First off, the plank is easily one of the single best isometric exercises you can do to improve core strength, mind body connection, and endurance. However, it is also one exercise that is most commonly done incorrectly. When done properly, the plank can create incredible changes in your body. When done incorrectly, it can easily cause discomfort and even injury.
Set Up:
Give yourself a decent amount of space, a cushioned mat, comfortable athletic clothing and my recommendation would be barefoot or grippy socks. First, warm up really isn’t necessary to perform a plank but my recommendation would be to start off doing only 10-15 second holds (even if you are a seasoned planker).
Start off in a modified plank on your elbows and your knees. Align your head, shoulders, hips, and knees in a single line. Take a deep breath in, as you exhale, tuck your toes under and gently lift your knees off the ground, keeping the alignment in your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Hold for 10 seconds and release back down to your knees.
If possible, perform in a mirror in order to check your alignment. Your neck should be neutral in that you should be looking between your forearms. Your head should not be lifted or lowered. Press the ground away with your forearms and envision separating your shoulder blades while pressing your shoulders away from your ears.
Bring your attention to your navel. Draw the sides of the naval in toward your belly button, contracting the transverse abdominals by imagining bracing your midsection as if you are about to cough or sneeze. Gently tilt your pelvis posteriorly (as in you are lifting your pubic bone up toward your belly button) and squeeze your inner thighs together. Lift your knee caps upward to contract the quadricep muscles and at the same time press the heels toward the back of your mat.
It’s always fun to see if you can go longer and longer each time. HOWEVER, and this is a big point, if you start feeing discomfort in your lower back, you should come back to your knees. Once our core muscles begin to fatigue, it is very common to start compensating with other parts of your body. When you allow your hips to sag down or shoulders to collapse, this can lead to injury.
Remember, it’s not important how long you hold the plank or whether you can intensify it by adding weights, bands, TRX, etc. It’s more important that you have impeccable form to fully contract the appropriate muscles. If done correctly, this becomes a FULL BODY isometric exercise and can be done every single day.