It’s Time To Walk The Plank

Let’s not beat around the bush, A strong and solid core, looks and feels good. The core stabilises, balances, and powers the body during just about every activity. 

A strong core can reduce stress on the joints and allow you to achieve better posture. Planking helps you achieve this at any age.

Some may wonder “how can I hold my bodyweight”? Well, i say to this, “if you can balance the weight of your body on two feet, you can then certainly balance your weight on four limbs! It will just take practice! 

The plank will help with spinal alignment, as Muscle groups work uniformly to hold the weight of the body and gravity.  Studies have suggested  that the plank is highly effective at activating the muscles responsible for spine stabilization, which is an essential mechanism to prevent or alleviate back pain. Moreover, since the plank strengthens your abdominal muscles, it will help support the weight of your body to walk upright.

Top tip - 

Try and hold the plank for 10 secs, increasing if you feel confident.  Also during, Make sure you’re not arching your back and ensure yours hips are not drooping toward the floor as this will overload your lower back, which won’t help with back pain. Separate your feet slightly further apart, this will help hold the position better. This is because the muscles on the outer thighs are bigger and often stronger, which will further secure the hip. 

P.s. do the plank with arms straight with a small bend, making sure not to lock your elbows, why? just trust me, your shoulders will thank you for it.