Have you ever heard of a Plank?
Have you ever done a Plank?
Have you ever done more than one Plank in a row?
Of course you haven’t, because you’re reading this. I know from experience that if you try to do more than one, you will die.
Warning: This exercise is not for those with bad backs (I’m looking at you, Brad) or those with severe weeney-itis (I’m looking at you, Lauren).
3-5 reps? That’s impossible! Who is this trainer? Satan?
Full disclosure: I have always been a weeney. In junior high p.e. class we were given the first ten minutes to run the track. If you ran 4 laps you got an A, 3 = B, 2 =C, etc. My friends and I knew we could walk nearly three laps in nine minutes then hustle for the last minute and almost make it, then beg for the B.
Mary Jane Piazza says
Hey there, cuzzins!
I didn’t know how to reach you, so Rachael suggested your website! Way cool! You too are the cleverist people I know. Do you give clever-lesson? May I sign up?
I have an idea for the family reunion, to acquaint the younger ones with the older ones by doing a time line — 120 years worth or so, around the gym or somewhere at Heits, and having everyone put a photo and hash-mark where they were born. Silly or old photos also welcome. Uncle Mahlon says he has some wide, long, sturdy paper and markers. Aunt Naomi loves the idea too. What are your thoughts, oh clever ones?
Lloyd says
This is a test to see if Mary Jane will check back here for a reply, or if I should contact here through more established channels.
Nigel says
Not that I am in any way, shape or form bragging (as if you’ve seen me you will know I am not fit, even vaguely) but my personal trainer has me doing three reps of planks for thirty seconds. And yes, they were insanely hard but got easier each time. So if you’re serious about doing that as a way of fitness, take it from me it does get easier.
Brad says
It looks like a reverse leg lift or something. I’ll stick to vigorous laughter as my main form of ab exercise (though that doesn’t seem to be working very well for Santa Claus).
Kristi says
Do I get an “A” just for thinking about it?
Deborah says
In the news recently, it was reported that somebody died while planking. Therefore I will never plank.
Karla says
That was exactly what I thought this was about!!
Peggy says
I’ve never heard of the plank. I can’t wait to try it! I have a bad back too, so I’ll have to modify it just a bit. This should work:
1. Lie face down on mat resting
Beth says
HA!
Gretchen says
So who or what prompted you to do planks?
I used to go to an insane class at 5am in which we did many variations of planks in addition to crazy exercises like Turkish Get-Ups (like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDQUlshxO_8 but we had weights, not other humans), burpees, and some other tortures whose official names I cannot remember. Can’t say that my abs are any better for them though.
Lauren says
Some website I read had a link to it. I read about it, thought, “It can’t be that difficult.” I was trembling by the time I counted to three, and I never made it to double digits. Now, I’m trying to remember to do one when I get to the top of the stairs. It’s not going well.