Planks? Who else loves them? =D

[HollowedShame]

Seriously, there's like no reason whatsoever to do crunches. Those nasty little buggers hurt my back like crazy as well. But if you just do plank exercises for a few minutes each/every other day, you get results so much more quickly! And it's pretty easy- you just have to hold the position for as long as you can.

I've seen much more progress from a few weeks of this, than I have with months of doing crunches religiously. Lol anyone else?

[Rhiannon]

they are truely amazing!! screw crunthes.. they cause more pain to other parts of your body than your actualy stomach muscles. lol. but, yuh, they are totally fantastic :]

[Jacklinger]

Whats a plank?

[Wannabe Beauty]

Whats a plank?

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Your Position
Start by lying face down on the ground or use an exercise mat. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.
Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms
Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground.

Target Muscles
The Core - Abdominals, Hips, Back

Step By Step Instructions
Hold this position *focusing on tightening your abs* until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge. For beginners, start with 10 seconds
Return to start position.

Beware of Cheating!
Remember to not let your hips and back sag. This exercise will only be effective if you work to maintain a flat line from your shoulders to your feet. You might want to start in front of a mirror to learn the technique.

There you go. :D I love this exercise too. :)

[dreamxonxaxwish]

Do you guys really feel like they're better than crunches?! I hate crunches and refuse to do them. (I never learned the proper technique) So I just do leg lifts and sometimes planks.

[Choronzon]

I like doing this exercise on WiiFit.

I also enjoy Jackknife exercises on WiiFit, they make my stomach muscles hurt like hell the next day. I'm not sure how effective they are in relation to the plank though, anyone know?

[Jacklinger]

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Your Position
Start by lying face down on the ground or use an exercise mat. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.
Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms
Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground.

Target Muscles
The Core - Abdominals, Hips, Back

Step By Step Instructions
Hold this position *focusing on tightening your abs* until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge. For beginners, start with 10 seconds
Return to start position.

Beware of Cheating!
Remember to not let your hips and back sag. This exercise will only be effective if you work to maintain a flat line from your shoulders to your feet. You might want to start in front of a mirror to learn the technique.

There you go. :D I love this exercise too. :)

Oh that's a plank. That looks really painful but not as painful as a push up which I used to do on occaision. I think I prefer crunches.

[Charlotte]

Planks are brilliant! After I do a few planks (holding for as long as I can), I like to do a few reverse planks with leg lifts--they seem to target my legs a bit more.

This is the reverse plank I'm talking about:
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[hannah_xo]

i did them for a long while last year. then they began to feel like they were having no effect on me.
crunches + sit ups never used to do anything for me. but since i joined a gym recently, they taught how to do them effectively, and now they always work. so i stick to them now :)
but planks used to kill me, in a good way. then i just... lost the technique somehow.

[UsedRomance]

I absolutely hate planks! At the gym, my trainer was like "This is my favourite one!" and really enthusiastic.

I held it for something like 5 seconds. I felt so pathetic. I did get better but they hurt me more than anything else. I could spend an hour on the treadmill, but a 30 second plank would take it all out of me.

I stopped doing them because they were so painful, but maybe I'll start them again.

[Charlotte]

They *are* quite painful, I agree. When I first began, I couldn't hold a plank for more than 10 seconds. Now I've built up to 90 seconds, and can do several 90-second planks, one after another. I'm sure that sounds like nothing to some avid exercisers, but it's really amazing for me. My stomach muscles are quite toned now, and I feel planks through my legs and arms--they really are full-body workouts.