Q. What are the benefits of incorporating planks into your ab circuit?
A. Planks are a great way to build strength (physical and mental), improve posture/balance, and flexibility. Planks truly are a full body exercise.
Strength:
One of the biggest benefits of planking is building core strength. The core is your foundation for every move you make. It not only helps increase sports performance but also functional performance. I believe everybody should incorporate planks into their core training regimen.
This is a great exercise for building your mental strength too. Do this by focusing on the muscles that are being challenged and hold the proper form as long as possible. Make that mind body connection.
POSTURE/BALANCE:
Strengthening your stabilizer muscles in your core will help with your posture and balance. It will also help tighten and tone the midsection.
FLEXIBILITY:
The plank also helps to lengthen the muscles by increasing the range of motion then holding the pose.
There are many variations of the plank so make sure to change up your plank routine regularly. You’ll hit the same muscles and prevent plateauing.
Finally, you know that I am big on proper form and technique. Make sure to check out my quick video tip on how to do a proper plank found here.