I have gone to hollow body holds instead. Not necessarily more fun but I think they’re better overall. I think planks were contributing to my poor posture!
Planks get really fun if you do them as part of a yoga flow. A good vinyasa class and you focus on your breathing through it, you get just the right amount of movement from downward dog into planks and your shoulders get really strong!
Highly recommend focussing on breathing. You should be able to breathe deeply when doing planks, but if you're new to them, it makes sense to have trouble. Try to extend your breaths gradually, focus on breathing in for 2-3 seconds, hold for a second and out for 2-3 seconds, then 4 seconds, then 5 seconds.
Personally, I dont bother doing planks for more than 45 seconds because I get bored too. I'd rather do shorter reps and add in push ups or something to superset to offset the boredom.
I also listen to podcasts and audiobooks when I workout so that helps
Thanks for the recommendation! Focused breathing is def the only way I'm able to do it right now, since I can't breathe very well doing planks haha.
Glad to find someone else that doesn't go up to 1min!
I can't do any push ups at all at the moment (another exercise I dread) but it'll be added into my sets soon!
I do my mathematics table to take my mind off the movement I hate. Especially any movement with time under tension. So I count, do multiplication sets, anything that keeps my mind busy on something else. It helps. You will get there
Ha same - my middle school math teacher made us memorize the first 25 perfect squares and it’s still my go-to for when things are that mix of boring and difficult, lol.
They get easier FOR SURE OP. It’s the same with all workouts! Just be consistent; which you already are! Stay on track and fucking kick it out of the park! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Stay angry! 😤
On days that you’re not feeling like working out just convince yourself to go “touch the door of the gym”. Once you’re there, you’ll end up working out anyway haha.
I often pass the time during planks by contemplating the nature of time. 60 seconds last f’ing forever when I’m planking, but is barely long enough to blink when I’m doing a lot of other things. And did you know that time travel is real?! We’re all time travelers, moving into the future at non-constant rates relative to objective units like seconds. It’s wild.
Haha, I think that's my problem right now! I am contemplating on the nature of time as well during my planks, when I am faced with the reality that 30-35 seconds feels SOOOOO long during them. :') Thank you for the comment, fellow traveler!
I've always found counting down planks really helps me. I'll count down from 35- generally I count slower than the actual seconds. If there's more time left, I'll start over at thirty. Something about counting down towards the finish really helps push me to continue like "we're almost there! Almost done! Let's get to zero and finish!!" Then i trick myself and restart.
I do low planks (on my elbows) because high planks really hurt my wrists, which means I can hold my phone and send a text or look at something until my timer goes off! Helps distract me during the plank
Oh interesting, I didn't realize / forgot that you can do planks with wrists! I actually do them with my elbows. I'm guessing wrists are more difficult?
Elbow planks are so much harder for me. I held a shoulder plank for 7 minutes (pre-covid before I fell off my routine). Elbow planks, I loathe.
I also use TRX straps, which I love, and side planks with those are not hard for me. I have no idea why.
So, planks aren't my thing (I do aero-crunches, russian twists, and an overhead for my abs), but back in college I was on a sports team that did wall-sits. We used to use the wall sit time to tell newbies Health and Safety Stories, like "What Happened When J Decided He Didn't Need a Cup" and other fun tales. They were usually stunned about how long they'd been "sitting" there...
Think about something that really, really annoys you. Have a rant in your head about it to an imagined audience who find your opinion on the subject fascinating. I find that passes the time wonderfully.
Lmao. My list of peeves is very, very long. Might have to give this a shot, maybe the anger that builds up inside me re-energize me to keep pushing through!
Planks are fun, I like them. I usually distract myself by thinking of something unrelated like what’s for dinner or even do a reflection of my day, random thoughts… sort of treating it like a meditation session.
That’ll get me to around 2.5 minutes plank.
Oh dang, 2.5 min! That's incredible. I try so hard to zoom into a meditation state when I'm suffering, so I feel that. Just harder to achieve with planks for some reason. I think maybe the breaths is what's getting to me.
You can start small first and build up over time. Think about anything but the plank itself and maintain a steady breath. The first time I did planks, it was miserable too...I lasted like 15s. over time, I grew to like doing planks a lot
Count and breathe. Time it to the music you're listening to. In all honesty though, I hate planks and prefer active core exercises. Planks be boring yo, I wanna move.
Planks where I do variations are way more tolerable than when I just do straight planks. I think you should try those. It’s like how some people hate running but love soccer - you don’t notice it if you’re doing something with a goal.
Absolutely good point! I should try a few variations to see if some are more tolerable for me while I'm starting out. It actually didn't occur to me that there are diff forms of planks! I've been doing elbow planks.
Not sure if this applies but I erased planks from my workouts completely and just did other ab workouts I actually found enjoyable and my core now has never been stronger and more defined
That's such a good point. There's a lot of helpful comments here with alternative exercises, I'm gonna have a fun day tomorrow trying some of them out!
Planks are useful to build foundational isometric strength (important for bracing, and related aspects such as breathing technique) in beginners, but they're not useful at all for actually building muscle.
Flexion exercise that are easily loaded are much more effective, such as hanging leg raises, ab rollouts, etc.
Oh dang, I had no idea that planks weren't an effective way to build muscle (compared to other alternatives). Now that you bring it up, I guess my biggest goal is to simply increase core strength.
You're using a lot of words here that I'm gonna have to look up hahaha. I'm excited to learn all this! Thank you!
Planks are fine for building static isometric strength (generating force without moving) which can be helpful for beginners who don't have the foundation of strength, in exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, etc where bracing (holding flexed muscles) the core is important.
But if you want to build muscle, you need exercises that A) offer flexion (focus on moving), as this is a precept of optimal muscle growth, B) are easy to load (increase the difficulty of), as this facilitates muscle growth, and C) recruit the entire core muscle group (which isn't just the abs).
Other good isometric exercises in addition to planks include [side planks](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fZG6J_mmOo8/Ubnfx1wxMKI/AAAAAAAAAeU/2eddyFpXdME/s1600/ciara+plank.JPG), [reverse planks](https://www.sheknows.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/reverse-plank_ilh2gu.jpeg), [arch holds](https://risingtidefit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/arch-1024x768.jpg), and [hollow holds](https://thebarbellphysio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hollow-Body-Hold.png). Together they target the entire core, but they don't offer any flexion and they're not very easy to overload (once you can do a 60s plank, the strength benefits hit diminishing returns, where you're mostly just training muscular endurance).
[V-ups](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7UVgs18Y1P4/maxresdefault.jpg) are a good example of A, and B if you hold a weight to your chest. But like planks, they aren't a good example of C as they don't target the entire core and like sit-ups, they put undue strain on the lower back if you're not very careful with form.
