If you want to inflate the press, strengthen the main muscles of the core, tighten the stomach, flatten it, strengthen the muscles of the shoulders and buttocks, the board will help you.
Hard to believe that doing a daily workout can improve your strength, figure, mood, and more? But it is true! This pose has many positive effects on your body. While it may not be the easiest exercise to do, doing it regularly will give you lifelong benefits.
In yoga, Plank Pose or Phalakasana is a strength-building pose as it tightens all the large muscles of the torso as well as the shoulders, strengthens the neck, back muscles, glutes and quads, and ABS. Plank is also known as isometric pose. Contract your muscles, forcing them to hold a predetermined position. You stand at the bar and your body works.
This is the most popular exercise in all fitness programs and doesn't require machines, equipment, free weights, or a gym. All you need is your body, desire and perseverance, and you can even do it at home!
The board will help speed up metabolism, improve blood circulation, and exercise is suitable for everyone: both beginners and advanced, both men and women. You will find this exercise in yoga, pilates, stretching, bodybuilding.
A seemingly simple static exercise, it just seems that way. After standing at the bar for a minute, you'll realize that time doesn't fly that fast. By the way, the world record is 8 hours, 1 minute and 1 second for men. Women's record - 3 hours 31 minutes. So, you have something to fight for. Now mostly in order.
Useful properties of the bar for health and weight loss.
Exercise not only tenses the muscles, but also has preventive and curative effects against certain diseases. The effect is guaranteed with the systematic implementation of the exercise. The board is capable of:
- prevent and eliminate the first manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine;
- significantly improve posture;
- relieve pain in the spine;
- stimulate blood circulation;
- accelerate metabolism;
- Burn calories.
Note that the last two points indicate that this exercise contributes to weight loss.
what muscles work
During the execution of the standard (classical) bar, the following muscles work:
- rectus and transverse abdominal muscles;
- Biceps, triceps, deltoids;
- Paravertebral muscles of the lumbar area;
- Biceps, quads, thighs and calves;
- buttock muscles;
- Muscles of the back and chest.
beneficial features
- Strengthens the muscles of the torso. When you're trying to build core strength, this pose is the most beneficial because it targets all of the muscle groups in your abs. . . and you thought there were only abs in the abs? The plank not only works the abdominals, but also the stabilizer muscles, as well as the lateral abdominal muscles, which are responsible for the position of the hips and the muscles of the spine.
- The muscles become more pronounced. The plank also loads the muscles of the shoulders, chest, legs and back. They too will grow. The functionality of this pose, combined with isometric tension, helps muscles throughout the body to "dry out" and become more pronounced.
- Speed up metabolism. Strength and muscle mass, which increase with proper exercise, have another great property, in addition to increased strength and a good figure: an accelerated metabolism! When you increase muscle mass, you speed up your resting metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories.
- Prevents back pain. As your abdominal muscles get stronger, your body relies less on using your back muscles to maintain posture. Instead of the back muscles, the muscles of the torso now work, which are used for all exercises and work, which reduces the likelihood of back pain.
- Your posture improves. Most of the time, improving posture is achieved by building the health and strength of your back and core muscles. When you assume a plank position, your back, neck, shoulder muscles, and abdominal muscles work to organically hold your body in position.
- Improved coordination. Isometric maintenance of the posture stimulates the improvement of coordination and balance in general. If you learn to perform the plank skillfully, you will also be able to maintain an upright posture more effectively and consistently.
- Improves joint and bone health. The board 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 pose, new living bone is created, which helps build stronger, healthier bones. Physical activity performed during exercise also improves blood circulation in the joints, making them more mobile. Reduces friction.
- Improves mood and reduces stress. Performing the 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 pose can also relieve tension, as your body gets a chance to stretch when you do this exercise.
Judging by the number of advantages of its implementation, it is not difficult to understand why it is so popular.
Whether you're 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, take a break, and try again on the next set or day.
Correct execution technique.
The algorithm for performing the movement is very simple, but nevertheless, be attentive to the little things, learn to stand on the bar correctly, competent technique is the key to success.
- Lie face down. Place your elbows on the ground at shoulder level. Place your forearms on the floor. The bent arms should form a 90 degree angle. Straighten your legs and now support yourself on your toes and on your forearms. Feet can be placed hip-width apart or together. Make sure your elbows are below your shoulders.
- Tighten and straighten your entire body. Your body from head to toe should be in a straight line.
- Do not bend your spine, do not lift your pelvis;
- Tighten the press;
- Breathing is even and calm.
There are many varieties of this exercise. But if you have mastered the technique of performing the classic plank, then there will be no problems with other options.
Common mistakes
- Raise the pelvis above the level of the head. The very position of the bar is violated. What does this lead to? This is the most common mistake. People are often tempted to lift their hips because this will allow them to hold the pose longer. The problem is that when you lift your hips, most of the load falls on your shoulders and the pose 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.
