If you want to pump the press, strengthen the core muscles, pull the stomach, flatten it, and strengthen the shoulder and buttock muscles, the board will help you.
Is it hard to believe that exercising every day will improve your strength, figure, mood, and so on? But it is true! This posture has many positive effects on your body. Although this is not the easiest exercise, doing it regularly will benefit you for a lifetime.
In yoga, the plank pose, or Falakasana, is a pose for strength development because it strengthens all the major muscles of the body, including the shoulders, neck, back muscles, hips and quadriceps, and abdomen. Planck is also known as the isometric position. It contracts the muscles, forcing them to hold a predetermined position. You stay in the bar, your body works.
This is the most popular exercise in all fitness programs, it does not require machines, equipment, free weights and a gym. All you need is your body, your will and your perseverance, you can do it at home!
Plank helps speed up metabolism, improve blood circulation, and exercise is suitable for everyone: beginners and advanced, both men and women. You can find this exercise in yoga, Pilates, stretching, bodybuilding.
Only a seemingly simple static exercise looks like that. After standing in the bar for a minute, you realize that time does not fly so fast. By the way, the world record for men is 8 hours 1 minute 1 second. Women's record - 3 hours 31 minutes. So you have something to strive for. Now about everything.
It has beneficial properties for health and weight loss
Exercise not only strengthens muscles, but also has a prophylactic and therapeutic effect against certain diseases. The effect is ensured by the systematic implementation of exercises. Plank is capable of:
- The first manifestations of prevention and elimination of osteochondrosis of the neck and lumbar spine;
- significant improvement posture;
- reduction of pain in the spine;
- stimulation of blood circulation;
- accelerate metabolism;
- Burn calories.
As a reminder, the last two points show that this exercise promotes weight loss.
What muscles work
The following muscles work when performing a standard (classical) bar:
- Rectus and transverse abdominal muscles;
- Biceps, triceps, deltoid;
- paravertebral muscles of the lower back;
- Biceps, quadriceps and calves;
- pelvic floor muscles;
- Back and chest muscles.
Useful features
- Strengthens torso muscles. This posture is most useful when you are trying to build core strength because it targets all the muscle groups of the abs. . . and did you think that you only have a stomach in your stomach? Plank works not only on abs, but also on the stabilization of the muscles, as well as the lateral muscles, which are responsible for the position of the pelvic and spinal muscles.
- The muscles become clearer. The board also loads the muscles of the shoulders, chest, legs and back. They also grow. The functionality of this pose is combined with isometric tension, which helps the muscles throughout the body to "dry out" and become clearer.
- Accelerates metabolism. Increased muscle strength and mass with proper exercise has another great property in addition to strength and a good figure - accelerated metabolism! As you gain muscle mass, you speed up your metabolism at rest, which allows you to burn more calories.
- Prevents back pain. As your abdominal muscles get stronger, your body needs to have less confidence in using your back muscles to stay in shape. Instead of working the back muscles, the muscles of the body, all the exercises and work for which they are used, reduces the likelihood of back pain.
- Your posture will improve. Improving posture is often achieved by improving the health and strength of the back and pelvic floor muscles. When it comes to Planck's position, the back, neck, shoulder and abdominal muscles work to keep your body in an organic state.
- Improved coordination. Isometric posture helps to improve coordination and balance in general. If you learn to do the board skillfully, you will be able to maintain a more efficient and stable posture.
- Improves joint and bone health. Plank allows you to exercise with heavy weights, reducing the unpleasant and negative effects associated with exercises such as running and jumping. When you are in this position, new living bones are formed, which helps to build healthy, strong bones. Physical activity during exercise also improves blood circulation in the joints and makes them more mobile. reduces friction.
- Improves mood and reduces stress. Performing a plank, like any other exercise, stimulates the release of the neurochemically active compound endorphins. Endorphins improve mood and create a feeling of joy, as well as help to relieve stress. This posture can also reduce tension, as this exercise allows the body to stretch.