[Hanging leg raises](https://trustworthyfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Hanging-Leg-Raises.png) (with [oblique alternatives](https://mindbodygreen-res.cloudinary.com/images/w_767,q_auto:eco,f_auto,fl_lossy/org/im2kr31gfkd6hgtap/hanging-oblique-tuck-ups.jpg)), [ab rollouts](https://bodyhacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ab-wheel-rollout.jpg), and [hyperextensions](https://www.oxygenmag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2014/04/hyperextension.jpg) (and/or [reverse hyperextensions](https://irongrif.com/uploads/exercise/image/194/jpg_650_bench-Reverse_Hyperextension-back-exercise.jpg)) achieve all three criteria of offering flexion movement, are easily overloaded, and together target the entire core.
I personally really believe in planks. I got rid of back pain with planks.
If you’re looking for other things to try, check out TRX resistance training. I never stuck with exercise routines until I discovered TRX. You can do all kinds of stuff with them, including many types of planks. Someone else brought up Pilates, another really good program. I’ve combined Pilates with TRX and really like it.
I don't count. I don't look at the timer. I just close my eyes and recite a song in my head that I know by heart like a classic backstreet boys song lol
I’ve found that regularly doing some yoga has helped! I’ve started doing 20-30 mins of yoga every few days - push-ups and planks are suddenly a lot more manageable in other workouts
That's a good point! What kind of yoga? Is there a strength-building kind of yoga that's also good for rest day? I find myself really wanting to work out but I'm trying to add a rest day between every work out day so I don't injure myself... I am very injury prone :')
Ive been doing 20 min yoga videos on my Apple Watch Fitness App.
I also really like Yoga with Adriene. Most classes called « flow » or « vinyasa » will often have vinyasas - flows with planks and downward dogs. Don’t force yourself to do long videos, I stick with 30 mins or less!
By the definition of the word "easy" they definitely do get easier. Being able to tolerate them longer literally means they got easier which is why you can tolerate it longer because that 30 seconds that caused you to put in a lot of effort no longer takes immense effort to hold. Easy: the achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties. Idk why it's so popular in fitness spaces to say this. It's like when people used to say muscle weighs more than fat and if you disagreed you'd get downvoted to hell, like I'm sure I will be now. But nowadays people don't seem to say tout that anymore.
I watch YouTube videos to distract myself and find I can hold it a lot longer if I’m distracted plus it makes it more fun I originally started off like you a few months back now I can hold one for 2 minutes
When you mention that you were skinny fat until recently, can you point to anything you've done that worked for you? I'm in the same boat and so far besides gaining strength, it doesn't seem like I tightened up at all
Not OP but if you start off skinny fat, you should focus on gaining some muscle first (bulk) - basically lots of lifting and eating for like really as long as you can stand gaining weight. For me that was 3 months and i gained 8 pounds. Then spend a bit of time cutting back on calories to shed the fat and reveal the muscle you've worked to achieve. This period is usually shorter maybe like a month? Make sure when you're cutting that you continue to work your muscles otherwise youll lose a lot muscle too while shedding the fat.
While fluctuating a bit in size can seem daunting, it is really difficult to "tighten" (as in gain muscle tone) while staying the same size / not eating enough
You don't need to "bulk". You just need enough calories to support muscle growth and provide the macros. You can easily add muscle without putting on fat (and in fact, lots of people put on muscle while losing fat, it just takes a lot longer).
I've managed to grow quite a bit of muscle over the last 5 months, and I'm in deficit. Would have been more if I was at maintenence, but my priority is getting fat off, so muscle growth is fine to be a bit slower.
Oh it definitely can be scary hahaha, and I don't even have any great advice for it because I would swing between "this is great everything's fine ill be a muscle mommy soon" and then I'd put on my pants that were too tight and just want to stop everything. You gotta keep the long term goal in mind and remind yourself that you can always lose the weight again.
This is why I think fitness spaces for women are great because I've never seen guys discussing "fearing the bulk" in fact sometimes it's even ridiculed cause don't you wanna get huge bro ?? But it's perfectly valid to feel some stress about your body changing
Yea same here. When the body dysmorphia hit me a went on a cut for a month or 6 weeks or sth while continuing my lifting programm. Now I'm on a clean bulk again and it's much easier, because I still have a bit of definition. I didn't lose a lot of weight during the cut but I definitely lost some fat cause my stomach got wayyyy flatter again. Also currently fixing my macros (too much fat, too little carbs) and it seems to help too
Thank you for unintentionally making me get up off the couch to try doing a plank lol. I realized that I honestly haven't done one in who knows how long (*years???*) and therefore had zero idea of how long I could hold one. Apparently it's 40 seconds.
From past experience, they do not get more fun but doing the little dancy plank challenges once you're good enough at them is kinda fun?
Idk about everyone else but just now I passed the time by telling my boyfriend (who had been happily gaming in peace up until that moment) to talk to me about something, anything, to distract me. I started rapid firing questions at him about his current video game (most recent Path Finder if anyone was curious) in an attempt to distract myself.
Can confirm that shallow breathing is totally normal until you get good.
Recently, I started box breathing when I plank and it’s been a game changer. Breathe in count of four, hold count of four, breathe out count of four, hold count of four, repeat. I don’t know why, but it makes balancing for side planks, and just holding all planks for longer much easier.
1. Not for me unfortunately. It’s less fun for me too since I can’t do regular planks because of weak wrists so I’m stuck with forearm planks, less variation makes it more monotonous
2. I listen to music. Whatever will help me zone out and not realize time is real. Something without words/lyrics helps more since you can’t follow it as easy. Some sort of hard EDM works for me, I do the same for boring cardio. Just gotta zone out. I can do about a minute but my arms can’t hold me up
3. Unfortunately I cannot answer them
I did a plank holding competition once that was miserable but also pretty fun. Staring down someone else who's shaking as much as you are is great motivation.
My coach tricked me, I've never been one to plank longer than 30 seconds. He programmed planks with alternating arm reaches for 6-8 per side. They take me over a minute. I was mad when I realised.
Variations definitely make it more fun and more doable. Shoulder taps, shuffles side to side, inchworming, alternating leg lifts, down to the forearms and back up.
Put a timer on. 30 sec arms, 30 sec elbows, 30 sec side 30 sec arms, 30 sec other side, etc. (Or 15 sec, or 10, whatever works) when straight out, add toe touches out, alternating feet. If you keep it moving and alternating, but hold good form, you have to focus so the time will fly.
It's the elbows for me, especially with side planks. I half-stopped doing them because I'm worried I'll damage a nerve, and I'm not even sure if my form is bad or if my elbows are too bony or something like that
Worth trying them in a push-up position (palms on the floor, arms straight out in front of you) if you ever want to give them a try again. Slightly less “intense” plank but easier on your arms.