- Deflection in the cervical region. Overworked neck muscles. When performing, the neck should be kept in a neutral position: the head should not fall or rise higher. Imagine that both your head and neck are parts of a straight line created by the rest of your body. When your neck is not on this line and your head is down or up, you are more likely to feel pain in your upper back or neck.
- Raising the elbows to the side, connecting the fingers in the lock and lowering the head below the desired level. As a result, the shoulders are less involved and blood rushes to the head. If you keep your hands together, this will reduce the effectiveness of the pose. When your hands are held, the abdominal muscles work less. Always keep your arms apart, extending them straight from the elbows, keeping your hands on the ground.
- Deflection in the lower back. If you continue to stand in a posture with such an error, you may have problems with your lower back. When you arch your back, the weight of your body stops loading the muscles, instead, the vertebrae and the connections between them take the load. This mistake leads to pain in the lower back. Correct the error by slightly rotating the pelvis. This will straighten your back. It is also useful for squeezing the buttocks.
- The hips are too low. If your hips drop too low, all of your body weight will rest on your lower vertebrae, even though your core muscles should work. It seems that it is easier to lean on the back than on the muscles, but then the exercise becomes meaningless.
- A rounded back is a sign that your shoulders are hunched. People sometimes make this mistake to compensate for a weak core. The error allows people with a weak torso to hold a posture longer, due to excessive tension in the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders. To correct this error, move your shoulders down, away from your ears. The trapezius muscles and the mid-back muscles (muscles of the upper back) must be tightened to prevent the back from arching.
tips for beginners
Perform the exercise on a yoga mat or towel so the hard floor doesn't bother your elbows. Before exercising, warm up by stretching or doing some simple exercises for three minutes. The first few days, stand at the bar for only 20 seconds. This is enough for a beginner. To make the exercise easier, place your feet hip-width apart.
If even in this position you don't feel very safe, do it on your knees.
After a few days, when the muscles get stronger, complicate the bar from the knees by straightening one leg and supporting it with weight. Stay like this for 30 seconds, then switch legs. After completing the exercise, we recommend taking balasana, a child's pose. This will relieve tension and relax your core muscles.
Is it possible to do the barre during menstruation?
Definitely yes. During menstruation, you can do many things, especially sports. Some ladies may use critical days as an excuse not to study, but to lie on the couch, flip through the glitter, and buy a couple of cakes. But you will not. If during this period you have a catastrophic decline in strength and mood, then it is better to slow down with training. And if the critical days are not so critical for you, then stand at the bar for your health.
How long do you need to stand on the bar to lose weight?
Not sure how long to hold plank pose? Hold until it becomes difficult for you to maintain the correct technique, or hold until you feel your muscles start to ache and your body starts to shake, then hold for another 5-10 seconds.
If this is your first time in this pose and you find yourself standing for 1 minute easily, congratulations. You are in satisfactory physical condition. But if you're completely new to the sport, you can start with 10 seconds, doing five reps a day. After a while, when the muscles get stronger, do 4 rounds of 30 seconds, each time increasing the duration of the exercise by 1 second.
Remember that the main thing is the technique. It's better to stand for 20 seconds with perfect form than 40 seconds with your lower back arched.
Iron every day, but leave one day a week to rest.
But you need to understand that everything depends on the capabilities of your body. Starting to train and evaluating your strength, you will be able to choose the best option and moment, and you will be in this position with health benefits and pleasure.
When it is better to do the plank to lose weight depends on you. After all, it's good because it requires nothing more than your body and a bit of 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 immediately before going to bed.
How to stay on the plank longer
Regular training will allow you to stand on the bar longer and more technically. But other points are also important:
- Comfortable shoes and clothes. Make yourself comfortable in this regard. You shouldn't be distracted by the top's shoulder strap cutout or slipping sneakers.
- A mat or towel that is soft enough to allow you to stay in the pose longer. After all, the pain of a hard floor, felt in the elbow, can make you give up early.
- Ventilated room. You need oxygen.
- Turn on the music.
- Stay quiet, turn off your phone, be careful not to be inadvertently distracted.
- Mentally motivate yourself. Words: "My body is working, the muscles are getting stronger, I am becoming more beautiful! "I work very well
- Do a warm up before exercise.
- Use a stopwatch. When you see how the seconds increase, it motivates.
Popular plank options: technique, nuances and differences
classic
You should rest 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. Squeeze your buttocks and leg muscles. Do not lower your pelvis, do not raise or lower your head. Breathing is even.
Full or straight arms
Stretch your arms and raise your hips, keeping your hands on the ground. This table 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. The fingers should be wide apart and the middle finger should point forward. Rotate the inside of your elbow forward to engage your biceps.
