You’ve probably seen people do the plank challenge lately and wanted to try it out for yourself. But is there any reason why you should? Doing the plank may look easy at first, but once you go beyond the 30 second mark, you will find that it’s not that easy holding the position as it was before. Aside from the challenge to your entire body, there are plenty of reasons why doing the plank on a daily basis is a good idea. As a matter of fact, there are several benefits that you should know of.
Stronger core
Planks are one of the best exercises that can help strengthen your core muscles. The abdomen is the one responsible for stabilizing the upper and lower bodies, so that you will be able to balance yourself completely. When you go into a plank, the core muscles contract fully in order to help you remain in that position longer. Without it, you will be simply falling on your belly. And when your core is strong, you will be able to see a flatter belly!
Strengthen your back
Although there are some core exercises that can be bad for your back, like crunches or sit-ups, planks, on the other hand, will do the opposite and that is it will help strengthen your back as well. Since your spine is in a neutral position, there will be less strain being placed on your spinal column making it safer for you to perform your core workout.
Improved balance and posture
What other benefits can you get when doing planks? It appears that planks can help improve your balance as well as your posture especially when you do your workout constantly. Since you have a stronger core, your stomach and back muscles will be able to hold you upright properly.
Better flexibility
Another benefit that you can get from doing planks is that it can enhance your flexibility. It appears that your secondary muscles will be activated as well such as in your shoulders, shoulder blades, legs, and collarbone. When you do the plank, you will be placing your elbows on the floor to create a right angle between the shoulders and arms. This position requires strength from your upper body where your shoulder muscles will be tensed in order to support this position of yours for longer periods.
Relaxes the muscles
Our muscles can experience muscle stiffness especially when you are not active throughout the day. If you want to ease the tension, you might wan to perform planks. One reason behind this is that this exercise can actually help more blood flowing through your back and other parts of your body which can ease the tension in them.
Better bone health
Exercising isn’t just about making your muscles toned and your heart healthy, but it is also necessary for making your joints and bones strong and supple. In order to encourage healthy bones, performing weight-bearing exercises, like planks, are essential for bone health.
Faster metabolism
What else can doing planks help you with? Well, it appears that it can be a good workout for making your body burn more fats. Performing strength training workouts can actually make your metabolic rate go up even after your training session. How cool is that?
Who would have thought that doing planks on a daily basis can have numerous benefits to your health? If this is your first time to do planks, there is more reason for you to try out the planks on your daily basis.
