I often see people in the gym doing abs / abs workout, either on a mat or with a stability ball. I often see them hold their standard plank position without a jolt appearing in their massive frames. But I rarely see people doing the side plank. why is that?
This is probably because most of us focus on the muscles in the front of the abdomen (the rectus abdominis) when we want to target our core. This is the so-called “six-pack” muscle. We tend to neglect our oblique muscles, which run along the side of our core. I’m no different. I have a reasonably strong central core (although not a six-pack, I can assure you), but I want to believe my obliques will improve themselves just to fit in with the other muscles.
So I decided to do one minute plank exercises on each side every day for a week, just to see how I would feel. I knew there wouldn’t be a visual improvement, but I thought I’d notice something somewhere. And you were right.
What are the benefits of a sideboard?
The side plank primarily works the external and internal oblique muscles, which generally don’t get the attention they deserve. These muscles help rotate and bend your torso, and also protect your spine by strengthening the surrounding area. The side plank also deeply stabilizes the muscles in your hip, torso, and even your shoulders, and it gives your butt muscles something to think about, too.
In addition, it works the rectus abdominis and the anterior rectus muscle (the large muscle that vibrates across your upper ribs and helps move your shoulder). In fact, you may first feel the effect of movement in your back, before you develop decent form.
Adding a side plank to your routine will improve posture and help reduce the likelihood of developing lower back pain. Research has shown (Opens in a new tab) A strong cardio can relieve chronic lower back pain and help protect athletes (Opens in a new tab) From developing such problems in the first place.
How to do the side plank
Use a mat for this exercise or do it on a soft surface to reduce pressure on your arms and feet. Lie straight on one side, legs stacked. Lay your forearm flat on the floor and make sure your elbow is in line with your shoulder.
Engage your abdominals and lift your hips and knees off the floor, keeping a straight line from head to toe. Only the forearm and foot should be touching the ground.
Don’t allow your hips to sag and keep looking forward for the duration. You can rest your upper arm on your hip or, to make the movement more difficult, raise it toward the ceiling. If you are new to the side plank, try to hold the shape for 15 seconds, then change to the other side. Otherwise, hold for 30-60 seconds and add time as you get stronger.
I did the side plank every day for a week. Here’s what happened
I haven’t done side planks for a long time, so day one was tough. The first 30 seconds were relatively easy, but the next 10 were tough, and the last 20 were exhausting. And that was just one side. I had to take a moment before I switched. I found that I was so focused on maintaining form – in particular, ensuring that my hips didn’t fall off – that I wasn’t breathing evenly, which made the exercise more difficult than it had to be. By the end of the two minutes, my body was shivering from the effort and I was sweating a little. There is no easy achievement than maintaining what is essentially a fixed position.
The second day was also difficult, but only marginally less difficult. It was as if my body had given in to what was asked of it and there was no turning back. By day three, I wasn’t watching the seconds crawling (which helped me a lot), didn’t need a break before switching sides, and was pretty much on my feet when I finished. By day four, I started wondering if I could add time by the end of the week.
And that’s exactly what happened. I kept for a minute on each side on the 5th and 6th days, but on the 7th I was able to achieve a minute and a half on each side. I was a bit wobbly towards the end, but it was a huge improvement in just one week.
I don’t think I built strength in such a short period, but I Poetry I got stronger through my heart and the low-grade lumbar noise disappeared. Also, I noticed that I was more aware of my posture when sitting. No more slouching in front of my laptop for me. Even more surprising is the fact that doing the side plank has become a part of my daily routine. I do it in the morning before my body really knows what’s going on. I don’t recommend doing this step before going to bed, as I did once during the first week. It makes the heart beat faster, which is not what you need when you want to sleep.
Let me be clear: The side plank, while highly effective, isn’t the most exciting exercise in the world, but that’s the point of the difference. My next step is to raise my upper leg and hold it for 30 seconds for example. One can dream.
Looking for more exercise inspiration? Here’s what happened when our fitness editor did 100 dead mistakes a day for a week and did 30 sit-ups a day for 30 days. We’ve also picked the best exercise apps to download right now, and the best gym bags that you can carry back and forth.
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