Benefits of plank exercise for male

01 of 08 Planks Strengthen the Entire Body Do you love multitasking moves? Target multiple muscles at once by doing planks. For starters, the plank and quads, according to Candace Rhodes, personal trainer and founder of These muscles play a vital role in propelling you forward, which is extra helpful if you're a runner. Strong glutes and quads also stabilize the pelvis and knees, respectively, helping you move comfortably during exercise and daily activities. The plank also targets your shoulders, arms, and core, aka the main stabilizer of your body, says Ashley Dean, personal trainer and founder of the fitness coaching site 02 of 08 Planks Improve Your Posture As the plank Journal of Physical Therapy Science, your core muscles are in charge of supporting your spine and keeping your body upright. 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. What's more, Rhodes adds that a strong core keeps your spine properly aligned, further 03 of 08 Planks Can Help Reduce Low Back Pain When it comes to pain, the plank (literally) has your back—and it's all thanks to the core-strengthening, posture-improving effects of the move. Need proof? As the center of your body, the core handles the load of your movements. According to Current Sports Medicine Reports, if your core is weak, that load is shifted onto the surrounding muscles, which...

With our busy day-to-day schedules, it makes sense to want to add exercises into your workout session that give you the most bang for your buck. So, if you're looking for a challenging exercise that builds both core and lower-body strength at the same time, the Copenhagen plank — a type of side plank — definitely fits the bill. • ‌ What is the Copenhagen plank?‌ The Copenhagen plank is a • ‌ What is the Copenhagen plank good for?‌ You can use this exercise to build strength in your inner thigh and core muscles. Strengthening the inner thigh muscles is especially helpful in reducing your risk of groin injuries. And • ‌ Copenhagen plank muscles worked:‌ The main muscles involved in the Copenhagen side plank are your adductors on the insides of your thighs and your obliques on the outside of your torso. Your shoulders and a few other core and hip muscles — including your abdominals and glutes — play a supporting role in the exercise. • ‌ Who can do the Copenhagen plank?‌ The Copenhagen plank is an advanced exercise and should not be attempted by those who haven't already built strength with standard side planks. Additionally, it's important to talk with your doctor or physical therapist before trying this exercise if you're recovering from a lower-body injury. • Lie on your left side with your body perpendicular to an exercise bench. Place the inside of your top foot on the bench. Place your bottom elbow directly beneath your shoulder and bend your elbow so your forearm is on...

Plank Challenge: Week 1 Day 1: It's the first minute of my first plank and there's nothing but me, my living room floor, dead silence, and the timer on my iPhone. One timer dings. I move from a forearm plank to a side plank. Great! Ding. Another side plank. Three tiny beads of sweat form on my forehead. I try to focus on the thought "What does planking do for you?" I take a little break then eke my way through the other planks and have one thought: "Twenty-nine more days?" Day 2: Instead of conquering my five minutes' worth of planks all in a row, I decide to separate them between sprints of work. Ideally, this would force me to get up from my desk and use the rest of my body for 60 seconds at a time. Not so ideal: I do two plank holds, forget about the rest until after dinner, and am forced to do the remaining minutes on a full stomach. I do not recommend this. Day 4: Oops, forgot to plank today, but I think I've discovered the problem. Habits get locked in when they're instituted by a trigger action. (Changing into pajamas signals it's time to brush your teeth, etc.) I haven't found a trigger for my planking, and what doesn't get scheduled doesn't get done. Plank Challenge: Week 2 Day 8: Time to check up on proper plank form. I realize my back and hips are dipping, so I focus on engaging my core like I'm about to get punched in the stomach — and whaddya know, the planks become both easier (I feel much more solid) and harder (all the other muscles I was ignoring begin to ...

