Plank Life

So lets just think about what would happen to your core if you engaged in planking everyday. Would you be stronger? Yes! Would your posture improve? Yes!  Could it help athletic performance? Yes!  Okay you get the picture by now. We should be doing planks everday just like we brush our teeth daily. The benefits are endless and we can use what we gain in so many areas of life. Just plank about it and start implementing planks in your daily routine. Together we get stronger, less back pain, better performance, improved posture, enhanced mental toughness. 

Stay strong my friends.

Plank Life

#planklife

While we know the plank exercise is great for your core, most people are uncertain as to how long they should attempt to hold a plank. No worries, we have an answer for you.  There isn't a lot of physical benefits to holding a plank more than a minute. Instead, we recommend that you master the one minute plank, then add variety to challenge your core once you have mastered the front plank with good form. It is more about the effectiveness of doing planks than the duration. When i first tried the stability ball plank, it was very challenging because of the great demand of balance and strength required. I recall i could only hold it for about 20 seconds, but after many attempts, i made my way to a minute. It was a great accomplishment and i could tell my core was getting stronger. Feedback!  Be sure to focus on form, variety, and effectiveness, the time will take care of itself as you get stronger. Keep planking!

Stay strong my friends,

Plank Life

The core of anything is the foundation of it. We speak often about out physical core, relating to our abs and back, but our inner core must be discovered as well. This is about knowing who you are on the inside. Spend some needed time soul searching and discovering who you are and what your prupose is in life. You will become stronger once you find out. We are powerful creatures. Remember to plank daily, love daily, support daily, and discover daily. 

Stay strong my friends,

Plank Life

5 Reasons to do Planks Daily

By now, you have heard of or at least attempted the plank exercise. It is one of the most universal exercises known to man. The plank is also one of the best to use daily for developing and maintaining a strong core. Here are 5 bonus benefits to doing planks daily.

1. Mental Clarity and Focus

Yes! You will become mentally stronger as you add planks to your daily routine. It's hard to hold a plank and think about a lot of other things. The pain from holding your body off the ground takes 100 percent of your mental attention. This allows you to clear your head of unwanted thoughts, stress from work, what to cook for dinner and the list goes on. Even if you held a plank for 1 min every day, that's 352 minutes of mental therapy a year.

2. Lengthen your Muscles

Since most people find themselves sitting for prolong periods of time due to work or lifestyle, the plank is a great exercise to lengthen your muscles from sitting. Tight hip flexors, rounded shoulders, and low back problems are all linked to sitting too much. Holding a plank will put your body in a position that extends the hips, promotes shoulder stability, and it can produce a stronger lower back. These reasons are more than enough to add planks to your life daily.

3. Location, Location, Location

While the plank can be done by anyone, it can also be done anywhere. There are no limitations and this allows you to be free. Planks can be done in the gym, in your house, outside in the park, or anywhere you can imagine. Be creative!

4. Anxiety Calm

Anxiety impacts millions of people each day, and while medication is often prescribed, there are natural ways to calm the body. Yes planks are an anti-anxiety natural remedy. Exercise serves as a distraction when you are under stress, and planks are one of the best to help calm the body. Get into a plank position and hold it for as long as you can, then lie down on the floor with your arms extended out in front of you. Close your eyes and breathe deep for about 30 seconds, repeat the plank and the rest position until the anxiety is gone.

5. The Roof and Foundation

You wouldn't attempt to build a house starting with the roof first. As crazy as this sound, people do it daily in the fitness world. We spend hours on cardio and lifting weights, but very little time on our core. Your core is your foundation! Don't put the roof on first; instead lay a strong foundation to build upon. By doing so, fewer injuries might occur, posture improves, movement is enhanced, and your lifestyle is more mobile.