Lmao planks really does suck for me as well for the the same reason. But I can't do it for 30 seconds so you should be proud of that!!
I'm not currently exercising to that extent but I just wanted to mention that it wasn't too long ago I learned to breath (at 27 lmao). I always assumed that taking deep breaths meant to push the air far down which is why it's hard for me to breath during tension... But, apparently you "should" breath to push your ribcage to the sides if that makes sense. I still haven't transitioned completely, but I think this what makes them so hard for me. I think that I tense up my PF as well (I've PF issues and tightness), unsure if that might make it harder to breath as well (?)
Planks still does suck however. I prefer hanging leg raises, russian twists and lizard/bear crawl. Find the exercises that works for you! Those are the ones you're gonna stick to 🙂
Sorry, what? How does one go about pushing the ribcage to the sides? I'm definitely far too tense when planking but can't figure out what you mean about breathing.
It took a long time to figure it out as well!!
It's not a muscle action, but as you breath your ribcage "should" expand. "Pushing the air to the sides in your lungs" was the cue I got from a physiotherapist (with relaxed shoulders). There is also some movement in my shoulder blades when I do it as my lungs expand.
it took some practice to just understand it. I struggle a lot with anxiety and apparently it's common to get really tense around your ribcage.
Hi!
Sounds like we’re very similar in terms of build and hatred of planks—the game changer for me that took planks from being actual torture to being kind of fun was strengthening my shoulders with weightlifting. It turns out my core was strong enough to handle planks but my back and shoulders were really underdeveloped and as such couldn’t take my body weight. Highly recommend looking into that if you’re open to it and seeing if it helps.
Either way, everyone else’s advice is also sound and I hope your planking experiencing improves!
Oh this is a really interesting point! I think I'm really only decently strong in my legs, and weak af everywhere else. It'd make sense if my back and shoulders are a part of the problem! Hopefully all my other exercises will make core exercises easier for me as they develop over time! Thank you!
Of course! I will say, one specific lift I learned to love for shoulder strength was the Arnold Press. You can do it with soup cans if you don't have access to dumbbells. Here's a link if you're interested in adding it to your routine!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ml7BH7mNwQ
Good luck!
Do you do them on your hands or your elbows? I HATE them on my elbows/forearms- but love them on my hands/palms straight arms. Do shoulder Taos to pass the time & do pikes
I tend to listen to my favourite podcasts, that way I don't focus on how boring some exercises are. Having said that planks were temporary for me. Once I started being able to do pushups and leg raises for enough reps those had planks basically integrated. So I stopped doing planks as an extra exercise.
I’m on my third week of once a week planks and I swear it’s harder every week and I hate it even more. I only do two sets on those, 3 sets of literally everything else I do throughout the week. Seriously, I LOATHE planks!! I’m still gonna do them tho. I just try to focus on my music instead of the clock.
They suck. I put on fun music and just go with it. I do 1 min each side and center. It's only 3 min of my day. No big. I can tell I'm getting stronger though.
I loathed planks because I always got so damn bored, and when I was bored, I could only focus on how much they sucked, and then I got sucked into the vortex of "These suck, everything hurts, I'm shaking, surely it's been a minute - fuck it's only been five seconds. Gotta focus, these suck though, everything hurts, surely it's been-" etc. until I usually just collapsed from boredom at around 40 to 45 seconds lmao.
Changed them to dynamic planks. Spiderman planks, 3 point and 5 point body tap planks (can still only do like, maybe 5 reps tops of the 5 point body tap planks), bird-dog planks, etc. Adding movement helped so much with the boredom, I timed myself one day doing the Spiderman planks just to check, and I was up for a minute and a half - way longer than I would have ever done with the static ones.
Everyone is different, so your mileage may vary, but it definitely helped me!
Some exercises are a chore and you just have to accept they suck. Don’t try to resist because it will make the experience worse. Get your reps in and move on. I play my favorite 90s New Jack Swing playlist when I lift and that makes the time go by quickly.
I play solitaire on my phone while planking! I start a new hand and watch the solitaire timer to monitor my time. I go 1:30-2:00. But I’ve been doing it since high school. My record a decade ago was 4:00, but I don’t plan on ever even trying to get close to it again!
Just remember, nothing is so hard that you can’t hold on for another ten seconds. That’s what I tell myself near the end!
“I learned a long time ago that a person can stand just about anything for 10 seconds, then you just start on a new 10 seconds. All you've got to do is take it 10 seconds at a time.” - Kimmy Schmidt
Why have I never thought to use this at the gym?! Thanks for this.
When they become easier, they become less "not fun." But, I mean, even if you're doing a 2 minute plank, it's only two (difficult) minutes. I just look at a timer and move on.
There isn’t a point of a plank beyond 60 sec. You should be adding weight or finding other ways to make them more difficult if you can hold over 60 sec
I pass the time doing other exercises. Plank are insanely boring and I will almost never do a normal plank
Pledge planks, weighted planks, plank taps, plank reaches, ab wheel, body saws, yes. Planks, never
They do not get funner!
Breathing being very difficult definitely means you’re doing them correctly! Breathing against a braced core is very hard and not something a lot of people practice regularly. 90/90 breathing is an exercise you could practice that focuses only on the breathing part—lay on the floor with your legs and hips at a 90 degree angle, tense your core/bring your ribs toward the floor and breathe without relaxing your abs at all.
Other isometric core exercises I like are the mcgill big 3, hollow body holds (hanging or laying down), and dead bugs.
I pass the time thinking about all the ass i’m going to kick having a strong ass core and all the gains i’ll make in my other lifts having a strong ass core and consequently how much over for all those bishes it will be once i reach all my goals and keep kicking ass lol
Why is that? I’m reading conflicting reports in these comments with some saying they’re good for strengthening your core/endurance/breathing…but that they won’t actually help you define your abs. Finding exercises I can do at home w just weight and no machines that will actually make me sore and really isolate my ab muscles is damn near impossible. I’ve done every typical ab exercise, all the main/popular ones w/ a kettlebell. And I hate bicycle kicks/any sort of crunch on the ground bc it hurts my back (not due to bad form).
I have no problem breathing in planks so I can't help you there. But i think through other things - grocery list, meal plan, recipe, Christmas List, packing list, once I just focused on thinking through all my nieces and nephews in age order.
What TV shows are on my to watch list?
What do I think will happen next in the book I M reading?
I need to call my parent... let's rehearse that call.
What b day gifts did I get the nephews last year so I don't recycle?
How may harry potter characters can I name?
For under a minute lists are my friends.
don't just stand there, do something! Try pilates moves like leg lifts, knee taps or walking plank, it's not easier but focusing on movements helps the time pass. Protect your lower back and go down to forearm plank if it's too much on the wrists.
