7 Best Plank Workouts For Beginners
For a strong core and amazing abs, the plank should be your go-to workout. These at-home plank workouts are suitable for beginners and provide a full-body workout, from your shoulders and biceps down to your calves. Your core is the main target: planks are excellent for working your abdominals and obliques. Plank regularly, and you’ll love the changes to your body. Add these best plank workouts for beginners to your training schedule. Just a few minutes of planking a day can make a huge difference, or opt for a slightly longer workout 2 or 3 times a week.
What Is A Plank Workout?
A basic plank is a bodyweight exercise that strengthens your core while you hold a stationary position. Often, the aim is to hold a plank for as long as possible. A plank workout builds on the stationary plank by adding variations such as a forearm plank, side plank, knee taps, shoulder taps, leg lift, and side plank dips. Workouts tend to be short, just 5 to 10 minutes, but are very effective.
Beginners with weak abs may struggle at first. Take breaks during workouts, or build up to full planks using knee plank variations or wall planks.
What Are The Benefits Of Plank Workouts?
1. Core Stability and Strength
Plank workouts will engage all your major core muscle groups (rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, and obliques), strengthening and stabilizing your core. These are the muscles you use for sports and everyday activities such as bending over to pick up the shopping. If you’re a runner, a strong core keeps your torso stable, helping you maintain a good pace with less energy (and less risk of injury).
2. Reduce Back Pain and Improve Posture
Strengthening the muscles that support your spine will help to relieve and prevent lower back pain. A plank workout will also help to improve posture and counter the effects of slouching at a desk or spending too much time scrolling on your phone. Ditch the stomach crunches, which only exacerbate your slouching, and start planking instead.
3. Better Balance and Stronger Glutes
A plank workout will help with balance by strengthening your stabilizer muscles and give your glutes a good workout. Strong glutes are essential. They’re your powerhouse for stability in your hips, legs, and core.
How To Do A Perfect Plank
A plank is essentially holding a push-up position. It can be in a high plank position on your hands or alternatively in a low plank position resting on your forearms. The key is to maintain a straight line from your head to your heels. Squeeze your glutes, engage your core, and prevent your hips from sagging. Make sure you’re not tensing the muscles in your neck or gritting your teeth. Instead, keep your head neutral by gazing at a spot just in front of your hands. Hold the position and take slow, steady breaths.
7 Plank Workouts For Beginners
Remember to warm up first by walking or jogging on the spot before launching into these challenges.
Karina Fit | 5 MIN PLANK CHALLENGE WORKOUT | Strong Body No Equipment
This Karina Fit workout is a good place to start if you’re new to planking. Just make sure you’ve mastered your plank technique first, and take extra rests if you need them.
Tabata Songs | 4-Minute | Plank Workout (w/ Julia)
Julia takes you through a workout that alternates between side planks and low plank positions. It’s only 4 minutes but it’s certainly intense!
MrandMrsMuscle | 5 minute Plank Challenge Workout for Strong and Toned Abs
It’s just 5 minutes, but it’s a killer workout. Take extra rests if you need to or dig deep, and it will all be over in no time. High plank, side plank rotation, military plank; this workout will reach parts of your core you didn’t know existed!
MadFit |6 MIN PLANK CHALLENGE – A Core and Arm Workout!
12 different plank variations in just 6 minutes! Can you stay the course? There’s more movement than a conventional plank workout, but you’ll still get a terrific arms and core workout.
BIGSIS | 10 Min Plank Workout with 10 variations
BIGSIS launches straight into the workout with no talking. It’s a whole 10 minutes of planking, but you do get rests between each plank variation. You’re going to need them!
Pamela Reif | 7 MIN PLANK CHALLENGE / No Equipment
I personally think a stationary plank is the hardest, so this workout, moving constantly through different variations, helps the time go quickly. Do this workout every day, and you’ll have enviable abs!
Rebecca Louise | BEST PLANK workout for a SMALLER WAIST & FLAT ABS
This is the longest workout on the list, but Rebecca does give you the chance to rest, if only briefly, between exercises. Can you last the full workout?
Plank workouts are an excellent way to tone your body and strengthen your core for a full-body workout. Try to add a workout to your exercise routine 2 or 3 times a week, and you’ll love the results!
