Plank challenge

Inspired by Jess Ennis and her abs of steel, I thought I'd embark on a new core training routine. To make it more interesting, would anyone be interested in a challenge? How long can you hold a plank for?

And to pre-empt the obvious, I don't mean this...

 But I do mean this

In work so can't see either of those, but I do know what a plank is and 90 sec is my best.

What's yours?

Funnily enough, I started doing the plank each day about a week ago. My first attempt resulted in a pathetic 10 seconds . I can now manage a pathetic 30 seconds .

It would appear that 90 seconds is my new target 

I haven't actually timed myself yet! I'd hazard a guess at 60-90 seconds That may be optimistic... I'll check later, as there are other people in the office and I don't think assuming the plank position would go down very well!

When I started back down the gym last year I started progressing my planking (sorry, that sounds like a euphemism) just to see what I could manage and got it up to 5 minutes.  However I've since adapted my core routine to be a little more dynamic rather than static since I'm not convinced about the benefits to running fitness if the muscles aren't moving about a bit.  Having said that I've done the odd one or two recently and started shaking a bit around 2 minutes - plenty of suffering time left in the tank though. 

I have done 2 mins 30 secs - was trying to build up to 3 mins which my wife did at a pilates class but I couldn't even consistently hit 2 mins 30 secs - sometimes it seems to hurt a lot more than other times - and it always hurts!

Will be interested to see what the best someone has managed - I might restart my efforts at 3 mins again!

PS my first attempt was 17 seconds!!

sarah the bookworm wrote (see)

p.s.  This chap has been overdoing the planking.  He appears to have developed abs in his triceps!

only a pathetic 15 seconds! must try harder!

Skinny Fetish Fan wrote (see)

 

PS my first attempt was 17 seconds!!

Thank you for confessing that....I feel much better about my 10 seconds now 

5 minutes - jeez!  I think my best has been 3x2 minutes with a 30s rest, but that was a couple of years ago.  Nowadays I can do a set at a minute/minute 30 with some discomfort, but I get bored easily.

Sarah - if all the women in my office adopted the plank position there would be very few complaints! (and possibly(????) no complaints from the women if the men did)

5 minutes? 

To be honest, there's only one other person in here and I think I could spontaneously combust and I don't think she'd notice... where's my stop watch? I'll be back!

93 seconds.

And thank god no one noticed, because doing planks whilst wearing a low-cut top is not a good idea!

93 seconds 

*mumbles and slinks out of thread in disgrace*

Saffy! Come back!

REally can't do that in my office  will see how long i can hold tonight, hopefully 2 mins but so won't be 5.

Have done 1 minute 30 but could probably have held on a bit longer, will have a go next couple of days and see if I can do 2 mins.

Are you on Twitter, Sarah? There's the #plankaday challenge where you tweet your time. My best so far has been 2 min 30 seconds of the normal plank, but when I started getting bored of it one of my friends challenged me to do 30 seconds plank, 10 push ups as many times as possible, so far my best has been total of 3 minutes plank and 50 push ups (collapsed after the last 30 secs plank  ), might have to try doing side planks in there somewhere.

I can do 60 seconds, which is as long as the book that taught me about them advised  (it suggested that doing multiple planks or stretching out the plank a bit more were both good ways of getting more out of the exercise that didn't require holding any given plank longer). Really impressed at the people managing 90+ seconds, and as for the people on lower than 30 seconds - good work so far and keep trying

I think I could have held it longer, too. I was slightly concerned about having a 'wardrobe' malfunction though, so next time I'll either be properly attired or wait until I'm at home