CC planking challenge

[Mad Doug Biker]

Not gonna lie, I need to get fit, so I'm interested!

 

[Rusty Nails]

Not gonna lie, I need to get fit, so I'm interested!

I'm always interested in the idea of getting fit.

 

[Peter Salt]

Let's see how long you can hold the plank for. Body straight in the position shown below. Most should be able to manage a least a minute. I'm sure @Drago will go 2. @Dave7 at least have a go. I can do 1:15.
Come along, no cheating now.

View attachment 684017

Ha! I was ordered to do exactly this, alongside other exercises, in my recent bike fit - to assess strength, flexibility, range of motion and other malarkey. It's also something I actually do (almost) every morning, for 60 seconds, but never tried to hold it until failure.

Anyway, 2:40 for me.

 

[Moodyman]

If you wish to make it tougher, you can lift one leg off the floor. Then,
once you’ve mastered that, one arm too (opposite side to the leg).

A guy in the gym does this and gets one of the other guys to add a 10kg weight plate onto his back. He’s something else mind.

A minute 30 for me when I’m doing regularly.

 

[Red17]

I can manage a couple of minutes in a normal plank as ive been doing a bit of Yoga which includes them - side planks though I find much harder, especially on my weaker left hand side

 

[biggs682]

Just had my first go and did 1:30 so will try again in a few days

 

[lazybloke]

Just had my first go and did 1:30 so will try aga afterin in a few days

Yeah, i had a go back in April. Might have another go soon?

Have been focussing on weight loss but

 

[Time Waster]

A long time ago the sadistic head of PE spent one PE session testing us with a few metrics. Supposedly to record improvements over the year. Part of that was a modified plank in the press-up position with your arms at 90 degrees bend at the elbows. First off that's a stress position all by itself but holding your body perfectly flat at an even angle for a long as possible. The sadist!

Needless to say I lasted about 45s before being the first one to collapse. He took the p out of me for that but looking around most of the other kids kept creeping up to straight arms and behind in the air. He kept hitting them to get their middle down but I was totally peeved to be the only kid who did it and he never bothered to get the rest to do it.

We never had another physical test like that and he stopped doing it. I reckon there was a complaint. Decades later I met a guy who did a bit of coaching for Lancashire CC. That teacher was senior there and still a right complete Bustard! I got on well with that guy because he told me plenty of stories of that teacher. One day....


Anyway, the traditional plans is a lot easier but I prefer not to do it. Besides even the lass in the OP's first post picture looks like she's not completely flat all the way up. It took me a little time studying it before I worked that out. Only to learn how to do it honest!

They really should show normal people doing it. All fitness sites and videos show super human people who can do the plank one armed while gesticulating to the camera and talking like it's easy. If I did a fitness video I wouldn't get through the description of the plank before giving up in a heavy breathing head! I need to get back to fitness!

So what is a respectable time for the plank?

 

[Time Waster]

PS if someone started a thread on how many chin ups in one go I think the younger me would have had a boast or two. One climbing wall evening I did 150 in one go, then another 50 hanging from two fingers on each hand. I needed to tire myself out but that didn't work.

I now have a dad bod in exchange for the years since those days. Not sure that's a good bargain!

 

[Julia9054]

So what is a respectable time for the plank?

It's more about keeping the correct form than how long.
It's better to do 4 x 30 seconds with 10 - 30 seconds in between and do it correctly than 2 minutes at once and start sagging

 

[Cycleops]

So what is a respectable time for the plank?

Anything over a minute you can be pretty pleased with.

 

[Randomnerd]

Isometric exercise is great for muscle strengthening, and has lots of mind-body connection benefits too.

I've heard they're pretty good for your BP too.

But, please don't hold a plank or any other IE for longer than you can maintain the correct form. This can lead to injury.

(I'm happy at two minutes btw. Try a "wall sit" next, or a "side plank". Wall sits are deadly. But keep good form)

 

[Fab Foodie]

Given my stomach rests on the ground when doing the plank, I managed 3 hrs before falling asleep

That reminds me of 'Wendy Whoppers' at the Admirals club in Chicago in the 90s. Part of her act seemed to consist of her falling over and watching her struggle to get back on her feet....we were easily pleased back then...especially when we could put it on expenses as 'Customer Entertainment'....

 

[Fab Foodie]

Anyhow, back on topic I managed around 5 minutes this morning, not bad for an overweight 60 year old [/smug]





Oh, sorry, you said planking....

 

[stephec]

A minute was fine. I do 120 press-ups a day, though. Started on chin-ups now - target is 20 reps. I can do 5 at the moment - they are quite unbelievably hard, especially if you're middle-aged and not a racing snake.

If you're talking overhand wide grip pull ups then that's putting it mildly.

At best I used to be able to do 3 x 8.