How to do weight loss planks: tips and tricks for beginners

If you want to inflate the press, strengthen the main core muscles, tighten the abdomen, make it straight, strengthen the shoulder and gluteus muscles, plank will help you.

Is it hard to believe that performing one exercise a day can improve your strength, figure, mood and more? But it is true! This pose has many positive effects on your body. While this may not be the easiest exercise to perform, if you do it regularly, you will get lifelong benefits.

In yoga, the plank pose or Phalakasana is a pose for the development of strength, because it strains all the large muscles of the torso, as well as the shoulders, strengthens the muscles of the neck, back, buttocks and quadriceps and abdominal muscles. Planck is also known as an isometric attitude. It contracts the muscles, forcing them to maintain one predetermined position. You stand in a bar and your body works.

This is the most popular exercise in all fitness programs and does not require devices, equipment, free weights and gym. All you need is your body, desire and perseverance, and you can do it even at home!

Plank will speed up the metabolism, improve blood circulation, and the exercise is suitable for everyone: beginners and advanced, both men and women. You will find this exercise in yoga, pilates, stretching, bodybuilding.

A seemingly simple static exercise just looks like this. After standing in the bar for one minute, you will realize that time does not fly so fast. By the way, the world record is 8 hours, 1 minute and 1 second for men. Women's record - 3 hours and 31 minutes. So you have something to strive for. Now about everything in order.

Useful properties of the bar for health and weight loss

Exercise not only tightens muscles, but also has a preventive and curative effect against certain diseases. The effect is guaranteed by the systematic implementation of the exercise. The board is capable of:

• prevent and eliminate the first manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine;
• significantly improve posture;
• relieve back pain;
• stimulate blood circulation;
• speed up metabolism;
• burns calories.

Keep in mind that the last two points indicate that this exercise contributes to weight loss.

What muscles work

During the performance of the standard (classic) bar, the following muscles work:

• Straight and transverse abdominal muscles;
• Biceps, triceps, deltoid;
• Paravertebral muscles of the lumbar region;
• Biceps, quadriceps thighs and leaves;
• Buttock muscles;
• Back and chest muscles.

Useful features

1. Strengthens torso muscles. When trying to build core strength, this pose is most beneficial because it targets all the muscle groups in your abs. . . and you thought they were just sit-ups on sit-ups? Plank works not only on the abs, but also on the stabilizing muscles, as well as on the lateral abdominal muscles, which are responsible for the position of the hips and spinal muscles.
2. Muscles become more pronounced. Plank also loads the muscles of the shoulders, chest, legs and back. And they will grow. The functionality of this pose, combined with isometric tension, helps the muscles of the whole body to "dry out" and become more pronounced.
3. Accelerates metabolism. Muscle strength and mass, which increase with proper exercise, have another great property, in addition to increased strength and good figure - accelerated metabolism! When you increase muscle mass, you speed up your metabolism at rest, which allows you to burn more calories.
4. Prevents back pain. As your abdominal muscles strengthen, your body needs to rely less on using your back muscles to maintain your posture. Instead of the back muscles, the torso muscles now work, which are used for all exercises and work, which reduces the probability of back pain.
5. Your posture is improving. Improving posture is most often achieved by strengthening the health and strength of the back and torso muscles. When you take up board position, the muscles of your back, neck, shoulders, and abdominal muscles work to organically keep your body in position.
6. Improved coordination. Isometric posture stimulates the improvement of coordination and balance in general. If you learn how to perform plank skillfully, you will be able to hold an upright posture both more efficiently and stably.
7. Improves joint and bone health. Plank allows you to train with heavy weights, while reducing the unpleasant and negative effects associated with such exercises as running and jumping. When you stand in this position, a new living bone is created which helps build healthy and stronger bones. Physical activity during exercise also improves blood circulation in the joints, making them more mobile. Reduces friction.
8. Improves mood and reduces stress. Performing planks, like any other exercise, stimulates the release of the neurochemically active compound endorphins. Endorphins improve mood and create a sense of joy, and also help relieve stress. This pose can also relieve tension, because the body has the opportunity to stretch when you do this exercise.

