This 30-day challenge will help strengthen your core, improve stability, reduce back
pain and build your overall endurance. Whether you practice on your own or attend
our group exercise classes to practice your plank - you will build up enough strength in 30 days to compete in the Plank Competition on
Tuesday, May 6. Planks will be performed on the forearms and toes.
Plank Competition - Tuesday, May 6
- Stop by the Fitness Center between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. or between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
to hold your plank
- Planks will be performed on the forearms and toes
- $10 SODEXO gift cards will be awarded to the top 3 women and the top 3 men who hold
the plank the longest
- The top male and female who hold the plank the longest will receive a $10 SODEXO gift
card and an official Rec Center hoodie
Daily Practice Schedule (on your own or in every group exercise class)
| Sunday 4/6: 10 seconds |
Monday 4/7: 20 seconds |
Tuesday 4/8: 30 seconds |
Wednesday 4/9: 40 seconds |
Thursday 4/10: 50 seconds |
| Friday 4/11: 1 minute |
Saturday 4/12: 70 seconds |
Sunday 4/13: 80 seconds |
Monday 4/14: 90 seconds |
Tuesday 4/15: 100 seconds |
| Wednesday 4/16: 110 seconds |
Thursday 4/17: 2 minutes |
Friday 4/18: 130 seconds |
Saturday 4/19: 140 seconds |
Sunday 4/20: 150 seconds |
| Monday 4/21: 160 seconds |
Tuesday 4/22: 170 seconds |
Wednesday 4/23: 3 minutes |
Thursday 4/24: 190 seconds |
Friday 4/25: 200 seconds |
| Saturday 4/26: 210 seconds |
Sunday 4/27: 220 seconds |
Monday 4/28: 230 seconds |
Tuesday 4/29: 4 minutes |
Wednesday 4/30: 250 seconds |
| Thursday 5/1: 260 seconds |
Friday 5/2: 270 seconds |
Saturday 5/3: 280 seconds |
Sunday 5/4: 290 seconds |
Monday 5/5: 5 minutes! |
Benefits of Planking
Strengthen every core muscle, plus your back
- Unlike crunches, planks help activate all the core muscles. That includes the rectus
abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques. These exercises also activate the muscles
in the hips, back, and shoulders.
Improve stability
- A strong and core is important for everyday movements like bending over to pick something
up.
- Athletes rely on a stable core to perform movements like swinging a baseball bat or
hitting a golf ball down the green.
- Not only can planks help tone the core, but they can also improve your stability and
balance.
Reduce back pain
- Strengthening your core can help with proper spinal alignment and reduce your risk
for lower back pain and injuries.
- Planks may help if you live with existing back pain, too.
- Researchers found that six weeks of core stabilization exercises were more effective
than other physical therapy exercises for alleviating their low back pain. More research
is needed on a larger scale to determine the relationship between a strong core and
low back pain, though.
- If you have existing back pain or an injury, be sure to talk to your doctor before
trying the plank challenge.
Build up endurance
- By increasing the amount of time you hold your plank each day, your body will build
up endurance. Endurance is important for increasing physical stamina and strengthening
and toning your muscles.
- The plank challenge alone won’t give you a six-pack, though. Try to increase your
exercise endurance in other ways, too.
- Do cardiovascular exercises several times a week, like walking, running, swimming, and cycling. Also, try weight
training and eating a healthy diet to meet your fitness goals.
For more information, please contact Laura Crisman at lcrisman@harpercollege.edu or 847.925.6802.
