How to make weight loss planks: tips and tricks for beginners

If you want to pump the press, strengthen the core muscles of the core, tighten the abdomen, make it flat, strengthen the muscles of the shoulders and buttocks, the plank will help.

Is it hard to believe that doing one exercise a day can improve strength, figure, mood and more? But it is true! This pose has many positive effects on your body. Although it may not be the easiest exercise, doing it regularly will provide you with lifelong benefits.

The yoga plank pose or Phalakasana is a posture for developing strength as it tenses all the large muscles of the torso as well as the shoulders, strengthens the neck, back muscles, buttocks and quadriceps and abdomen. Planck is also known as an isometric stand. It contracts the muscles, forcing them to maintain a predetermined position. You stand in the bar and your body works.

This is the most popular exercise in all fitness programs and does not require machines, equipment, free weights and a gym. All you need is your body, desire and perseverance and you can do it even at home!

Plank will help speed up metabolism, improve blood circulation, and the exercise is suitable for everyone: both beginners and advanced, both men and women. You will find this exercise in yoga, pilates, stretching, bodybuilding.

At first glance, a simple static exercise just looks like this. After standing in the bar for a minute, you will realize that time does not fly so fast. By the way, the world record is 8 hours, 1 minute and 1 second for men. Record for women - 3 hours 31 minutes. So, there is something to strive for. Now for everything in order.

Useful properties of the bar for health and weight loss

Exercise not only tightens muscles, but also has a preventive and curative effect against certain diseases. The effect is guaranteed with systematic performance of the exercise. The board is capable of:

• prevention and elimination of the first manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine;
• significant posture improvement;
• relief of back pain;
• stimulate blood circulation;
• speeding up metabolism;
• burn calories.

Please note that the last two points show that this exercise contributes to weight loss.

What muscles work

The following muscles work during the performance of the standard (classic) tape:

• Straight and transverse abdominal muscles;
• Biceps, triceps, deltoid;
• Paravertebral muscles of the lumbar region;
• Biceps, quadriceps of the thighs and calves;
• Buttock muscles;
• Muscles of the back and chest.

Useful features

1. Strengthens torso muscles. When trying to build core strength, this posture is most useful because it targets all the muscle groups in your abdomen. . . and you thought there were only abdominal muscles in the abdomen? The plank works not only for the abdominal muscles, but also for the stabilizing muscles, as well as for the lateral abdominal muscles, which are responsible for the position of the thighs and back muscles.
2. The muscles become more pronounced. The plank also loads the muscles of the shoulders, chest, legs and back. They will also grow. The functionality of this posture, combined with isometric tension, helps the muscles throughout the body to "dry out" and become more pronounced.
3. Accelerates metabolism. Muscle strength and mass, which increase with proper exercise, have another great property, in addition to increased strength and good figure - accelerated metabolism! When you increase muscle mass, you speed up your metabolism at rest, which allows you to burn more calories.
4. Prevents back pain. As your abdominal muscles become stronger, your body needs to rely less on using your back muscles to maintain your posture. Instead of the back muscles, the torso muscles work, which are used for all exercises and work, which reduces the likelihood of back pain.
5. Your posture is improving. Improving posture is most often achieved by strengthening the health and strength of the muscles of the back and torso. When you take the plank position, the muscles of the back, neck, shoulders and abdominal muscles work to keep your body in position.
6. Improved coordination. Isometric posture stimulates the improvement of coordination and balance in general. If you learn to perform the plank skillfully, you will also be able to keep an upright posture more efficiently and stably.
7. Improves joint and bone health. Plank allows you to train with heavy weights, while reducing the unpleasant and negative effects associated with exercises such as running and jumping. When you stand in this position, a new living bone is created, which helps build healthier and healthier bones. Physical activity during exercise also improves blood circulation in the joints, making them more mobile. Reduces friction.
8. Improves mood and reduces stress. Performing plank, like any other exercise, promotes the release of the neurochemically active compound endorphin. Endorphins improve mood and create a feeling of joy, and also help relieve stress. This posture can also relieve tension, as it allows the body to stretch when you do this exercise.

Judging by the number of advantages of its application, it is not difficult to understand why it is so popular.