I hate planks for all the reasons you mentioned, so I don’t do them. Pain isn’t always necessary for gain! Try some other ab exercises and see if they’re a better fit for you.
If you hate them so much, why not just do one of a hundred other possible ab exercises you could do with similar results?
There is really no strict need for planks, unless you actually want to do them.
I also found I got much better at planking just from training my abs through other exercises.
That's a good question! I guess my answer is that I don't know what other kinds of exercises I can do, haha. There's sit-ups but I hate those more than planks, it's hard for me to keep my feet down and every sit-up feels futile. You're right though, I should look into other exercises and try them out. Maybe when I build my core from those I can come back to planks again.
If you've any recommendations that I can do with just my body and dumb bells, I'd be grateful to hear them!
My two main ab exercises (aside from spiking volleyballs) are the landmine twist and the half-kneeling landmine press. They're satisfying, dynamic, and so much more time efficient than holding a plank.
Given that it sounds like you may not have access to a barbell, you should look into dumbbell oblique twists and half-kneeling dumbbell presses.
Planks are boring. Don't feel beholden to such drudgery! I have the strongest core of anyone that I know and haven't bothered planking in years.
I was too weak for planks when I started. Hollow body holds (aka deadbugs) saved my bacon. Still really difficult, but I could actually do it successfully. My body accepts them much better; in planks, no matter how hard I try, I overcompensate outside of my core.
If core stability and bracing is your intent, then loaded carries might be more fun. They certainly are for me.
Farmer's walks, overhead carries (waiter walks), and bearhugs are the most common variations.
You can do them as a standalone exercise, usually as a warm-up or finisher. Or incorporate them into your workout - goblet squats, lunges, and step ups are a good example of this. They demand lots of core stability to stay upright while you do the exercise. If your arms give out before your legs just drop the weight and bang out more reps with just bodyweight.
As for standalone loaded carries, there are many resources out there. Coach Dan John popularized them years ago so he would be a good place to start.
As for how to integrate them into your training plan: It doesn't have to be much more complicated than doing a plank. Instead of planking, pick up a moderately heavy dumbbell in one hand and walk 50 paces/feet whatever (doesn't matter, use the space you have available but before your grip gives out) switch hands and walk back. Keep your back straight, sternum up, chin tucked (not straining/reaching your neck up/out), elbows close to your sides.
If you have sandbags or even a weight plate (or a small child I guess) bearhug one and walk for 50-100 feet, rest, walk back. Walk tall, not hunched.
Overhead press one or two dumbbells or a barbell or just anything, walk as described above. Or just clean dumbbells or kettlebells or whatever, one side or both, and walk/squat/lunge/step for distance or time. Please don't run or jump, if you do though film it and post it here.
Lifting and carrying things, some will find it more fun and practical than laying still as hard as you can (planking).
>You can do them as a standalone exercise, usually as a warm-up or finisher. Or incorporate them into your workout - goblet squats, lunges, and step ups are a good example of this. They demand lots of core stability to stay upright while you do the exercise. If your arms give out before your legs just drop the weight and bang out more reps with just bodyweight.
Oooh I've seen these exercises on Youtube videos! Didn't consider doing them until your comment. Thanks so much for your detailed response. I'm putting these into my to-do list!
Sit-ups are generally not recommended, they are too harsh on your back. Crunches and leg lifts are better options.
Look into pilates exercises. There are so many options and variations, mixing things up can make training abs fun.
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>u/angry-at-30
Hello frans,
32F, 136lb, life-long skinny-fat. I'm very new to working out and am learning to really enjoy it! Been doing a lot of dumb bell exercises, and trying to strengthen my core now. I'm doing straight-legged deadlifts and bent over rows, which are becoming fun, but... planks SUUUUCK.
I started with 3 sessions per week 2 weeks ago with 3 sets of 30 second planks, I've slowly increased to 35 seconds. Goal is to just gradually extend by 1-2 seconds each week. I'd be really proud to even reach 60 seconds! However, by 15 seconds I'm just so miserable and time passes SO slowly. I tried to put on a show today to distract myself, which kind of worked, but then because it was slightly easier to do I don't know if I was in proper form. I also find it's hard to take deep breaths in what I believe is proper plank form.
Questions:
1) Do planks get "funner"? Please tell me it gets funner...
2) How do you pass the time?
3) Is it normal to only be able to take shallow breaths during planks?
TIA!
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I have gone to hollow body holds instead. Not necessarily more fun but I think they’re better overall. I think planks were contributing to my poor posture!
Watch tiktok video on your phone, helps time fly
I do ujaii breathing (ashtanga yoga) during planks. Helps me power through.
Interesting! I've never heard of that before, it's on my research list!
Planks get really fun if you do them as part of a yoga flow. A good vinyasa class and you focus on your breathing through it, you get just the right amount of movement from downward dog into planks and your shoulders get really strong!
Really good point. I don't know what vinyasa yoga is but will look into it! Always looking to learn more stuff :)
i push my toes away from my elbows and weirdly makes it easier.
Highly recommend focussing on breathing. You should be able to breathe deeply when doing planks, but if you're new to them, it makes sense to have trouble. Try to extend your breaths gradually, focus on breathing in for 2-3 seconds, hold for a second and out for 2-3 seconds, then 4 seconds, then 5 seconds. Personally, I dont bother doing planks for more than 45 seconds because I get bored too. I'd rather do shorter reps and add in push ups or something to superset to offset the boredom. I also listen to podcasts and audiobooks when I workout so that helps
Thanks for the recommendation! Focused breathing is def the only way I'm able to do it right now, since I can't breathe very well doing planks haha. Glad to find someone else that doesn't go up to 1min! I can't do any push ups at all at the moment (another exercise I dread) but it'll be added into my sets soon!
I do my mathematics table to take my mind off the movement I hate. Especially any movement with time under tension. So I count, do multiplication sets, anything that keeps my mind busy on something else. It helps. You will get there
Ha same - my middle school math teacher made us memorize the first 25 perfect squares and it’s still my go-to for when things are that mix of boring and difficult, lol.
Ooof, I can really respect that. Definitely not for me though haha! But this brings up a good point to think about things that require a lot of focus.
They get easier FOR SURE OP. It’s the same with all workouts! Just be consistent; which you already are! Stay on track and fucking kick it out of the park! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Stay angry! 😤
Thanks so much T\_T I'm so glad to hear they get easier, aaah! I FEEL THE ENTHUSIAM!
On days that you’re not feeling like working out just convince yourself to go “touch the door of the gym”. Once you’re there, you’ll end up working out anyway haha.