Side
Lie on your right side, placing your feet one on top of the 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 waist area. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling or place it on your left thigh. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then repeat the same on the other left side of the body. If you feel like one side of your body is stronger than the other, keep doing the same number of reps on each side so they're equally strong.
Lateral with leg lift
When you can hold the side plank for a minute, you can try this variation. Get into a side plank position and, holding the position, lift your upper leg a few inches off the ground, then, tensing your muscles, controlling the movement of your leg, lower it back. Do 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.
Lateral with lowering of the hips
Standing in a side plank, lower your pelvis down without touching the ground, then return to the starting position. What gives? Increased load on the oblique.
Full leg raise
Start in a full plank position, placing your hands flat on the floor and keeping your hips and abs tight. Lift one leg up, squeezing your glutes. Hold your leg in the air for a few seconds, then switch to the other leg and do the same. It is not necessary to raise your legs very much, it is important to stretch them away from you. Do 10 repetitions with each leg.
Counter
Sit on the floor. Put your hands on the ground, bringing them back a little. Lift your pelvis. The palms should be strictly below the shoulders. Opara on the palms and heels. Squeeze your body, it should form a straight line.
in fitball
We do the classic iron, but we raise the legs with the help of a fitball. The ball is underfoot.
army or dynamic
Start in the basic plank position with your forearms on the floor. Now, pushing off first with your right hand, then your left, move into a full plank position. After that, lower yourself back down to the base position, again starting on the right side. Do 10 reps on each side: 10 reps on the right side, then 10 reps on the left side.
Climber or knee jerk
Start in a full plank position, then tighten your abdominal muscles and pull your right knee toward your chest using your lower abdominal muscles. Return your right leg to the starting position and repeat the exercise for your left leg. Continue repeating the exercise with both knees 20-30 times. You can do it fast or slow, the main thing is the correct technique, because it is more important than speed.
With alternating shoulder touches
Start in a full plank position, keeping your hips as stable as possible. Reach your right hand to his left shoulder. Return your right hand 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 much more about the barbell than before, you wonder, how many kilograms can you lose weight with the help of exercise? The answer may disappoint you, but if you don't create a calorie deficit in your diet, even this 30 day fat burning program won't help you lose weight. It 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 in weight loss: if you have gained more than you lost, all the excess goes to body fat. I wish we could learn to save money the same way our bodies store fat! Make the iron combining it with these tips:
Useful tips for training and weight loss.
- Eat eggs for breakfast. The consumption of 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 be more satiated.
- Drink coffee (preferably black). Coffee contains a large number 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 its benefits.
- Eliminate hidden sugar from your diet. Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients in the human diet today. Many people consume too much sugar. Studies have shown that both sugar and fructose syrup are associated with a strong 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 package labels—even so-called "healthy" foods can contain a lot of sugar.
- Eat fewer processed carbohydrates. Refined or processed carbohydrates are found in pasta and white bread. These carbohydrates are usually made from grains that have had all other nutrients, such as protein and fat, removed. These types of carbohydrates cause spikes in insulin levels. Insulin spikes stimulate hunger and the desire to eat something sweet. Refined carbohydrates are closely associated with obesity. If you are going to eat carbohydrates, eat them whole, with natural fiber.
- control portions. Portion control or calorie counting is very helpful. Counting calories at each meal helps motivate you to lose weight. Anything that lets you know more about your food will be helpful.
- Eat more protein. Protein is the most important thing to lose weight. Eating foods rich in protein speeds up your metabolism and allows you to burn 100 more calories per day. At the same time, the meal itself contains 400 fewer calories than you would normally consume. In addition, you will lose the desire to eat at night and the cravings 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 must completely switch to a whole foods menu. These foods fill you up, are difficult to overeat, and it is very difficult to gain weight on such a diet if most of your food is unprocessed.
daily diet example
- Breakfast: 2 slices of whole wheat toast + 2 hard boiled eggs + hot sauce (optional)
- Snack: 1 cup of berries, blueberries for example + a handful of nuts;
- Lunch: 100 g of salmon + avocado + 1 wholemeal bread + 1 glass of vegetables;
- Snack: broccoli and cauliflower + 2 tablespoons of yogurt without sugar;
- Dinner: 130g lean steak + stewed carrots + Brussels sprouts + 1tbsp olive oil;
- And in the evening (possible 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 (cardio) exercise is a great way to burn calories and improve your physical and mental health. Cardio is especially effective at getting rid of belly fat, the unhealthy fat that builds up around your organs and causes 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 intensity interval training
By not spending too much time exercising, you'll speed up your metabolism, increase your stamina, and burn extra calories.
The plank develops the sense of balance and trains willpower and character. Standing in it every day for a few more seconds and not allowing yourself to give up, you build your character and become stronger. Perhaps this exercise is the beginning of a beautiful and athletic body that you will be proud of.