Whether you are just starting out or just adding a minute to your time in this pose, remember that quality is always more important than quantity or duration. As soon as your posture begins to "fall apart", you should stop, rest and try again the next set or day.

Proper execution technique

The algorithm for performing the movement is very simple, but still be careful of the little things, learn how to stand properly in the bar, competent technique is the key to success.

• Lie on your stomach. Place your elbows on the floor at shoulder level. Place your forearms on the floor. The folded arms should form an angle of 90 degrees. Straighten your legs and now lean on your toes and forearms. The legs can be placed together or spread at the width of the thighs. Make sure your elbows are below your shoulders.
• Tighten and straighten your whole body. Your body from head to toe should be in a straight line.
• Do not bend the spine, do not lift the pelvis;
• Tighten the press;
• Breathing is even and calm.

There are many variations of this exercise. But if you master the technique of performing the classic board, then there will be no problems with other options.

Frequent mistakes

• Raise the pelvis above the level of the head. The position of the tape itself is broken. What does this lead to? This is the most common mistake. People are often tempted to lift their hips because it will allow them to hold the position longer. The problem is that when you lift your hips up, most of the load falls on your shoulders and the posture loses its meaning. This mistake leads to the development of pain in the shoulders and back. Keep your hips in a straight line between your heels and shoulders.
• Deviation in the cervical region. Overworked neck muscles. When performing the neck should be kept in a neutral position - the head should neither fall nor rise higher. Imagine that both the head and the neck are parts of a straight line created by the rest of your body. When the neck is not in line and the head is down or up, you are more likely to notice pain in the upper back or neck.
• Raise the elbows to the side, connect the fingers in the lock and lower the head below the desired level. As a result, the shoulders are less engaged, a rush of blood to the head. If you keep your hands on top of each other, this will reduce the effectiveness of the posture. When your hands are held together, your abdominal muscles work less. Always keep your arms apart, stretch them in a straight line from your elbows, keeping your hands on the floor.
• Deviation in the lower back. If you continue to stand in a position with such a mistake, you can get back problems. When you bend your back, the weight of your body stops loading the muscles, instead the vertebrae and the connections between them hold the load. This mistake leads to low back pain. Correct the mistake by turning the pelvis slightly. This will make your back straight. It is also useful to tighten the buttocks.
• The thighs are too low. If your thighs are lowered too low, then your entire body weight will rest on your lower vertebrae, although your torso muscles need to work. It seems easier to lean on your back than on your muscles, but then the exercise loses its meaning.
• The rounded back is a sign that your shoulders are stooped. People sometimes make this mistake to make up for a weak torso. The mistake allows people with weak torsos to hold their position longer due to excessive tension in the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders. To correct this mistake, move your shoulders down, away from your ears. The trapezius muscles and the muscles of the middle back (upper back muscles) should be tightened to prevent rounding of the back.

Tips for beginners

Perform the exercise on a yoga mat or towel so that the hard floor does not cause discomfort in your elbows. Before training, warm up by stretching or do some simple exercises for three minutes. For the first few days, stay in the bar for only 20 seconds. That's enough for a beginner. To facilitate the exercise, place your feet hip-width apart.

If even in this position you do not feel quite confident, do it from your knees.

After a few days, when the muscles become stronger, complicate the barbell from the knees by straightening one leg and holding it in weight. Stay that way for 30 seconds, then change legs. After completing the exercise, we recommend taking the balasana - a child's posture. This will relieve tension and relax the core muscles.

Is it possible to make the tape during menstruation

Definitely yes. You can do many things during menstruation, especially sports. Some young ladies may use the critical days as an excuse not to study, but to lie on the couch, leafing through the gloss, to afford a few cakes. But you will not do it. If you have a catastrophic drop in strength and mood during this period, then it is better to slow down with a workout. And if the critical days are not so critical for you, then stand on the bar of health.

How long do you have to stand on the barbell to lose weight?

Not sure how long to hold the plank pose? Hold until you find it difficult to maintain the right technique, or hold it until you feel your muscles start to ache and your body begins to tremble - then hold it for another 5-10 seconds.