It’s not hard to see why it’s so popular, rather than the plus number of its implementation.
Whether you are just starting out or adding a minute to your time in this pose, remember that quality is more important than quantity or duration. When your pose starts to "fall, " you need to stop, take a break, and try again in the next set or day.
Proper execution technique
The movement algorithm is very simple, but still learn to pay attention to details and stand on the bar, competent technique is the key to success.
- Lie on your stomach. Place your elbow on the floor at shoulder level. Put your wrists on the ground. The bent arms should be at a 90-degree angle. Straighten your legs and now lean on your toes and wrists. The legs can be placed together or the width of the hips can be separated. Make sure your elbows are under your shoulders.
- Strengthen and straighten your whole body. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
- Do not bend the spine, do not lift the hips;
- strengthening the press;
- Breathing is smooth and quiet.
There are many types of this exercise. However, if you master the technique of the classic board, you will not have any problems with other options.
Common mistakes
- Raise the hips above the level of the head. The position of the bar itself was violated. What does this mean? This is the most common mistake. People are often tempted to lift their hips because it allows them to hold the posture longer. The problem is that when you lift your hips, most of the load falls on your shoulders and the posture loses its meaning. This mistake leads to the development of pain in the shoulders and back. Keep your hips in a straight line between your heels and your shoulders.
- Depression of the cervix. Overloaded neck muscles. During the performance, the neck should be kept in a neutral position - the head should not fall down and should not rise. Imagine that your head and neck are parts of a straight line formed by the rest of your body. When the neck is not in this line and your head is up or down, you will notice pain in your back or neck.
- Raise the elbows to the side, connect the fingers to the lock and lower the head below the required level. As a result, the shoulders are pulled less, and blood flows to the head. If you hold your hands together, this will reduce the effectiveness of the pose. When you hold your hands together, your abdominal muscles work less. Always keep your hands away from each other, extend them in a straight line from your elbows, and keep your hands on the floor.
- Lower lumbar reflex. If you continue to pose with this mistake, you may have problems in the lower back. When you bend your back, the weight of your body stops loading the muscles, and instead the vertebrae and the connections between them hold the load. This error leads to pain in the lower back. Correct the error by rotating the hips slightly. This will keep your back straight. Strengthening the hips is also helpful.
- The hips are too low. If your hips are too low, the entire weight of your body will be placed on the lower vertebrae, even though the muscles must work. It seems easier to lean on the muscles than on the back, but then the exercises lose their meaning.
- A round back is a sign that your shoulders are bent. People sometimes make this mistake to compensate for a weak body. The error allows people to hold a weak body in a posture longer because of excessive tension in the muscles of the spine, neck and shoulders. To correct this error, move your shoulder away from your ear. The trapezius muscles and the middle lumbar muscles (upper lumbar muscles) need to be strengthened to prevent the spine from twisting.
Tips for beginners
Exercise on a yoga mat or towel so that the hard floor does not cause discomfort to your elbows. Warm up for three minutes before exercise or by doing simple exercises. For the first few days, stay in the bar for only 20 seconds. That’s enough for a beginner. Spread your legs across your hips to facilitate the exercise.
If you do not feel confident in this position, do it on your knees.
After a few days, as the muscles tighten, tighten the barbell at the knee, straighten one leg and hold it in weight. Stand like this for 30 seconds, then switch legs. At the end of the exercise, we recommend that you take a baby pose. This relieves tension and relaxes key muscles.
Can it be done when menstruation is dirty
Of course. During menstruation, you can do many things, especially sports. Some young ladies may make excuses to lie on the couch and get a cake or two to shine on instead of reading on critical days. But you don't do that. If during this period you have a catastrophic decline in strength and mood, it is better to practice slowing down. And if the critical days are not so hard for you, stay in the bar for health.
How long do you need to stay in the bar to lose weight?
Not sure how long to keep the Planck pose? Hold until the correct technique is difficult to maintain, or hold until your muscles ache and your body begins to tremble - then hold for another 5-10 seconds.
