique to train me in a side plank without placing
much stress on my shoulder or wrist as side plank would.

Level 2: Static Low Side Forearm Plank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMmABQ9SkM

a. Start with your feet together and on the ground, keep your knees lifted and the body in
one straight line.
b. Place your right elbow on the ground directly under your shoulder.
c. Straighten your spine, tighten your abdominals, and look straight ahead.
d. Hold. Repeat on the left side. Once you reach one minute on each side with little struggle.

This targets my oblique specifically in my side waist. When I am trying to not let my hips rise
much or drop and keeping body in a straight line from my head to my feet, this really engaged
my cores in arms, shoulder, and abdomen. Because a side plank requires balance on one arm, I
think this is excellent for strengthening my shoulders, wrists, and arms.
Level 3: Static Single-Leg Side Forearm Plank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFzJQXiljF4

a. Start with your feet together and on the ground, keep your knees lifted and the body in
one straight line.
b. Place your right elbow on the ground directly under your shoulder.
c. Lift your left leg 6 inches off the other leg. Straighten your spine, tighten your
abdominals, and look straight ahead.
d. Hold. Repeat on the left side. Once you reach one minute on each side with little struggle,
then progress to the next level.

I'm shaking after only a few seconds of holding the plank. However, observing how long I can
maintain the posture without letting go made me realized how strong I am. Single-Leg Side
Plank also allows me to practice on my breathing.

Level 4: Dynamic Side Forearm Plank With Hip Dip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWQRVB4LyFI

a. Start in a low side plank (Level 2).

b. Once you're in the right form, begin to dip your right hip toward the ground, and then
return to the starting position.
c. Repeat on the left side.

This exercise does put pressure on my arm, shoulder, back and hips. Engages my shoulder
muscles, the muscles in my back, andglutes. It is quiet hard when you’re a beginner, but really
help you to be strong and fit, also you will used to it if done frequently.