The Miracle of Morning Planks

 Intro:

Planks are the most under-utilized, yet effective exercise there is. It’s the perfect way to wake up in the morning and jump-start your day. They challenge your muscles, improve your posture, and get you ready to take on the day. If you’re not used to it, planks can be really hard at first, but stick with it! In as little as 30 days, you will have toned abs, strong shoulders and legs, and experience less back pain! You might even see an increase in energy throughout the day!

 

8 reasons why morning planks are so beneficial

1.       It’s easier to make time for a morning ritual than an evening one because you can almost guarantee your alarm will go off at a consistent time every day. 2. A morning habit can serve as an anchor that keeps other less-desirable habits in check, whether it’s having a better diet or becoming more productive at work. 3. The mornings offer a great opportunity to focus on yourself, rather than getting sidetracked by work emails and cat videos on YouTube. 4. You’ll quickly find out what exercise is most effective for you so you can do more of it later in the day—especially if you do short bouts of strength training throughout your day (more on that here). 5.

 

10 tips to make them easier

Although they’re quick and challenging, people often give up on morning planks because they feel too difficult to do consistently. But by modifying a few simple variables, it’s possible to make even 30-second planks feel less like torture and more like a manageable workout. Here are 10 things you can do to make them easier: 1. Make sure your abs are engaged. A study from 2011 found that spinal flexion during planks activates abdominal muscles (like your transverse abdominis) much more than spinal extension does—which means you might think your abs are active when really they aren’t at all. 2.

 

5 variations you can add to your routine

If you can’t fit in 30 minutes straight in your busy schedule, there are still plenty of options for you. Depending on how much time you have to work with, try switching it up and add one or two of these variations instead: 4-Minute Plank, 15-Minute Plank Challenge, or 10-Minute Beach Body Combo. Any variation will give you all that core strength with just a little less time! Still don’t believe us? Try doing a plank with no rest breaks at all; even if you can only hold for 2 seconds at first, keep trying until your body is accustomed to holding a plank longer than that. Prove to yourself that planking more often doesn’t just mean more results – it means better results.

 

A plank challenge that’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…

1.       Set a timer for 30 minutes; 2. Do as many planks holds as you can before time expires; 3. Repeat two to three times per week with a day off in between each workout. Gradually work your way up to being able to hold a plank for one hour—but remember, there’s no shame in taking more than one attempt at hitting that record-breaking time! When it comes to working out, doing more means you’ll get results faster! Of course, these are just guidelines: while they may help you achieve your goal quickly, don’t be afraid to take it slow and steady if it’s what works best for you! You should never force yourself or make yourself feel bad for not making progress as quickly as others might think you should.

 

6 Things To Avoid When Doing Planks

There are a few common mistakes people make when doing morning planks. The first mistake is simply not following instructions: Plank guidelines often call for you to lift your elbows from where they are, set them back down, and keep yourself hovering just above those elbows—this helps engage your shoulders, which are part of your core. The second mistake is relying on poor form. A plank isn’t about shoving out your belly and holding it there as long as possible; it’s about maintaining proper posture with a straight back to keep yourself engaged throughout—the upper body must be kept in line and firm. Finally, don’t forget to breathe properly.

 

9 Tips For Falling In Love With One Move Again

Planks are one of those exercises that everybody does—and everyone hates. But if you can fall in love with one move again, there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love with exercise all over again. These nine tips are designed to make planks (and other moves) more bearable and more effective so that they actually help build your strength and endurance rather than destroy it. Planks provide an invaluable foundation for any core or full-body workout; as such, mastering them will help you achieve incredible results overall. Because who doesn’t want a super-strong core? Nobody, that’s who!

The Miracle of Morning Planks