Judging by the number of pluses since its implementation, it is not difficult to understand why it is so popular.

Whether you are just starting out or just adding a minute to your time in this pose, remember that quality is always more important than quantity or duration. As soon as your posture starts to "fall apart", you should stop, take a break and try again the next set or day.

Correct performance technique

The algorithm for performing the movement is very simple, but still, be careful of small things, learn how to stand properly in a bar, competent technique is the key to success.

• Lie on your stomach. Place your elbows on the floor at shoulder level. Place your forearms on the floor. The bent arms should form an angle of 90 degrees. Straighten your legs and now lean on your toes and forearms. The feet can be placed together or spread hip-width apart. Make sure your elbows are below your shoulders.
• Tighten and straighten the whole body. Your body from head to toe should be in a straight line.
• Do not bend the spine, do not raise the pelvis;
• Tighten the press;
• Breathing is even and calm.

There are many variants of this exercise. But if you master the technique of making a classic board, then there will be no problems with other options.

Common mistakes

• Raise your pelvis above head level. The position of the bar itself is disturbed. what does this lead toThis is the most common mistake. People are often tempted to lift their hips because it will allow them to hold the pose longer. The problem is that when you lift your hips up, most of the load falls on your shoulders and the pose loses meaning. This mistake leads to the development of pain in the shoulders and back. Keep your hips in a straight line between your heel and shoulders.
• Deflection in the cervical region. Overworked neck muscles. When performing, the neck should be kept in a neutral position - the head should not fall or rise any higher. Imagine that both the head and the neck are part of a straight line created by the rest of the body. When the neck is not on this line, and the head is lowered or raised, you are more likely to notice pain in the upper back or neck.
• Raising the elbows to the side, joining the fingers in the lock and lowering the head below the desired level. As a result, the shoulders are less involved, blood rushes to the head. Keeping your hands on top of each other will reduce the effectiveness of the pose. When your hands are held together, your abdominal muscles work less. Always keep your arms apart, stretch them in a straight line from your elbows, keeping your hands on the floor.
• Lower back deflection. If you continue to stand in a position with such a mistake, you can get lower back problems. When you bend your back, your body weight stops straining the muscles, instead, the vertebrae and the connections between them hold the load. This mistake leads to lower back pain. Correct the mistake by gently rotating the pelvis. This will make your back straight. It is also useful to tighten the buttocks.
• The hips are too low. If your hips fall too low, then your entire body weight will rest on your lower vertebrae, even though your torso muscles should be working. It seems easier to lean on your back than on your muscles, but then the exercise loses its meaning.
• A rounded back is a sign that your shoulders are hunched over. People sometimes make this mistake to compensate for a weak torso. The mistake allows people with a weak torso to keep the pose longer, due to excessive tension in the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders. To correct this mistake, move your shoulders down, away from your ears. The trapezius and middle back muscles (upper back muscles) should be tightened to prevent rounding of the back.

Tips for beginners

Perform the exercise on a yoga mat or towel so that the hard floor does not create discomfort in your elbows. Before exercising, warm up by stretching or doing some simple exercises for three minutes. For the first few days, you stand in the bar for only 20 seconds. This is enough for a beginner. To facilitate the exercise, place your feet hip-width apart.

If even in this position you don’t feel quite confident, do it from your knees.

After a few days, when the muscles get stronger, complicate the knee bar by straightening one leg and keeping it in weight. Stay like this for 30 seconds, then change legs. After the exercise, we recommend taking balasana - the child's pose. This will relieve tension and relax the core muscles.

Is it possible to work the bar during menstruation

Definitely yes. You can do many things during menstruation, especially sports. Some young ladies can use critical days as an excuse not to study, but to lie on the couch, leaf through the glitter, treat themselves to a couple of cakes. But you won't do it. If you have a catastrophic drop in strength and mood during this period, then it is better to slow down with training. And if your critical days are not so critical, then stand on the bar of health.

How long do you have to stand on bars to lose weight?

Not sure how long to hold the board pose? Hold until you find it difficult to maintain the correct technique or hold it until you feel your muscles start to ache and your body starts to tremble - then hold for another 5-10 seconds.