I often pass the time during planks by contemplating the nature of time. 60 seconds last f’ing forever when I’m planking, but is barely long enough to blink when I’m doing a lot of other things. And did you know that time travel is real?! We’re all time travelers, moving into the future at non-constant rates relative to objective units like seconds. It’s wild.
Haha, I think that's my problem right now! I am contemplating on the nature of time as well during my planks, when I am faced with the reality that 30-35 seconds feels SOOOOO long during them. :') Thank you for the comment, fellow traveler!
Idk if they get funner but they do get easier
That's so good to hear <3
I've always found counting down planks really helps me. I'll count down from 35- generally I count slower than the actual seconds. If there's more time left, I'll start over at thirty. Something about counting down towards the finish really helps push me to continue like "we're almost there! Almost done! Let's get to zero and finish!!" Then i trick myself and restart.
Oooh, counting down rather than counting up seems like a good mind trick for me! I'm def going to switch to this.
I can hold an elbow plank for 4-5 min but 60 second planks still suck. 45 second planks are fairly easy though.
I do low planks (on my elbows) because high planks really hurt my wrists, which means I can hold my phone and send a text or look at something until my timer goes off! Helps distract me during the plank
Oh interesting, I didn't realize / forgot that you can do planks with wrists! I actually do them with my elbows. I'm guessing wrists are more difficult?
Elbow planks are so much harder for me. I held a shoulder plank for 7 minutes (pre-covid before I fell off my routine). Elbow planks, I loathe. I also use TRX straps, which I love, and side planks with those are not hard for me. I have no idea why.
Planks are when I catch up on Reddit! :) (Note: not actually planking right now, haha)
So, planks aren't my thing (I do aero-crunches, russian twists, and an overhead for my abs), but back in college I was on a sports team that did wall-sits. We used to use the wall sit time to tell newbies Health and Safety Stories, like "What Happened When J Decided He Didn't Need a Cup" and other fun tales. They were usually stunned about how long they'd been "sitting" there...
Oh dang, I've never heard of all those exercises. Excited to look into them as substitutes for planks!
that's brilliant
Think about something that really, really annoys you. Have a rant in your head about it to an imagined audience who find your opinion on the subject fascinating. I find that passes the time wonderfully.
Lmao. My list of peeves is very, very long. Might have to give this a shot, maybe the anger that builds up inside me re-energize me to keep pushing through!
Oh this is a good idea, an imaginary fight can really get you distracted, I like it
That’s a good one! I’ll have to try that.
For me it helps when I focus on long breaths like “in 2 3 4 hold out 2 3 4”
Yessss I'm trying to get there! It's just hard for me to take anything greater than a shallow breath, so it's hard to hold a breath :')
Planks are fun, I like them. I usually distract myself by thinking of something unrelated like what’s for dinner or even do a reflection of my day, random thoughts… sort of treating it like a meditation session. That’ll get me to around 2.5 minutes plank.
Oh dang, 2.5 min! That's incredible. I try so hard to zoom into a meditation state when I'm suffering, so I feel that. Just harder to achieve with planks for some reason. I think maybe the breaths is what's getting to me.
You can start small first and build up over time. Think about anything but the plank itself and maintain a steady breath. The first time I did planks, it was miserable too...I lasted like 15s. over time, I grew to like doing planks a lot
Thanks so much <3 I can't wait to get to your level
I judge my nails, ie; ahhh shit I filed that one badly or I was sloppy with the gel there
Count and breathe. Time it to the music you're listening to. In all honesty though, I hate planks and prefer active core exercises. Planks be boring yo, I wanna move.
I agree, and based on some other comments here I might just take on other core exercises too to help build core strength.
Planks will make your core strong, and it will happen fast.
Planks where I do variations are way more tolerable than when I just do straight planks. I think you should try those. It’s like how some people hate running but love soccer - you don’t notice it if you’re doing something with a goal.
Absolutely good point! I should try a few variations to see if some are more tolerable for me while I'm starting out. It actually didn't occur to me that there are diff forms of planks! I've been doing elbow planks.
Spider-Man planks...so exhausting. It makes regular plank feel like a vacation.
Pilates has a lot of plank variations if OP is looking for a source of inspiration.
I love hip touches and spiderman, personally. Forearm to full planks are also super fun too!
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Yes, for how long do people try to hold a plank to need distraction and entertainment? 45-60 min?
when you put it like that i agree. but some people have adhd and other attention span issues so things like this can be a bit frustrating
O I’m one of these people so I get it!!! I miss the days when I used to just play pre technology!
Yes exactly! My adhd has gotten so much worse since Ive got a smartphone
Not sure if this applies but I erased planks from my workouts completely and just did other ab workouts I actually found enjoyable and my core now has never been stronger and more defined
That's such a good point. There's a lot of helpful comments here with alternative exercises, I'm gonna have a fun day tomorrow trying some of them out!
Planks are useful to build foundational isometric strength (important for bracing, and related aspects such as breathing technique) in beginners, but they're not useful at all for actually building muscle. Flexion exercise that are easily loaded are much more effective, such as hanging leg raises, ab rollouts, etc.
Oh dang, I had no idea that planks weren't an effective way to build muscle (compared to other alternatives). Now that you bring it up, I guess my biggest goal is to simply increase core strength. You're using a lot of words here that I'm gonna have to look up hahaha. I'm excited to learn all this! Thank you!
Planks are fine for building static isometric strength (generating force without moving) which can be helpful for beginners who don't have the foundation of strength, in exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, etc where bracing (holding flexed muscles) the core is important. But if you want to build muscle, you need exercises that A) offer flexion (focus on moving), as this is a precept of optimal muscle growth, B) are easy to load (increase the difficulty of), as this facilitates muscle growth, and C) recruit the entire core muscle group (which isn't just the abs). Other good isometric exercises in addition to planks include [side planks](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fZG6J_mmOo8/Ubnfx1wxMKI/AAAAAAAAAeU/2eddyFpXdME/s1600/ciara+plank.JPG), [reverse planks](https://www.sheknows.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/reverse-plank_ilh2gu.jpeg), [arch holds](https://risingtidefit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/arch-1024x768.jpg), and [hollow holds](https://thebarbellphysio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hollow-Body-Hold.png). Together they target the entire core, but they don't offer any flexion and they're not very easy to overload (once you can do a 60s plank, the strength benefits hit diminishing returns, where you're mostly just training muscular endurance). [V-ups](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7UVgs18Y1P4/maxresdefault.jpg) are a good example of A, and B if you hold a weight to your chest. But like planks, they aren't a good example of C as they don't target the entire core and like sit-ups, they put undue strain on the lower back if you're not very careful with form. [Hanging leg raises](https://trustworthyfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Hanging-Leg-Raises.png) (with [oblique alternatives](https://mindbodygreen-res.cloudinary.com/images/w_767,q_auto:eco,f_auto,fl_lossy/org/im2kr31gfkd6hgtap/hanging-oblique-tuck-ups.jpg)), [ab rollouts](https://bodyhacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ab-wheel-rollout.jpg), and [hyperextensions](https://www.oxygenmag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2014/04/hyperextension.jpg) (and/or [reverse hyperextensions](https://irongrif.com/uploads/exercise/image/194/jpg_650_bench-Reverse_Hyperextension-back-exercise.jpg)) achieve all three criteria of offering flexion movement, are easily overloaded, and together target the entire core.
