Planks are one of the most complete exercises to tone both the abdominal area, the waist, and the shoulder muscles. It does not require any machine, so you can practice with a simple mat both at home and in the gym. It’s one of the exercises where your weight and endurance are going to determine the effect on the muscle.
Although it seems eminently easy, it requires a certain technique to avoid muscle injury or discomfort. And it is that, in order to achieve the objective pursued, you have to suffer a little. The critical moment is that of enduring posture, since it activates both the torso and back muscles, as well as the upper, oblique, and lower abdominal areas.
Then we will discover the technique to do the plank properly and thus make the most of the benefits of this exercise.
Technique to make a plank correctly
The plank is a type of exercise that requires a very particular technique and position. To be effective, you have to maintain the effort, get the body area to work, and have a wide space to rest once executed.
So, first of all, the mat should be placed on the ground. The athlete has to lie face down and support the weight of the body on the forearms. The back support area will be the tip of your feet. You have to keep your arms bent, outward, and well-straightened.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and extend or open your back so that your body is completely upright or parallel to the floor. Press your thighs upward while stretching your heels.
Most common plank errors
Many athletes who are starting believe that planks or plates are easy exercises, however, you have to find the exact point where the abdomen works without compromising the rest of the areas. It is important to take care of these points to avoid injury.
Dropped Hips
To keep the body aligned, just as you don’t have to raise your hip, you don’t have to lower it either, because the posture of your back will be excessively forced.
Watch your hip
One of the main mistakes in making a plank is to arch the hip excessively, which puts more strain on your lower back and shoulders. You have to keep your body completely aligned and not in the form of a V.
Sinking the shoulder blades
The movement to lower the upper shoulders and shoulder blades can not only cause a spinal injury, but also leave a plank ineffective.
Elbows away from the body
Another big mistake when making a plank is to place the elbows too far from the body. The elbows must be left under the shoulders. And hands, anyway.
Types of Planks
There are different types of plank and variants to avoid getting bored with this exercise. Each of them focuses on a booster area to benefit.
Planks with changes of support
In this type of plank, in which the work of the arms intensifies, the arms are stretched out and the contraction movement of these is carried out to lean for a few seconds on the forearms and then return to the initial position.
Knee-to-Chest Plank
In the purest style of the climbers, here is about making the plank of change of support, but carrying a knee to the opposite side of the movement.
Superman Planks
Doing these types of planks requires maintaining the support of the opposite limbs while tightening the area of the abs, chest, and buttocks.