Day 14 is complete. Day 15 is here, and you are almost halfway through your 30-Day Nutrition Challenge! However, a healthy body requires both a good diet and exercise. Test yourself out with this one-day challenge!
Why Plank?
The plank is a great exercise to build core strength throughout your trunk. It strengthens your rectus abdominis (6 pack), obliques (sides of your abs) and all the deep core muscles underneath. As a bonus, you will also be working your glutes, shoulder stabilizers, chest and back. What I like best about the plank, though, is that it an isometric exercise. Meaning you are using your muscles to fight movement and keep still. This is how many of the muscles in your trunk are designed to work … to resist movement rather than create it.
How to Perform a Plank
- Start by lying face down on a mat or carpet with your feet together and forearms on the ground.
- Activate your abdominals by trying to draw your belly button towards your spine. At the same time active your glutes: squeeze your butt.
- Keeping these muscles activated, raise your body off the ground. You are trying to create a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
- Hold this position whilst breathing steadily. Aim to hold this position for as long as you can maintain great posture. If you lose posture, there is no point holding it!
- If this is too tough to hold for 10 seconds, try with your palms on the ground (with your palms on a raised surface or on all fours).
- Too easy? Try lifting one leg in the air. Alternate the leg lifted so you get a balanced workout.
The Challenge
Your challenge for today is to complete as many seconds of plank as possible. Here are the rules:
- Only good posture counts! If you aren’t in a straight line, rest and try again.
- You can try as many times as you want. You have 24 hours from reading this.
- Your times accumulate. If you do 45 seconds in the morning, 60 seconds at lunch, and 2x 30 seconds in the evening, your total would be 165 seconds.
Post your scores below or on our Fit Body Full Life Facebook Page!!!! Good luck.