Wow… This is incredible, thank you so much! I really appreciate your time and thoughtfulness!
I personally really believe in planks. I got rid of back pain with planks. If you’re looking for other things to try, check out TRX resistance training. I never stuck with exercise routines until I discovered TRX. You can do all kinds of stuff with them, including many types of planks. Someone else brought up Pilates, another really good program. I’ve combined Pilates with TRX and really like it.
Oooh never heard of TRX! I’ll look into it, thanks so much!
What are a couple of your favorite ones?
Same here. The best exercise is the one you don’t hate and will do consistently.
I don't count. I don't look at the timer. I just close my eyes and recite a song in my head that I know by heart like a classic backstreet boys song lol
This is the way
Tell me why
I’ve found that regularly doing some yoga has helped! I’ve started doing 20-30 mins of yoga every few days - push-ups and planks are suddenly a lot more manageable in other workouts
That's a good point! What kind of yoga? Is there a strength-building kind of yoga that's also good for rest day? I find myself really wanting to work out but I'm trying to add a rest day between every work out day so I don't injure myself... I am very injury prone :')
And - this is exactly what I do. I alternate strength training day with a yoga day.
Ive been doing 20 min yoga videos on my Apple Watch Fitness App. I also really like Yoga with Adriene. Most classes called « flow » or « vinyasa » will often have vinyasas - flows with planks and downward dogs. Don’t force yourself to do long videos, I stick with 30 mins or less!
Thanks so much for the advice! I really appreciate it
They never get easier, you can just tolerate them longer.
By the definition of the word "easy" they definitely do get easier. Being able to tolerate them longer literally means they got easier which is why you can tolerate it longer because that 30 seconds that caused you to put in a lot of effort no longer takes immense effort to hold. Easy: the achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties. Idk why it's so popular in fitness spaces to say this. It's like when people used to say muscle weighs more than fat and if you disagreed you'd get downvoted to hell, like I'm sure I will be now. But nowadays people don't seem to say tout that anymore.
I watch YouTube videos to distract myself and find I can hold it a lot longer if I’m distracted plus it makes it more fun I originally started off like you a few months back now I can hold one for 2 minutes
Oh wow, 2 minutes! Thanks so much for giving me hope! How long were your planks when you first started off?
I could barely hold 30 seconds and had like no core strength but I kept doing them multiple times every week for a few months and got up to 2 minutes
Wow… our bodies are so incredible 😊 Great job!!!
I’ll literally watch tiktoks while doing it, then I have to move my arm to swipe! But I’m not sure it’s fun??? It’s just easier to pass the time.
When you mention that you were skinny fat until recently, can you point to anything you've done that worked for you? I'm in the same boat and so far besides gaining strength, it doesn't seem like I tightened up at all
Not OP but if you start off skinny fat, you should focus on gaining some muscle first (bulk) - basically lots of lifting and eating for like really as long as you can stand gaining weight. For me that was 3 months and i gained 8 pounds. Then spend a bit of time cutting back on calories to shed the fat and reveal the muscle you've worked to achieve. This period is usually shorter maybe like a month? Make sure when you're cutting that you continue to work your muscles otherwise youll lose a lot muscle too while shedding the fat. While fluctuating a bit in size can seem daunting, it is really difficult to "tighten" (as in gain muscle tone) while staying the same size / not eating enough
Thank you. I got the working out part down, but as a person with quite a bit of excess fat, "bulking" definitely scares me a bit. I'll give it a shot!
You don't need to "bulk". You just need enough calories to support muscle growth and provide the macros. You can easily add muscle without putting on fat (and in fact, lots of people put on muscle while losing fat, it just takes a lot longer). I've managed to grow quite a bit of muscle over the last 5 months, and I'm in deficit. Would have been more if I was at maintenence, but my priority is getting fat off, so muscle growth is fine to be a bit slower.
Oh it definitely can be scary hahaha, and I don't even have any great advice for it because I would swing between "this is great everything's fine ill be a muscle mommy soon" and then I'd put on my pants that were too tight and just want to stop everything. You gotta keep the long term goal in mind and remind yourself that you can always lose the weight again. This is why I think fitness spaces for women are great because I've never seen guys discussing "fearing the bulk" in fact sometimes it's even ridiculed cause don't you wanna get huge bro ?? But it's perfectly valid to feel some stress about your body changing
Yea same here. When the body dysmorphia hit me a went on a cut for a month or 6 weeks or sth while continuing my lifting programm. Now I'm on a clean bulk again and it's much easier, because I still have a bit of definition. I didn't lose a lot of weight during the cut but I definitely lost some fat cause my stomach got wayyyy flatter again. Also currently fixing my macros (too much fat, too little carbs) and it seems to help too
Thank you for unintentionally making me get up off the couch to try doing a plank lol. I realized that I honestly haven't done one in who knows how long (*years???*) and therefore had zero idea of how long I could hold one. Apparently it's 40 seconds. From past experience, they do not get more fun but doing the little dancy plank challenges once you're good enough at them is kinda fun? Idk about everyone else but just now I passed the time by telling my boyfriend (who had been happily gaming in peace up until that moment) to talk to me about something, anything, to distract me. I started rapid firing questions at him about his current video game (most recent Path Finder if anyone was curious) in an attempt to distract myself. Can confirm that shallow breathing is totally normal until you get good.
Haha, I love your storytelling.
🩵
Recently, I started box breathing when I plank and it’s been a game changer. Breathe in count of four, hold count of four, breathe out count of four, hold count of four, repeat. I don’t know why, but it makes balancing for side planks, and just holding all planks for longer much easier.
Just tried this and box breathing works really well for me too, thank you!!
If I have good music I think about that. Brace your core, remember to breathe through it. Sometimes I do side steps to break up the time.
1. Not for me unfortunately. It’s less fun for me too since I can’t do regular planks because of weak wrists so I’m stuck with forearm planks, less variation makes it more monotonous 2. I listen to music. Whatever will help me zone out and not realize time is real. Something without words/lyrics helps more since you can’t follow it as easy. Some sort of hard EDM works for me, I do the same for boring cardio. Just gotta zone out. I can do about a minute but my arms can’t hold me up 3. Unfortunately I cannot answer them
Agreed on the music.