If this is your first time in this position and you find yourself standing easily for 1 minute, congratulations. You are in satisfactory physical condition. But if you are brand new to the sport, then you can start with 10 seconds by doing five reps a day. After a while, when the muscles become stronger, do 4 rounds of 30 seconds, each time increasing the duration of the exercise by 1 second.

Remember that the main thing is technique. It is better to stand for 20 seconds in perfect shape than 40 seconds with a curved lower back.

Plan every day, but leave one day a week to rest.

But you need to understand that it all depends on the capabilities of your body. By starting to train and evaluate your strength, you will be able to choose the best option and time and you will stand in this position with health benefits and pleasure.

When it is better to make a weight loss plan is up to you. In the end, it's good because it requires nothing but a body and a little space. Exercise can be done in the morning, in the evening and during the day, but you should not do it immediately after eating and just before bedtime.

How to stay in the plank longer

Regular workouts will allow you to stay in the bar longer and more technically. But other points are also important:

• Comfortable shoes and clothes. Make yourself comfortable in this sense. You should not be distracted by the cutting strap on the top or the sliding sneakers.
• Soft enough mat or towel that will allow you to stay in the position longer. After all, the pain of a hard floor, felt in the elbow, can make you give up prematurely.
• Ventilated room. You need oxygen.
• Turn on the music.
• Keep quiet, turn off your phone, be careful not to be distracted.
• Mentally motivate yourself. Words: "My body works, my muscles become stronger, I become more beautiful! "works great.
• Do a warm-up before a workout.
• Use a stopwatch. When you see the seconds increase, it motivates.

Popular options for boards: technique, shades and differences

classic

You need to lean on your toes and forearms. The arms are bent at the elbows at an angle of 90 degrees, the forearms are parallel to each other. Your body from head to toe is a straight line. Tighten the muscles of the buttocks and legs. Do not lower your pelvis, do not raise or lower your head. Breathing is even.

Full or straight hands

Straighten your arms and lift your hips while keeping your hands on the floor. This plate may even seem easier for some people who have a more developed upper body. This variety will make the shoulders more stable than the classic one. The fingers should be wide apart and the middle finger should point straight ahead. Rotate the inside of your elbow forward to engage your biceps.

Lateral

Lie on your right side with your feet on top of each other. Place your lower right elbow directly under your right shoulder and lift your thigh off the floor to create a straight line. You should feel tension in the lower back. Extend your left arm to the ceiling or place it on your left thigh. Hold this position for a few seconds, then repeat the same with the other, left side of the body. If you feel that one side of your body is stronger than the other, keep doing the same number of repetitions on each side to make them equally strong.

Lateral with leg lift

When you can hold the side bar for a minute, you can try this option. Rise to a side bar and, holding the position, lift your upper leg a few inches off the floor, then, tensing your muscles, controlling the movement of the leg, lower it back. Do 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Laterally by lowering the hips

Standing in the side plank, lower your pelvis without touching the floor, then return to the starting position. What does it give? Increased hair load.

Full leg lift

Start in a full plank position, resting your hands on the floor and keeping your hips and abdomen tight. Lift one leg up, squeezing the buttocks. Keep your foot in the air for a few seconds, then switch to the other leg and do the same. You do not need to raise your legs very high, it is important to stretch them away from you. Do 10 reps with each leg.

Reverse

Sit on the floor. Place your hands on the floor, bringing them back slightly. Lift your pelvis. The palms should be firmly below the shoulders. Steam on the palms and heels. Tighten your body, it should form a straight line.

On fitball

We do the classic plank, but we lift our legs with the help of fitball. The ball is under your feet.

Army or dynamic

Start in the basic position of the plank with the forearms on the floor. Now, pushing off first with your right hand, then with your left, move to a full board position. Then descend back to the main position, starting again on the right side. Do 10 reps on each side - 10 reps on the right, then 10 reps on the left.

Rock climber or knee pull

Start in a full plank position, then tighten the abdominal muscles and pull the right knee to your chest using the lower abdominal muscles. Return the right leg to the starting position and repeat the exercise for the left leg. Continue to repeat the exercise with both knees 20-30 times. You can do it fast or slow, the main thing is the right technique, because it is more important than speed.

