Masters Running

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FEBRUARY Plank Challenge, Spidey style (2/1 - 2/7) (Read 37 times)

OrangeMat


MM #6177

    For the month of February, we're going to take our core regimens to a "superhero" level, by including Spider-Man moves in our planks and/or push-ups. The knee-to-same-side-elbow movement stretches and improves hip mobility, something that runners tend to be lacking in, with all that frontal plane movement. And you're still getting a major core workout by holding the body in the proper position. Snazzy red and blue bodysuit and mask not necessary.

     

    This, btw, is NOT a Spider-Man plank:

     

    THIS is what you will do:

     

    Here is an instructional demo video: Spider-Man forearm plank

     

    The challenge for this first week will be to do one set of one minute (that's 60 seconds) of Spider-Man forearm planks, alternating legs, for a total of 20 reps (one per knee). You can do them with the opposite knee on the floor if you have back issues with single leg moves (as I do). Do this set in addition to whatever you've been doing for your daily planks. If you need to break up the set into shorter timed segments, do what is appropriate for you. However you do it, make Peter Parker proud. Smile


    Marathon Maniac #957

      So you don't actually touch your knee to the floor, right?

      Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

      OrangeMat


      MM #6177

        That's correct. If anything, you try to bring your knee to your arm. Keeping your butt in line with your shoulders (i.e. regular plank form) gets harder to maintain, so I find the readjustment after each rep is where I really feel it in my core. And 20 per minute is really slowwww, which makes it just that much harder.

        jeffdonahue


          Okay, so I did regular planks today (finally got back into them after bailing halfway through last month)

           

          1:00 - plank

          0:30 - side plank (each side)

          1:00 - plank

          0:30 - side plank (each side)

           

          Then I did 0:30 seconds of spidermans and got 10 reps out.  I did do them from a pushup position instead of elbows though.  I thought about doing them from my elbows but I'm not that flexible and felt like my knee would drag on the ground if I did them that way.

          OrangeMat


          MM #6177

            2x 1:15 prone

            2x 1:00 side

            1x 1:00 spiderman (20x)

            1x 1:00 prone

            6:30 total

             

            The trick with timing the spiderman plank is that you use up the entire minute for your 20 reps. For me that means taking a slight pause between each rep and making sure I'm in good plank form at all times. Don't do them like mountain climbers, if that makes sense.

             

            And yes, straight arms is fine, but we're going to use that position for a different variation in the coming weeks. It's ok not to be able to bring your knee as far as your elbow; even up to your waist is fine. The movement is about opening up those stiff runners' hips, after all. If anything, try a couple with the opposite knee on the floor, just to get a feel for the movement, like a warmup set maybe? The knees should still be behind the hips though, and the rest of your body position doesn't change. I'll try to find a photo or video later.


            Marathon Maniac #957

              1 x 60 second spiderman plank

               

              Am I still supposed to be doing other planks?

              Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

              TammyinGP


                I tried out that spidey plank last night to see if i could even do it. I am not very flexible through my hips so wasn't sure i could maintain the proper form. but I did it. one minute wiped.me.out!

                 

                this morning:

                 

                :60 forward plank

                :60 spidey plank

                :30 right

                :30 left

                Tammy

                Mike E


                MM #5615

                   

                  Am I still supposed to be doing other planks?

                  Yeah--I'm confused by that, too.

                   

                  I did 60 seconds of Spidey planks, this morning, because I'm going out after work, tonight.  I didn't get to 20 on each side, though, before the minute was up.

                   

                  By the way...does anybody else hum the Spider-Man song while doing these...and pretend you're crawling up the side of a building?  Oh...umm...me neither...that would be dumb...

                   

                  Spiderman, Spiderman,

                  Does whatever a spider can.

                  Spins a web, any size,

                  Catches thieves just like flies.

                  Look Out!

                  Here comes the Spiderman...

                  TammyinGP


                     

                    The challenge for this first week will be to do one set of one minute (that's 60 seconds) of Spider-Man forearm planks, alternating legs, for a total of 20 reps (one per knee). You can do them with the opposite knee on the floor if you have back issues with single leg moves (as I do). Do this set in addition to whatever you've been doing for your daily planks. If you need to break up the set into shorter timed segments, do what is appropriate for you. However you do it, make Peter Parker proud. Smile

                     

                    yes, it sounds like you still do the planks you had been doing.

                    but since the 60 secons of spidey planks is challenging, I decreased my previous 90 seconds of forward planks to 60 seconds. Then I take a short breather and do my 60 seconds of spidey planks.

                     

                    and still do 30 seconds on each side. So, I'm still getting in a total of 3 minutes of planks like I was the final week of January's plank challenge.

                    Tammy


                    Marathon Maniac #957

                       

                      . So, I'm still getting in a total of 3 minutes of planks like I was the final week of January's plank challenge.

                       

                      I thought you were doing 6 minutes of planks the last week.  Surprised

                       

                      My spidey-plank made my palms sweat.  Joking

                       

                      However, the minute kind of went by fast because I was concentrating on form rather than on the clock.

                       

                      sneaking off to do a few more...

                      Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

                      TammyinGP


                        yes, Holly, you are right - 6 min a day. 3 min session in the a.m. and another 3 min session in the p.m. There might have been a handful of days in January where I didn't do two sessions. Today will likely be another one since we are going out tonight and i really doubt i'll feel much like doing planks when we get home. but who knows.

                        Tammy

                        OrangeMat


                        MM #6177

                          Oh my, such confusion! So sorry... yes, continue to do whatever time you had gotten up to in the previous week, and only add on the additional minute of the Spideys. They're enough, right? Since I've been doing my own thing from the start, I sort of lost track how many minutes we were supposed to be doing... my bad...

                           

                          Mike, you can actually sing the song when you're doing them? I can barely count and breathe...

                          TammyinGP


                            You are far more advanced in core/plank work than most others, OM.

                            The last week of the January challenge was 180 seconds, split into forward, left and right. For me that was 90 seconds in a forward plank. Doing that AND adding another 60 seconds of this more challenging spidey plank would not be do-able w/o really sacrificing form. or w/o collapsing on the floor.

                             

                            so, for me, I cut back my forward plank to 60 and then do another 60 sec of spidey style.

                            plus 30 seconds on each side. So, time-wise, I haven't increased it , it's still 3 minutes per session, BUT it's a more challenging 3 minutes.

                            Tammy

                            OrangeMat


                            MM #6177

                              I guess I didn't think this through completely, sorry...

                              Mike E


                              MM #5615

                                I went ahead and did another set of Spidey planks for 60 seconds...while humming, of course...

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