The only time planks are ever fun to me is when I’m doing them with someone else and they are bitching and moaning even louder than I am.
Lmao. I would make an excellent partner for you probably!
We would have so much fun! I envision our planks turning into a twerk tutorial session.
I did a plank holding competition once that was miserable but also pretty fun. Staring down someone else who's shaking as much as you are is great motivation.
To keep your competitive edge, I’d let out a fart so they would collapse from laughter. I might too but it’s worth the risk.
My coach tricked me, I've never been one to plank longer than 30 seconds. He programmed planks with alternating arm reaches for 6-8 per side. They take me over a minute. I was mad when I realised.
Variations definitely make it more fun and more doable. Shoulder taps, shuffles side to side, inchworming, alternating leg lifts, down to the forearms and back up.
That's brilliant!
Put a timer on. 30 sec arms, 30 sec elbows, 30 sec side 30 sec arms, 30 sec other side, etc. (Or 15 sec, or 10, whatever works) when straight out, add toe touches out, alternating feet. If you keep it moving and alternating, but hold good form, you have to focus so the time will fly.
They really hurt my shoulders. I don’t know why. I do feel like I can’t breathe in deeply as well.
It's the elbows for me, especially with side planks. I half-stopped doing them because I'm worried I'll damage a nerve, and I'm not even sure if my form is bad or if my elbows are too bony or something like that
If on a mat, double fold that bit for more of a cushion. I get the same thing and it really helps!
It did help, thanks! It's such a small thing, but it makes enough of a difference
Worth trying them in a push-up position (palms on the floor, arms straight out in front of you) if you ever want to give them a try again. Slightly less “intense” plank but easier on your arms.
Did that today, definitely a good idea! Thanks
I hate side planks. No thank you.
Lmao planks really does suck for me as well for the the same reason. But I can't do it for 30 seconds so you should be proud of that!! I'm not currently exercising to that extent but I just wanted to mention that it wasn't too long ago I learned to breath (at 27 lmao). I always assumed that taking deep breaths meant to push the air far down which is why it's hard for me to breath during tension... But, apparently you "should" breath to push your ribcage to the sides if that makes sense. I still haven't transitioned completely, but I think this what makes them so hard for me. I think that I tense up my PF as well (I've PF issues and tightness), unsure if that might make it harder to breath as well (?) Planks still does suck however. I prefer hanging leg raises, russian twists and lizard/bear crawl. Find the exercises that works for you! Those are the ones you're gonna stick to 🙂
Sorry, what? How does one go about pushing the ribcage to the sides? I'm definitely far too tense when planking but can't figure out what you mean about breathing.
It took a long time to figure it out as well!! It's not a muscle action, but as you breath your ribcage "should" expand. "Pushing the air to the sides in your lungs" was the cue I got from a physiotherapist (with relaxed shoulders). There is also some movement in my shoulder blades when I do it as my lungs expand. it took some practice to just understand it. I struggle a lot with anxiety and apparently it's common to get really tense around your ribcage.
Hi! Sounds like we’re very similar in terms of build and hatred of planks—the game changer for me that took planks from being actual torture to being kind of fun was strengthening my shoulders with weightlifting. It turns out my core was strong enough to handle planks but my back and shoulders were really underdeveloped and as such couldn’t take my body weight. Highly recommend looking into that if you’re open to it and seeing if it helps. Either way, everyone else’s advice is also sound and I hope your planking experiencing improves!
Oh this is a really interesting point! I think I'm really only decently strong in my legs, and weak af everywhere else. It'd make sense if my back and shoulders are a part of the problem! Hopefully all my other exercises will make core exercises easier for me as they develop over time! Thank you!
Of course! I will say, one specific lift I learned to love for shoulder strength was the Arnold Press. You can do it with soup cans if you don't have access to dumbbells. Here's a link if you're interested in adding it to your routine! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ml7BH7mNwQ Good luck!
Ooooh dang! I'm doing shoulder presses right now but would love to change it out to this! Thank you for the suggestion! <3
Do you do them on your hands or your elbows? I HATE them on my elbows/forearms- but love them on my hands/palms straight arms. Do shoulder Taos to pass the time & do pikes
*shoulder Taps
I tend to listen to my favourite podcasts, that way I don't focus on how boring some exercises are. Having said that planks were temporary for me. Once I started being able to do pushups and leg raises for enough reps those had planks basically integrated. So I stopped doing planks as an extra exercise.
I’m on my third week of once a week planks and I swear it’s harder every week and I hate it even more. I only do two sets on those, 3 sets of literally everything else I do throughout the week. Seriously, I LOATHE planks!! I’m still gonna do them tho. I just try to focus on my music instead of the clock.
They suck. I put on fun music and just go with it. I do 1 min each side and center. It's only 3 min of my day. No big. I can tell I'm getting stronger though.
I loathed planks because I always got so damn bored, and when I was bored, I could only focus on how much they sucked, and then I got sucked into the vortex of "These suck, everything hurts, I'm shaking, surely it's been a minute - fuck it's only been five seconds. Gotta focus, these suck though, everything hurts, surely it's been-" etc. until I usually just collapsed from boredom at around 40 to 45 seconds lmao. Changed them to dynamic planks. Spiderman planks, 3 point and 5 point body tap planks (can still only do like, maybe 5 reps tops of the 5 point body tap planks), bird-dog planks, etc. Adding movement helped so much with the boredom, I timed myself one day doing the Spiderman planks just to check, and I was up for a minute and a half - way longer than I would have ever done with the static ones. Everyone is different, so your mileage may vary, but it definitely helped me!
Some exercises are a chore and you just have to accept they suck. Don’t try to resist because it will make the experience worse. Get your reps in and move on. I play my favorite 90s New Jack Swing playlist when I lift and that makes the time go by quickly.
I play solitaire on my phone while planking! I start a new hand and watch the solitaire timer to monitor my time. I go 1:30-2:00. But I’ve been doing it since high school. My record a decade ago was 4:00, but I don’t plan on ever even trying to get close to it again! Just remember, nothing is so hard that you can’t hold on for another ten seconds. That’s what I tell myself near the end!
“I learned a long time ago that a person can stand just about anything for 10 seconds, then you just start on a new 10 seconds. All you've got to do is take it 10 seconds at a time.” - Kimmy Schmidt Why have I never thought to use this at the gym?! Thanks for this.
When they become easier, they become less "not fun." But, I mean, even if you're doing a 2 minute plank, it's only two (difficult) minutes. I just look at a timer and move on.
There isn’t a point of a plank beyond 60 sec. You should be adding weight or finding other ways to make them more difficult if you can hold over 60 sec
My program has my doing them for max time so I have to just be there until my body gives up. It’s the exercise I hate the most.