If this is your first time in this position and you find it easy to stand for 1 minute, congratulations. Your physical condition is satisfactory. However, if you are completely new to the sport, you can start with 10 seconds, repeating five times a day. After a while, as the muscles get stronger, do 4 rounds of 30 seconds each time, increasing the duration of the exercise by 1 second.
Remember that the main thing is technique. It is better to stand on your back for 20 seconds and be in perfect shape than 40 seconds.
Schedule daily, but leave one day a week to rest.
But it must be understood that everything depends on the capabilities of the body. By exercising and assessing your strength, you can choose the best option and time, and you will be in a position that is healthy and enjoyable.
When to make a better bar depends on you to lose weight. Because it's good because it requires nothing but your body and a little space. Exercise can be done in the morning, in the evening or during the day, but it should not be done immediately after meals or at bedtime.
How to stay longer on the board
Regular exercise allows you to stay in the bar longer and technically. But there are other factors that are important:
- Comfortable shoes and clothes. Be comfortable in this regard. You should not be distracted by a cut shoulder strap or slippers.
- A soft enough rug or towel to allow you to stay in the pose for a long time. This is because a hard floor pain felt at the elbow can leave you premature.
- Ventilated room. You need oxygen.
- Turn on the music.
- Be quiet, turn off your phone, and don't be distracted.
- Motivate yourself mentally. The words: "My body is working, my muscles are getting stronger and I am becoming more beautiful! " Work wonderfully.
- Warm up before exercise.
- Use the stopwatch. When he sees how the seconds increase, he is moved.
Popular board options: techniques, nuances and differences
classic
You need to lean on your feet and wrists. The arms are bent at a 90-degree angle to the elbows, and the wrists are parallel to each other. Your body is a straight line from head to toe. Tighten your hips and leg muscles. Do not lower your hips, raise or lower your head. Breathing is normal.
Full or straight arms
Straighten your arms, raise your hips, and keep your hands on the floor. This board may seem easy for some people who have a more developed upper body. This variety makes the shoulders more durable than the classic. The fingers should be wide apart and the middle finger should be straight in front. Turn your elbows forward to pull your biceps.
Sideways
Lie on your right side and place your feet on top of each other. To create a straight line, place your lower right elbow directly under your shoulder and lift your thigh off the floor. You should feel tension in your waist area. Extend your left hand to the ceiling or place it on your left thigh. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then repeat with the other, left side of the body. If one side of your body feels stronger than the other, keep doing the same number of repetitions on each side to make them equally strong.
Lift the side to the side
When you hold the sideboard for a minute, try this variation. Lift to the side bar position and, holding the position, lift your upper leg a few inches off the floor, then tense the muscle, control the movement of the leg, and lower. Do 10 repetitions, then repeat in the other direction.
Side with hip drop
Stand on the sideboard, lower your hips without touching the ground, and then return to the starting position. What does it give? increased load on the diagonal.
Full leg lift
Start with a full board, place your hands on the floor and hold your hips and abs firmly. Squeeze your hips and lift one leg up. Hold your foot in the air for a few seconds, then move to the other foot and do the same. You don't have to lift your legs too high, it's important to keep them away from you. 10 repetitions with each leg.
Reverse
Sit on the floor. Put your hands on the ground and pull back a little. Raise your hips. The palms should be under the shoulders. Oprah on the palms and soles. Pull your body so that it forms a straight line.
On fitball
We do the classic board, but we lift the legs with the help of a fitball. The ball is underfoot.
Army or dynamic
Start in a basic board position with your wrists on the floor. Now push first with your right hand and then with your left and move to the full board. Then, start again from the right and return to the base position. Do 10 repetitions on each side, 10 repetitions to the right, then 10 repetitions to the left.
