Shedding the fat around your abdominal region can be rather difficult. People of all age groups complain of having belly fat. It is very common especially in women. Belly fat can be rather stubborn and difficult to get rid of. You must couple high intensity cardio with strength and weight training to lose weight around your core. Abdominal muscles, in very simple words, consist of a plate of muscles in the centre, commonly referred to as your six pack abs, which are very hyped by the cinema and the show business. Rest of your abdomen comprise of transverse abdominal muscles, your obliques and your back muscles. Planks are a wonderful way to target all these muscles. But hold on, planks don’t just target your core muscles. They’re also amazing for your upper body, shoulders and arms in particular. Besides, they also help burn more calories and improve your posture. Liking the sound of it yet? There’s more.
Check out the awesome benefits of planks- The ultimate fitness move for weight loss and strength:
- It targets your lower body too. It strengthens your hamstrings, quads, calves and your glutes.
- They improve your flexibility.
- It is a full body move. It puts all your muscles at work, in a team of course. That improves mind and body co ordination.
- It is a great core exercise that you can do without the risking back injuries and painful hip flexors.
- They are great for your mind. It is an exercise that makes you strive to stay in that pose for a longer period of time. It gives you dedication.
- It can reduce back pain.
- It can actually improve your mood. Can you believe that?
- It gives you better balance.
For beginners, planks can be a really challenging thing to do. It requires immense motivation and good mind-body control. It is really okay if you do not get it the first or second time. They require time and perseverance. It can put pressure on all your muscles at the same time but as beginners you should understand what is causing discomfort and what is causing pain.
How to do a basic plank?
- Place your elbows on underneath your shoulders and your elbows in line with your wrist.
- Get into push up position. Lift your body up so that only your toes and your palms are touching the ground.
- In this position, engage your core and glutes.
- Make sure your back is in a straight line and is not arching upwards or downwards.
- Hold a plank for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Rest for approximately one minute and repeat few more times.
- To make it easier, you can place your forearms on the ground, if getting into push up position is hard.
Remember, how long you did it is not important. How well you did it counts. There are several variations to planks, over 50 types of planks. You can start with the basic plank and venture into other advanced plank moves. Trust us when we say this, it is a wonder move for your entire body. So what are you waiting for? Join us at Bootcamp Chennai and Plank it out!