If this is your first time in this position and you stand easily for 1 minute, congratulations. You are in a satisfactory physical condition. But if you are completely new to the sport, then you can start with 10 seconds, doing five repetitions a day. After a while, when the muscles get stronger, do 4 rounds of 30 seconds each time, increasing the duration of the exercise by 1 second each time.

Remember that the main thing is technique. It is better to stand for 20 seconds with a perfect shape than for 40 seconds with a bent lower back.

Plan every day, but leave one day a week for rest.

But you have to understand that it all depends on the capabilities of your body. By starting to train and evaluate your strength, you will be able to choose the best option and time, and you will stand in this position with health benefits and pleasure.

It's up to you when it's better to do a weight loss plank. After all, it’s good because it requires nothing but your body and a little space. Exercise can be performed in the morning, evening and during the day, but it should not be done immediately after meals and just before bedtime.

How to stay in the plank longer

Regular training will allow you to stay in the bar longer and technically. But other points are also important:

• Comfortable shoes and clothes. Relax in that sense. You should not be bothered by the cut straps of the upper part or sliding sneakers.
• A soft enough rug or towel that will allow you to stay in position longer. After all, the pain from the hard floor, which is felt in the elbow, can make you give up ahead of time.
• Ventilated room. You need oxygen.
• Turn on the music.
• Be quiet, turn off the phone, make sure you are not inadvertently disturbed.
• Mentally motivate yourself. Say: "My body is working, my muscles are getting stronger, I am getting prettier! "They work great.
• Do warm-ups before exercising.
• Use a stopwatch. When you see the seconds increase, it motivates you.

Popular board options: technique, shades and differences

classic

You should rely on your toes and forearms. The arms are bent at the elbows at an angle of 90 degrees, the forearms are parallel to each other. Your body from head to toe is a straight line. Tighten the muscles of the buttocks and legs. Do not lower your pelvis, raise or lower your head. Breathing is even.

Full or straight arms

Straighten your arms and raise your hips, keeping your hands on the floor. This board may even look lighter for some people who have a more developed upper body. This variety will make the shoulders more stable than the classic one. The toes should be widely spaced and the middle finger should be pointed straight ahead. Rotate the inside of the elbow forward to engage the biceps.

Lateral

Lie on your right side, feet on top of each other. Place your lower right elbow directly under your right shoulder and lift your thigh off the floor to create a straight line. You should feel tension in the waist area. Extend your left arm toward the ceiling or place it on your left thigh. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then repeat the same with the other, left side of the body. If you feel that one side of your body is stronger than the other, keep doing the same number of reps on each side to make them equally strong.

Laterally with legs raised

When you can hold the sideboard for one minute, you can try this variation. Raise yourself to the sideboard position and, holding the position, raise your upper leg a few inches off the floor, then, tensing the muscles, controlling the movements of the leg, lower it back. Do 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Laterally with hips lowered

Standing in the sideboard, lower your pelvis without touching the floor, and then return to the starting position. What does it give? Increased load on the hair.

Lots of leg raises

Start in a full board position, rest your hands on the floor and keep your hips and abdominal muscles taut. Raise one leg, squeezing the buttocks. Hold one leg in the air for a few seconds, then switch to the other leg and do the same. It is not necessary to raise your legs very high, it is important to stretch them away from you. Do 10 reps with each leg.

Conversely

Sit on the floor. Put your hands on the floor, pulling them back a little. Raise your pelvis. The palms should be strictly below the shoulders. Opara on palms and heels. Tighten the body, it should form a straight line.

At fitball

We perform a classic board, but we raise our legs with the help of fitball. The ball is under his feet.

Army or dynamic

Start in the basic position of the board with your forearms on the floor. Now, pushing off first with your right hand and then with your left, move to the punk position. After that, go back to the basic position, starting from the right side again. Do 10 reps on each side - 10 reps on the right, then 10 reps on the left.

Climber or knee pull

Start in the punk position, then tighten the abdominal muscles and pull the right knee towards the chest using the lower abdominal muscles. Return the right leg to the starting position and repeat the exercise for the left leg. Continue to repeat the exercise with both knees 20-30 times. You can do it fast or slow, the main thing is the right technique, because it is more important than speed.