Climber or knee pull
Start in a full board position, then pull the abdominal muscles and pull the right knee with the lower abdominal muscles to your chest. Return the right leg to its original position and repeat the exercise for the left leg. Continue to repeat the exercise 20-30 times on both knees. You can do it quickly or slowly, and most importantly the right technique, because it is more important than speed.
alternately with shoulder touches
Keep your hips as stable as possible and start with a full board. Reach your left shoulder with your right hand. Return your right hand to its original position, then touch your right shoulder with your left hand. Repeat this exercise 20-30 times.
But now that you know more about what you have than before, do you ask how many pounds you can lose through exercise? The answer may upset you, but if you don't have a calorie deficit in your diet, then this 30-day fat burning program won't help you lose weight. It helps to strengthen the muscles, strengthens them. If you want to lose weight, burn more calories than you need. The rule of simple math works in weight loss: if you gain more than you lose, all the excess body fat will go away. I want to learn how to save money so that our body stores fat! Follow the board by combining the following tips:
Useful tips for exercise and weight loss
- Eat eggs for breakfast. Eating eggs in the morning has many positive properties, one of which is accelerated weight loss. If you replace the bread that many people eat for breakfast with eggs, you will lose more calories and fat for that day and will be better fed.
- Drink coffee (look good). Coffee is rich in antioxidants and has many health benefits. Caffeine in a cup of coffee speeds up metabolism by 3-11%. However, do not add sugar or other high-calorie ingredients to coffee, as this will completely eliminate its benefits.
- Eliminate hidden sugar from your diet. Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients in the modern human diet. Many people consume too much sugar. Studies show that sugar and fructose syrup are associated with an increased risk of obesity, as well as diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. If you want to lose weight, eliminate sugar from your diet. Pay attention to the labels on the packages, even so-called "healthy" foods can be high in sugar.
- Eat less processed carbohydrates. Refined or processed carbohydrates are found in pasta and white bread. These carbohydrates are usually made from grains in which all other nutrients, such as proteins and fats, are removed. This type of carbohydrate increases insulin levels. An increase in insulin makes you want to starve and eat sweets. Refined carbohydrates are closely linked to obesity. If you want to eat carbs at all, eat them whole with natural fiber.
- Control parts. Portion tracking or calorie counting is very helpful. Counting the calories in each meal will help you lose weight. Everything that allows you to learn more about your food will be useful.
- Eat more protein. Protein is the most important thing for weight loss. Eating protein-rich foods speeds up your metabolism and allows you to burn more than 100 calories a day. At the same time, the food itself gives you 400 calories less than usual. You will also lose the desire to eat in the evening and the desire for sweets.
- Add whey protein to your diet. If you find it difficult to add enough protein to your diet, start adding protein powder to get enough protein.
- Eat "real" food. If you want to be a healthy person, you need to go completely to the food menu. These foods replenish you, make it difficult to overeat, and it is very difficult to gain weight in such a diet if most of the food is not processed.
An example of a daily diet
- Breakfast: 2 slices whole wheat toast + 2 hard boiled eggs + hot sauce (optional)
- Snack: 1 cup berries, blueberries, for example + a handful of nuts;
- Lunch: 100 g of salmon + avocado + 1 whole loaf + 1 cup of vegetables;
- Lunch: broccoli and cauliflower + 2 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt;
- Dinner: 130 g of lean steak + boiled carrots + Brussels sprouts + 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
- And at night (maybe an hour) 150 g of cottage cheese (without sugar, of course).
What else can you do to lose weight faster?
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise (cardio) is a great way to burn calories and improve your physical and mental health. Cardio is especially effective in removing belly fat, harmful fats that accumulate around the organs and cause pain.
strength training
This speeds up the metabolism and prevents the loss of muscle mass. Of course, it is important not only to lose fat, but also to gain muscle. Therefore, strength training is very important.
High-intensity interval training
By not spending too much time exercising, you speed up your metabolism, increase your endurance, and burn extra calories.
Planck cultivates a sense of balance and teaches will and character. Every day you stand there for a few more seconds, you do not allow yourself to be conquered, you shape your character and become stronger. Maybe this exercise will be the beginning of a beautiful, athletic body that you will be proud of.