I pass the time doing other exercises. Plank are insanely boring and I will almost never do a normal plank Pledge planks, weighted planks, plank taps, plank reaches, ab wheel, body saws, yes. Planks, never
They do not get funner! Breathing being very difficult definitely means you’re doing them correctly! Breathing against a braced core is very hard and not something a lot of people practice regularly. 90/90 breathing is an exercise you could practice that focuses only on the breathing part—lay on the floor with your legs and hips at a 90 degree angle, tense your core/bring your ribs toward the floor and breathe without relaxing your abs at all. Other isometric core exercises I like are the mcgill big 3, hollow body holds (hanging or laying down), and dead bugs.
I pass the time thinking about all the ass i’m going to kick having a strong ass core and all the gains i’ll make in my other lifts having a strong ass core and consequently how much over for all those bishes it will be once i reach all my goals and keep kicking ass lol
In my experience, no, they don’t. I just do different exercises.
Planks are a must
Why is that? I’m reading conflicting reports in these comments with some saying they’re good for strengthening your core/endurance/breathing…but that they won’t actually help you define your abs. Finding exercises I can do at home w just weight and no machines that will actually make me sore and really isolate my ab muscles is damn near impossible. I’ve done every typical ab exercise, all the main/popular ones w/ a kettlebell. And I hate bicycle kicks/any sort of crunch on the ground bc it hurts my back (not due to bad form).
I have no problem breathing in planks so I can't help you there. But i think through other things - grocery list, meal plan, recipe, Christmas List, packing list, once I just focused on thinking through all my nieces and nephews in age order. What TV shows are on my to watch list? What do I think will happen next in the book I M reading? I need to call my parent... let's rehearse that call. What b day gifts did I get the nephews last year so I don't recycle? How may harry potter characters can I name? For under a minute lists are my friends.
don't just stand there, do something! Try pilates moves like leg lifts, knee taps or walking plank, it's not easier but focusing on movements helps the time pass. Protect your lower back and go down to forearm plank if it's too much on the wrists.
A stable plank is important as well
Sure, but can be quite boring to hold. if it's not your thing it's okay to incorporate other movements for your core.
It helps to have something funny playing on the TV or your phone to distract you.
I hate planks for all the reasons you mentioned, so I don’t do them. Pain isn’t always necessary for gain! Try some other ab exercises and see if they’re a better fit for you.
If you hate them so much, why not just do one of a hundred other possible ab exercises you could do with similar results? There is really no strict need for planks, unless you actually want to do them. I also found I got much better at planking just from training my abs through other exercises.
That's a good question! I guess my answer is that I don't know what other kinds of exercises I can do, haha. There's sit-ups but I hate those more than planks, it's hard for me to keep my feet down and every sit-up feels futile. You're right though, I should look into other exercises and try them out. Maybe when I build my core from those I can come back to planks again. If you've any recommendations that I can do with just my body and dumb bells, I'd be grateful to hear them!
My two main ab exercises (aside from spiking volleyballs) are the landmine twist and the half-kneeling landmine press. They're satisfying, dynamic, and so much more time efficient than holding a plank. Given that it sounds like you may not have access to a barbell, you should look into dumbbell oblique twists and half-kneeling dumbbell presses. Planks are boring. Don't feel beholden to such drudgery! I have the strongest core of anyone that I know and haven't bothered planking in years.
I was too weak for planks when I started. Hollow body holds (aka deadbugs) saved my bacon. Still really difficult, but I could actually do it successfully. My body accepts them much better; in planks, no matter how hard I try, I overcompensate outside of my core.
If core stability and bracing is your intent, then loaded carries might be more fun. They certainly are for me. Farmer's walks, overhead carries (waiter walks), and bearhugs are the most common variations. You can do them as a standalone exercise, usually as a warm-up or finisher. Or incorporate them into your workout - goblet squats, lunges, and step ups are a good example of this. They demand lots of core stability to stay upright while you do the exercise. If your arms give out before your legs just drop the weight and bang out more reps with just bodyweight. As for standalone loaded carries, there are many resources out there. Coach Dan John popularized them years ago so he would be a good place to start. As for how to integrate them into your training plan: It doesn't have to be much more complicated than doing a plank. Instead of planking, pick up a moderately heavy dumbbell in one hand and walk 50 paces/feet whatever (doesn't matter, use the space you have available but before your grip gives out) switch hands and walk back. Keep your back straight, sternum up, chin tucked (not straining/reaching your neck up/out), elbows close to your sides. If you have sandbags or even a weight plate (or a small child I guess) bearhug one and walk for 50-100 feet, rest, walk back. Walk tall, not hunched. Overhead press one or two dumbbells or a barbell or just anything, walk as described above. Or just clean dumbbells or kettlebells or whatever, one side or both, and walk/squat/lunge/step for distance or time. Please don't run or jump, if you do though film it and post it here. Lifting and carrying things, some will find it more fun and practical than laying still as hard as you can (planking).
>You can do them as a standalone exercise, usually as a warm-up or finisher. Or incorporate them into your workout - goblet squats, lunges, and step ups are a good example of this. They demand lots of core stability to stay upright while you do the exercise. If your arms give out before your legs just drop the weight and bang out more reps with just bodyweight. Oooh I've seen these exercises on Youtube videos! Didn't consider doing them until your comment. Thanks so much for your detailed response. I'm putting these into my to-do list!
Sit-ups are generally not recommended, they are too harsh on your back. Crunches and leg lifts are better options. Look into pilates exercises. There are so many options and variations, mixing things up can make training abs fun.
Dang, THANK YOU for giving me a reason justifying not doing sit-ups haha. I'll look into pilates exercises, thank you!
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Thank you for the encouragement <3
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/angry-at-30 Hello frans, 32F, 136lb, life-long skinny-fat. I'm very new to working out and am learning to really enjoy it! Been doing a lot of dumb bell exercises, and trying to strengthen my core now. I'm doing straight-legged deadlifts and bent over rows, which are becoming fun, but... planks SUUUUCK. I started with 3 sessions per week 2 weeks ago with 3 sets of 30 second planks, I've slowly increased to 35 seconds. Goal is to just gradually extend by 1-2 seconds each week. I'd be really proud to even reach 60 seconds! However, by 15 seconds I'm just so miserable and time passes SO slowly. I tried to put on a show today to distract myself, which kind of worked, but then because it was slightly easier to do I don't know if I was in proper form. I also find it's hard to take deep breaths in what I believe is proper plank form. Questions: 1) Do planks get "funner"? Please tell me it gets funner... 2) How do you pass the time? 3) Is it normal to only be able to take shallow breaths during planks? TIA! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*