With alternating shoulder touches

Start in a full board position, keeping your hips as stable as possible. Reach your left shoulder with your right hand. Return the right arm to its original position, then touch the right shoulder with the left hand. Repeat this exercise 20-30 times.

But now that you know a lot more about barbells than before, you wonder how many pounds you can lose with the help of exercise? The answer may disappoint you, but if you don’t create a calorie deficit in your diet, then even this 30-day fat burning program won’t help you lose weight. It will help strengthen the muscles, make them stronger. If you want to lose weight, start burning more calories than you eat. A simple rule of math works in weight loss: if you gain more than you lose, all the excess goes to body fat. I wish we could learn how to save money the way our body stores fat! Perform plank by combining it with these tips:

Useful tips for training and weight loss

• Eat eggs for breakfast. Eating eggs in the morning has many positive properties, one of which is accelerated weight loss. If you replace the bread that many people eat for breakfast with eggs, then you will lose more calories and fat for the day and be better fed.
• Drink coffee (preferably black). Coffee contains a huge amount of antioxidants and has many health benefits. Caffeine contained in a cup of coffee speeds up metabolism by 3-11%. But sugar or other high-calorie ingredients should not be added to coffee, because that completely eliminates its benefits.
• Eliminate hidden sugar from your diet. Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients in today's human diet. Many people consume too much sugar. Studies have shown that both sugar and fructose syrup are associated with a high risk of obesity, as well as diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. If you want to lose weight, eliminate sugar from your diet. Watch the labels on the packaging, even so-called "healthy" foods can contain a lot of sugar.
• Eat less processed carbs. Refined or processed carbohydrates are found in pasta and white bread. These carbohydrates are usually made from grains from which all other nutrients, such as protein and fat, have been removed. These types of carbohydrates cause spikes in insulin levels. The rush of insulin stimulates hunger and the desire to eat something sweet. Refined carbohydrates are closely related to obesity. If you are going to eat carbs at all, then eat them whole, with natural fiber.
• Control parts. Controlling portions or counting calories is very helpful. Counting calories at each meal helps motivate you to lose weight. Anything that gives you more information about your food will be helpful.
• Eat more protein. Protein is most important for weight loss. Consuming protein-rich foods speeds up metabolism and allows you to burn 100 calories more per day. At the same time, the food itself contains 400 calories less than you would otherwise consume. Also, you will lose the desire to eat in the evening and the desire for sweets.
• Add whey protein to your diet. If you find it difficult to add enough protein to your diet, start taking a protein powder supplement to get enough protein.
• Eat "real" food. If you want to be a healthy person, you must completely switch to a menu with whole foods. These foods satiate you, it is difficult to overeat and it is very difficult to gain weight on such a diet if most of your food is unprocessed.

An example of a daily diet

• Breakfast: 2 slices of integral toast + 2 hard-boiled eggs + hot sauce (optional)
• Snack: 1 cup of berries, blueberries, for example + a handful of nuts;
• Lunch: 100 g salmon + avocado + 1 whole grain bread + 1 cup greens;
• Afternoon snack: broccoli and cauliflower + 2 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt;
• Dinner: 130 g of lean steak + stewed carrots + Brussels sprouts + 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
• And at night (possibly an hour) 150 g of fresh cheese (of course, without sugar).

What else can you do to lose weight faster?

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise (cardio) is a great way to burn calories and improve your physical and mental health. Cardio is especially effective in removing fat from the stomach, unhealthy fat that accumulates around the organs and causes disease.

strength training

This will speed up your metabolism and prevent muscle loss. Of course, it is important not only to lose fat, but also to gain muscle. Therefore, strength training is necessary.

High intensity interval training

If you do not spend a lot of time exercising, you will speed up your metabolism, increase endurance and burn extra calories.

Plank develops a sense of balance and trains willpower and character. By standing in it every day for a few seconds longer and not allowing yourself to give up, you build your character and become stronger. Maybe this exercise will be the beginning of a beautiful, athletic body that you will be proud of.