Plank challenge

l think the guy doing the planche is Dyanmo the magician.

sarah the bookworm wrote (see)

Isn't an elephant lift a handstand?

yep, but you have to roll your legs up off the floor from the hips, rather than the normal pushing off

Tom. wrote (see)

Side planks on the other hand I find much more difficult. Ironically it's my triceps that let me down rather than my core. 

Tom, I was doing my side planks (straight arm supported on hand rather than bent arm supported at elbow) straight after my plank and got it up to 90 secs each side, but it was either the wrist or the shoulder giving way that was the limit, as opposed to the trunk muscles that it's supposedly targetting.  I prefer doing a dynamic version of it now, supported at the elbow and dipping the hip laterally towards the ground for a number of reps each side.  (15 at the moment.  Oof!)

I got up to 4 minutes at one point when I was doing core training twice a day, but now about a minute. I do it during TV adverts at home - have to hold for the duration of the advert, then rest for one advert, then go again. 

dancing in spikes wrote (see)

I got up to 4 minutes at one point when I was doing core training twice a day, but now about a minute. I do it during TV adverts at home - have to hold for the duration of the advert, then rest for one advert, then go again. 

Like the idea of this.

Build up to holding it for the duration of the ad breaks.

That's a trick I used to do, I think I might go back to it

I tend to be more inclined to do stuff like that in front of the telly when there are programmes on about chubby people trying to get less chubby.  They're strangely inspiring!

Occasionally they have Man Vs. Food on whilst I'm at the gym - that one is strangely inspiring too!

104 seconds today

sarah the bookworm wrote (see)

Occasionally they have Man Vs. Food on whilst I'm at the gym - that one is strangely inspiring too!

 

I bloody love Man vs. Food.  I think that would be my dream job - get paid to run and cycle across America, eating vast quantities of food along the way.

This thread is great.  I had a go last night and managed 44 seconds and then 49 in attempt number 2.  Pretty feeble start from me, but I know I have an awfully weak core and doing this could well do me some good.  Next target 1 minute... I wonder if there is any correlation with running race performance?  Anecdotally at least, PhilPub seems to be setting a pretty high benchmark in both.

Man vs Food is also great.  I'd like to try the Krispy Kreme burger they had on there once.  I'd have thought that Adam chap would be a bit bigger than he is, though. Maybe he planks to offset the food challenges.

From wikipedia:

Although described as "a bit on the husky side", to maintain his health while indulging for the show, Richman exercises twice a day while he's on the road. When the schedule permits, he does not eat the day before a challenge and he tries to stay "crazy hydrated" by drinking lots of water or club soda and forgoing coffee or soft drinks. After taping for a challenge is complete, Richman spends an hour or so on a treadmill, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Being sedentary is incredibly uncomfortable. [...] espite the fact that the first 10 minutes or 15 minutes on the treadmill might suck, it actually does alleviate a lot of pressure, and you feel better."

Re: planking and running, I've seen mixed comments about whether it helps or hinders running form. It makes your abs look better though.    [when used in conjunction with other core exercises, blah blah...]

2:10 today - only 5 secs better than yesterday and think that was only because I was going to report on this thread - felt like I should be stoppng after about a minute!

Is Man v Food on proper telly or Sky?

My plank appears to have a beer keg attached to it. Is this normal?

If it rests on the floor then thats cheating!!

3 Mins.   But I have been doing body pump for a few months so abs are done there,

A good one is plank into pressup.    Hold plank, on to hands, do press up and back to plank.

Man Vs. Food is addictive  I've seen most episodes multiple times, but I still watch in fascinated horror whilst Adam eats. I couldn't do the hot challenges - that one where he accidentally wipes his face with a cloth covered in chili sauce - muah huh huuh!! I wouldn't mind having a go at the pizza the size of a dining room table though

Man Vs. Food is on one of the food channels that you get on Sky, but also on one of the freeview channels. I think Really, but I could be wrong...

I'm of the opinion that a strong core helps with running - good posture, efficiency of movement, etc.

spen71 wrote (see)

A good one is plank into pressup.    Hold plank, on to hands, do press up and back to plank.

I do this one - you never feel like you're holding it for too long because you get nice shoulder burning breaks to do the press-ups!

http://vimeo.com/9807775

Phil Pub posted this on a separate thread but for everyone struggling with the plank (like me) this video is truly frightening - 10 mins of core work with the runner on their butt - sounds like a rest, looks like living hell!

Give it a watch - I'm going for 10 secs of each tonight with 50 secs of rest - but might settle for just getting into the position to be able to do some of them!!!

Man v Food (nation) can also be found on the Food Network UK, freeview channel 49.   I'm more of a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives chap myself.

Did someone say planks?  I'll get back to you on that...

PhilPub wrote (see)

I tend to be more inclined to do stuff like that in front of the telly when there are programmes on about chubby people trying to get less chubby.  They're strangely inspiring!

Yes! Although The Biggest Loser or Supersize vs Superskinny are my programmes of choice for planking! Or MADE was an old favourite...