With alternating touches on the shoulder

Start in a full plank position, keeping your hips as stable as possible. Reach with your right hand to your left shoulder. Return your right arm to its original position, then touch your right shoulder with your left hand. Keep repeating this exercise 20-30 times.

But now that you know a lot more about barbells than before, you ask how many pounds you can lose with exercise? You may be disappointed with the answer, but if you do not create a calorie deficit in your diet, then even this 30-day fat burning program will not help you lose weight. This will help strengthen the muscles, make them stronger. If you want to lose weight, start burning more calories than you consume. A simple mathematical rule works when losing weight: if more has arrived than lost, all the excess goes into body fat. I wish we could learn how to save money the way our body stores fat! Complete the plank by combining it with these tips:

Useful tips for training and weight loss

• Eat eggs for breakfast. Eating eggs in the morning has many positive properties, one of which is accelerated weight loss. If you replace the bread that many people eat for breakfast with eggs, then you will lose more calories and fat for the day and you will be fuller.
• Drink coffee (preferably black). Coffee contains a huge amount of antioxidants and has many health benefits. The caffeine contained in a cup of coffee speeds up the metabolism by 3-11%. But sugar or other high-calorie ingredients should not be added to coffee, as this completely eliminates the benefits of it.
• Eliminate hidden sugar from your diet. Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients in the current human diet. Many people consume too much sugar. Studies show that both sugar and fructose syrup are associated with a high risk of obesity, as well as diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. If you want to lose weight, eliminate sugar from your diet. Watch out for packaging labels, even so-called "healthy" foods can be high in sugar.
• Eat less processed carbs. Refined or processed carbohydrates are found in pasta and white bread. These carbohydrates are usually made from grains that have eliminated all other nutrients, such as protein and fat. These types of carbohydrates cause spikes in insulin levels. Insulin spikes stimulate hunger and the desire to eat something sweet. Refined carbohydrates are closely linked to obesity. If you are going to eat carbs at all, then eat them whole, with natural fiber.
• Control portions. Controlling portions or counting calories is very helpful. Counting calories with each meal motivates you to lose weight. Anything that allows you to learn more about your food will be helpful.
• Eat more protein. Protein is the most important thing for weight loss. Eating foods rich in protein speeds up the metabolism and allows it to burn another 100 calories a day. At the same time, the food itself contains 400 calories less than you would normally consume. In addition, you will lose the desire to eat in the evening and the desire for sweets.
• Add whey protein to your diet. If you find it difficult to add enough protein to your diet, start taking a protein powder supplement to get enough protein.
• Eat "real" food. If you want to be a healthy person, you need to completely switch to a menu of wholesome foods. These foods satiate you, make it difficult to overeat and are very difficult to gain weight with such a diet, if most of your food is unprocessed.

An example of a daily diet

• Breakfast: 2 slices wholemeal toast + 2 hard-boiled eggs + hot sauce (optional)
• Snack: 1 cup of berries, blueberries, for example + a handful of nuts;
• Lunch: 100 g salmon + avocado + 1 wholemeal bread + 1 cup vegetables;
• Afternoon snack: broccoli and cauliflower + 2 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt;
• Dinner: 130 g lean steak + stewed carrots + Brussels sprouts + 1 tablespoon olive oil;
• And at night (possibly for an hour) 150 g of cottage cheese (of course, without sugar).

What else can you do to lose weight faster?

Aerobic exercise

Doing aerobic exercise (cardio) is a great way to burn calories and improve your physical and mental health. Cardio is especially effective in removing belly fat, unhealthy fats that accumulate around the organs and cause disease.

strength training

This will speed up your metabolism and prevent you from losing muscle mass. Of course, it is important not only to lose fat, but also to gain muscle. Therefore, strength training is essential.

High intensive interval training

By not spending a lot of time exercising, you will speed up your metabolism, increase your endurance and burn extra calories.

Planka develops a sense of balance and trains the strength of will and character. By standing in it every day for a few seconds more and not allowing yourself to give up, you build your character and become stronger. Maybe this exercise will be the beginning of a beautiful, athletic body that you will be proud of.