The plank exercise has always been challenge to me. I began my journey with knee planks, often unintentionally raising my buttocks—a common mistake among beginners like me. At first, my core weakness limited me to just 10 seconds before fatigue set in. However, with persistent dedication and effort, I’ve gradually extended my endurance to an impressive 15-minute hold.
Let me share how I progressed in my plank exercise journey:
To start, I place my palms on the ground and keep my back straight with my ankles on the floor. This position is called a push-up plank, where I focus on strengthening my core without doing any push-ups. It helps me work on my core muscles effectively.
Secondly, I didn’t just stick to planking. I explored various exercises to strengthen my core for better plank performance. I began with leg raises, Russian twists, and crunches. At my local gym, I have access to abs machines that further help in my core training. I did these exercises in sets and reps, adjusting how many I did based on my goals for the day. If you want to learn more about why volume matters in training, check out my blog post.
Thirdly, I know that I have been training my core for a month and I can see only some progressions. I was asking myself after my training. “What was I lacking on? Is it my diet?”
Well, yes it is my diet. Look if I want to have a good body, be stronger, gain muscle mass, I will need to have my diet on point. Diet, diet, diet! But wait what is diet? Is it just by eating less or eating more junk food? NO!
You will need to get your macronutrients on point. Carbohydrates, Protein, Fats. Those help you the most. Not only that, but count your calories! Everything you consume affects your body’s outcomes and performance. Tracking your nutrition can help you understand how different foods impact your energy levels and progress.
Again, I don’t want to talk about diet, if you want to read more about that, you can read the article that I have posted.
15 Minutes of plank. That is a long time for me to reach there. The secrets, tell me? There are no secrets! Just start by doing it slowly, track your progress, calories and recovery, Stop doing plank only! Give your body rest, and try out new exercises too!
I want to make it clear that I’m not boasting about being able to do 15-minute planks effortlessly. I’m sharing my experience to help beginners just starting out, or those who have been doing this for a while, avoid the mistakes I made. It’s important to learn from others’ experiences to improve your own journey and avoid setbacks.
Here is my workout routine to progress on my plank exercises.
Warm-Up:
- Shoulder Rotations (30 seconds)
- Hip Rotations (30 seconds)
- Wrist Rotations (30 seconds)
Exercise Routine:
- Leg Raises (15 reps)
- Russian Twists (20 reps, 15 per side)
- Crunches (25 reps)
- Plank (start with 30 seconds, gradually increase as you progress)
Cool Down:
- Stretching (include stretches for shoulders, hips, and wrists)
Tips:
- Perform each exercise with proper form and control.
- Adjust repetitions and duration based on your fitness level.
- Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.
- Stay hydrated throughout your workout.
You may find these exercises widely recommended online because they effectively target the same muscles when performed correctly. Personally, I stick to one workout routine and switch it up every 3-6 months to avoid boredom and ensure continuous progress. Finally, remember that you dedicate one hour to training, but it’s the choices you make in the remaining 23 hours that truly support your growth.
I hope this article has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to reach out to me anytime!
