Hello everybody and welcome to week 3 of the Plankety Plankathon.... firstly, apologies this is late..... better late than never eh.... We have had ongoing internet problems and it’s getting in the way of life!!
So, for this week, it’s a 2 minute plank. This is made up of:
30 seconds high arm plank
30 second elbow plank
30 second side planks ( each side)
In order to do a side plank:
Lay on your side with your forearm flat on the floor, bottom elbow lined up directly under your shoulder and both legs extended out in a long line. Feet can either be staggered for more stability, or stacked for more of a challenge. Engage your core and lift your hips off the floor, forming a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Your top hand can be on side of hip (easier) or reaching up to the ceiling (harder).
Or a variation:
To make it easier, start with both knees bent, feet 90 degrees behind you, so you form a straight line from head to knees; lift and hold. To make it harder, keep your bottom leg bent but extend your top leg out, actively engaging your inner thigh as you push your top leg into the floor.
If you have been progressing with these on your non running days then this should be doable, andhere is also a variation for the side plank should you want to start with that?
How are you getting on? Please do let me know. And huge well done, you are all doing really well.
Juju
Xxx
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Excellent! 👍🏻😁 I'm up to 50 secs elbow and straight, plus I've been doing an extra long straight plank of 1:20 with hold for 10, arm raises x 10, shoulder touches x 10 and moving my kettlebell around x 10 and hold for remainder too. Definitely easier to maintain whilst being distracted doing other stuff. I hate that "watching the clock" feeling. Looking forward to adding the sides in and pleased to see I was doing them right too! 😊
Nice! Thank you for doing these videos and giving me something to aim for. I do like the variety. I've been doing 3 sets on non run days, although today I just did the 1 set as I ran earlier and was already late getting the roast in the oven 🤣. Oops!
Thanks again juju for the video. I decided to do the side plank first tonight, never attempted them before. Well I managed the 30 seconds each side with a fair bit of wobbling going on 😂 but completed, so work to do there to build up. It was a relief to “relax” into the straight arm/elbow planks. 😊
I find it 'easier' to go from full high plank to elbow plank than the other way around, when it's elbow to full, you are sort of pulling yourself up whereas with full to elbow it's the reverse and you are going down a little.
Thanks Alan maybe I’ll try it that way, see if it helps. I used to lift heavy weights in my employment and suffered from Occupational Overuse Syndrome or RSI and wore an arm brace. My forearms are still weak all these years later, but hopefully persevering with the side planks will help. One of the reasons I love running my arms are pain free! 😊
Planks were the third discipline that I did after I decided to increase my exercise regime, I have cycled and gone long walks for decades, only ran at school.
A couple of years ago I started with pushups from some Youtube videos, then it was sit-ups, next planks, I also do some kettlebell exercises, finally, fanfare:- running. so I do it to keep fit, I am of normal weight, I do eat a little junk food, not much but generally speaking I have a healthy diet.
I hope by doing Ju Ju's plankety planks your forearms will get a little stronger, especially when you do the side planks, they should help.
Wow! Thats an amazing fitness plan Alan. I know I need to push myself a little more now as I want to increase my strength because I want to up my running distances. I have been thinking of buying myself another bike, my mountain bike being long deceased. When I was a biking postie my route was 20ks a day on a very hilly route and no gears! Loving the new bikes these days. ❤️ Off for my run now in new Asics GT 2000 8’s. Will let you know how I get on. 🤞
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