Plank - how long can you do?

[ParanoidAndroid]

Was at circuit training the other day, we had a 'plank off'! Ie everyone in plank position (on toes and forearms, bums down, straight line down back etc). I managed 3 minutes before collapsing which was better than most but was amazed a couple of the guys did 5 minutes in that position. I'm now practising daily!

Edited to add: Amazing how slow time goes when you are in pain

[MacGee]

havent tried to max out but have done several 1 min sets. Its a tough one!

[Ki3r]

ParanoidAndroid said:

Edited to add: Amazing how slow time goes when you are in pain

God yes!

My best time recently is around 90 seconds. I hate them!

Have you tried side plank? Best for them is 45 seconds on my right, and 40 seconds on my left.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Awful aren't they? At karate we had to do planks whilst a partner put their feet on our backs and did pressups for 2 minutes. We then had to reverse the positions for another 2 minutes. Felt like after that!

[stackmonkey]

I usually do 3x 1 minute with my feet on a bosu.

[Tiggsy]

stackmonkey said:

I usually do 3x 1 minute with my feet on a bosu.

Relaxed work environment, most bosus would regard that as insubordination.

[okgo]

Doing it for longer than a minute has no benefit at all, and I've read is actually counter productive.

[Halb]

wiki says thye record is half an hour by a little old lady

[Asterix]

I do 3x1min sets on abs day - kills me if try to take it to 1.5mins x3.

Don't see the point in doing any longer.

[Animal]

Halb said:

wiki says thye record is half an hour by a little old lady

She's on YouTube. Very impressive, but a very dull video!

[ribenavrs]

one of the leccys at work holds the record now ..... 37mins 40 secs

thisisgrimsby link

and yes the beard is a bet

[Asterix]

ribenavrs said:

one of the leccys at work holds the record now ..... 37mins 40 secs

thisisgrimsby link

and yes the beard is a bet

Good for him and a great cause.

[RemainAllHoof]

Asterix said:

ribenavrs said:

one of the leccys at work holds the record now ..... 37mins 40 secs

thisisgrimsby link

and yes the beard is a bet

Good for him and a great cause.

That's great (not sarcastic). One of the charities I support. I still struggle to see (1) the point of planks (2) how you can just not do anything for 3 minutes let alone 37.

[Asterix]

RemainAllHoof said:

Asterix said:

ribenavrs said:

one of the leccys at work holds the record now ..... 37mins 40 secs

thisisgrimsby link

and yes the beard is a bet

Good for him and a great cause.

That's great (not sarcastic). One of the charities I support. I still struggle to see (1) the point of planks (2) how you can just not do anything for 3 minutes let alone 37.

I've also done a 10 day Vipassana Meditation course which is around, ummmm, 10 days of doing nothing - still great though

[RemainAllHoof]

Asterix said:

I've also done a 10 day Vipassana Meditation course which is around, ummmm, 10 days of doing nothing - still great though

But there's actually a point to that course!! Or were you so fast asleep that you missed it?

[Asterix]

RemainAllHoof said:

Asterix said:

I've also done a 10 day Vipassana Meditation course which is around, ummmm, 10 days of doing nothing - still great though

But there's actually a point to that course!! Or were you so fast asleep that you missed it?

Tbh - it's one of the best things I've ever done - life changing in fact.

[Hoofy]

Asterix said:

Tbh - it's one of the best things I've ever done - life changing in fact.

Glad to hear it. (Sorry, changed my name.)

[mattikake]

Interesting. I've just watched 2 back-to-back episodes of wonders of the solar system in the plank position, although it was on an exercise ball, so probably 30 degree elevated. I only stopped because i got bored. Might see how long i can do it for flat tomorrow...

The plank is an isotmetric exercise so doesn't have a great deal of worth on it's own unless you plan to stay in a rigid upright position under tension (name a relative real world event, do!), but planks are not too bad as a finisher to a decent 50-100 rep crunch routine.

[rykard]

world record is something like 1hr 20 mins - 50 yr old ex marine or something..

thought i was progressing well,about 65 secs, till I read this - got a way to go..

[Animal]

rykard said:

world record is something like 1hr 20 mins - 50 yr old ex marine or something..

thought i was progressing well,about 65 secs, till I read this - got a way to go..

Try singing a song to yourself - not just the words, but the intro as well. It does help!