• High plank. Get into the top or start of a pushup position. Keep your palms and toes firmly planted on the ground, your back straight, and your core tight. A saggy back or bottom during a plank can result in lower back pain later on, so be sure not to compromise your form. Do not let your head sag. So, what exactly is it about planks that make them a more effective movement than crunches? Well, one reason is that situps and crunches can be hard on your back. Pushing your spine against the floor can cause lower back pain later on. Additionally, planks don’t just work your core: They work your entire body. Planks require your arms, your legs, and all of your abs, making them an all-encompassing workout and a more efficient way to exercise. If you’re experiencing back pain from sitting at an office desk all day, here’s some good news: Planks can help improve your posture! By strengthening your back, chest, shoulders, neck, and abs, this exercise makes it easier to keep your shoulders back and your lower back in a neutral position while sitting or standing — two vital components of good posture. Planks also help you develop isometric strength in your core muscles, which gives you the power to keep from hunching while standing or sitting for long periods of time. While it may not feel like it, planks are a great way to stretch out the lower half of your body. Getting into the hold position lengthens your hamstrings as well as the arches of your feet, making the plank pose a d...

To do commando planks, simply move from a high plank position to the forearms and back again without swinging, lifting or dipping your hips. Easier said than done, but if you get your form on point, the move carries plenty of benefits. Below, we cover how to do commando planks with proper form and the most common mistakes you’ll come across when trying them. We also discuss the benefits of commando planks and why the core exercise is so effective at strengthening your core muscles. Also, here are the (Image credit: Shutterstock images/ Undrey) Another benefit of commando planks is their ability to raise your heart rate, which makes them a great addition to high-intensity cardiovascular workouts. You can try the move anywhere without any equipment or weights, which means the plank variation is as efficient as it is effective. Find out what happened when How to do commando planks (Image credit: Shutterstock) Here’s how to do this plank variation properly. How: • Start in a plank position on your mat with elbows extended, shoulders over wrists, and hips in line with your shoulders • Squeeze as many muscles as possible and gently suck your belly button toward your spine • Lower your left elbow onto the mat underneath your left shoulder, then your right • Pause in a forearm plank position, then press upward and place your left palm back onto the mat beneath your left shoulder, followed by your right • Repeat, and switch your leading arm each time. Lower your knees for extra sup...

Because planks are an isometric exercise, you hold them for a longer period of time than other exercises, which helps build muscle endurance, especially in the core, Schumacher says. Strengthening your core endurance will help you maintain good posture during long runs, walks, bike rides and other sustained activity. • Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your hips directly above your knees. • Step your right foot back and then your left foot to balance on your hands and toes. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Tuck your pelvis in to engage your core and squeeze your glutes. • Hold this position while maintaining a neutral spine. Show Instructions You can progress or modify the plank exercise to match your fitness level, both Schumacher and Chan say. If a 15-second plank is too challenging, for example, you can hold it for only 10 seconds. Or, drop down to your knees to make the exercise easier. When you're ready to take the standard high plank to the next level, you can raise an arm (or an arm and a leg) off the ground while you hold the pose. You can also experiment with side planks and other

Core exercises are an important part of a well-rounded fitness program. Some people may do a situp and pushup now and then. But core exercises are often ignored. Still, it pays to get your core muscles — the muscles around your trunk, including your pelvis — in better shape. Read on to find out why. Your core is the central part of your body. It includes your pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach. The stomach muscles sometimes are called abs. Core exercises train the muscles in your core to work in harmony. This leads to better balance and steadiness, also called stability. Stability is important whether you're on the playing field or doing regular activities. In fact, most sports and other physical activities depend on stable core muscles. Bridge exercise Do the bridge to strengthen your core muscles. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tighten the muscles in your stomach. Raise your hips off the floor until they line up with your knees and shoulders. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the starting position and repeat. Any exercise that involves the use of your stomach muscles and back muscles in a coordinated way counts as a core exercise. For example, using free weights while keeping your core stable trains and strengthens many of your muscles, including your core muscles. Classic core exercises stabilize and strengthen your core. Classic core exercises include planks, situps and fitness ball exercises. A bridge is another example of a classic core exercise. To do...