For the entire month of January, we'll be having a Plank Challenge. 

this will be a daily challenge.  for the first week, the goal is 60 seconds of planks. Each week will run from Monday - Sunday. Each subsequent week, we'll add another 30 seconds of plank, so that by the fourth week, you will have progressed to 150 seconds a day of planks.

Forward (or downward) facing planks are excellent for core and abdominal strengthening, including your back. If you are new to planks, you'll probably also feel it in your shoulders as that will be an area that supports some of your weight in the plank position.

Side planks are great for focusing on the obliques.

This is your challenge, so tailer it to fit what works for you, while at the same time is challenging to you. For some this might be holding a forward facing plank for a full 60 seconds. for others it might be holding your plank for 30 seconds, and then doing a 15 second plank on each side.

this is what your forward plank will look like:

note that your butt isn't up in the air, nor is your stomach sagging downward, and you don't want to shrug your shoulders. also make sure your elbows on rested on the floor directly under your shoulders.

a side plank looks like this:

Again, you want to make sure your elbow is rested on the floor under your shoulder and you want to keep your body in straight alignment.

Even holding this position for 15 seconds is a challenge!

Each subsequent week, as we add an additional 30 seconds to our plank time, I'll show some variations that you can do to even make it more challenging for those that are already finding this basic position easy to do.

If you are interested in doing the plank challenge, this will be the thread to check in with. You don't have to post daily that you did the planks, but if you want to, that's great! It helps keep people motivated to see who else is also participating.

If you have any questions, just let me know! I hope many will join the challenge - I think it'll be fun and will be a great supplemental exercise to help you are a runner also.

Funny....I started doing planks - side planks a few months ago. LOL, I can hold a standard front plank for 30 minutes or longer if I wanted too....soooo, wonder what kind of goal I can have, to share the plank challenge with you all. Is there a way to make standard planks harder - more difficult? I will admit planks have done my body good, and I have abs like I've NEVER had before :-)

TimBo

TimBo - why would anyone want to hold a plank for 30 minutes?? Do you have a part-time job as a coffee table? I don't think I could hold the position for that long. But more to the point, I can't imagine why I'd want to!

Jay

there are variations you can do to make this more challenging, like lift one arm straight out in front you and the opposite leg extended back behind you. Or it you are Timbo, you can try balancing your entire body on one arm.

i know that some of you are more advanced in your core strength and won't be challenged by a 60 second or even a 120 second plank, so you can either double all the times to challenge yourself, or add a variation like I described above.

I haven't done my planks yet. but i will!

I did mine for 60 seconds and not a fraction of a second more.

Hiyah back at 'ya, Holly!

TimBo - why would anyone want to hold a plank for 30 minutes?? Do you have a part-time job as a coffee table?

LOL.........Jay, now that's funny

OK, Ya have to see the phrasing of what I said........ "I can hold a standard front plank for 30 minutes or longer "if I wanted too" (I don't want to)  I have been doing planks for a pretty long time now, and to me it's one of those exercises that gets easier very quickly if a person is consistent with them. I have found a good way to fit planks into my routine, is to get on my floor during TV commercials, and hold what ever variety of plank I want for the duration of the commercial (3 - 4 minutes) I just do this when the mood strikes, but always do planks after I run.

For the record...........I don't do a plank for 30 minutes, I just know I could. Honestly, after a few minutes I get bored, but hold it till I think I've worked enough to give my core the desired result  (but I don't feel the burn or tiredness of them anymore) But really, after I started doing these, it was a very short period of time when they became easier and could hold them for quite some time. I could never have the patience for 30 minutes....but adding up how many I do splitting them up during the course of a day, really adds up and has done wonders for my abs.

Holly................new challenge ?  I have one....but not doing it till March so the weather will hopefully be mild. I mentioned this challenge to my marathon maniac Gal friend of mine in Ohio, named Dianne. And after she heard about the challenge she said............OH Tim, totally count me in on that!!! (she's a nut like me - lol) But we're gonna do the -  add one mile a day running for a month challenge. I'm not saying I can complete this, but not saying I can't either, but will be fun seeing how far we can go. Won't be too bad till we reach like 20 days - 20 miles....then 21, 22, 23, and so on. We're both single (without a real life we both admit, LOL)  and this will take a lot of our time once we get up to the higher mileage - but we have the time. I'm going to run twice a day when I can, which will help tremendously I think.

Oh yeah planks...........they really are a great workout, and it's pretty easy finding the time to do them. Stay consistant, and everyone will be amazed at the results.......swimsuit season will be here before we know it (ok, not really - but still)

TimBo

Checking in with Day 2 of planks.  Today I did a 30-second plank on each side.