One thing that seems to be quickly rising in popular with fitness experts and enthusiasts alike are bodyweight exercises that may vary from individual to individual.
These exercises are simple to do and practical since they only require the use of one’s own body weight.
One of the most popular choices for bodyweight exercise is the plank which is very effective and probably why they are so popular in addition to not taking time out or your day, but can still produce quick results.
Many people do not realize that the abdominal muscles are responsible for the support of the spinal column and back. Having strong abdominal muscles can reduce one’s risk of injury. Perhaps you’re wanting to build and tone your abdominal muscles due to wanting to correct your posture and decrease back pain, start on a healthy diet and workout routine along with maybe the inclusion of a supplement or two from somewhere like Sarms USA.
Using planks each day to strengthen these muscles will lead to them having the strength that is needed to support the spine and back with a strong core.
Let’s look at all of the advantages of doing planks each and every day and yes we all have busy scheduled, but this simply won’t take that long.
One reason that planks provide such a good workout for the core muscles is that they engage all of the muscles in the abdomen.
This also includes the glutes, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, and the external oblique muscle.
Each of these muscles has their own purpose and to have complete core strength, they all need to be strengthened. When you strengthen each of the muscle groups, you will see the difference.
Injuries occur when there is too much pressure on the hips or spine, but when one does planks, muscles are built without putting pressure on these areas of the body.
The American Council on Exercise has stated that when one does planks on a regular basis that they will strengthen muscles, ensure support for back (including areas of the upper back).
When planks are done on a regular basis they not only challenge the entire body but they also help the body to burn more calories with traditional exercises like crunches and sit ups.
As you are gaining strength with exercises you will start to burn more calories even when you are sitting still and if you work at a desk or sit during the day, then this is extremely important.
If are able to do ten using a one minute “planks” throughout the day then you are going to continue burning energy all day long.
Your posture will improve when you are sitting and/or standing as your core will help to maintain proper posture as it gets stronger.
As your core becomes stronger, you will notice that the condition of your neck, chest, back, and shoulders is drastically improved.
Try standing on one leg. If it is hard for you to stand on that one leg for longer than a few second then you need to have your balance improved.
The reason that you could not stand on that one foot for a long period of time was not because you were drunk, but instead it was because you did not have strong enough muscles to gain the balance that you need.
So I hope that you add the plank to your workouts and are able to see the benefits right away.
Mark O’Neill and Shelley Donald are both Registered Personal Trainers.
