Planking is a miracle exercise – here's how to get it right
Minutes passed before we both started to show signs of strain. Five minutes in, my core was still intact, but my knuckles were whitening. As we passed the 10-minute mark, everyone else, luckily, had grown bored of our bravado and we were able to settle on an amicable draw; egos intact.
The plank, an isometric core-strength exercise that involves maintaining a position similar to a push-up for the maximum possible time, is both feared and prized in fitness circles.
The benefits of planking
There are many benefits of planking, including:
Strengthen core muscles
Lower blood pressure
Low impact
Helps reduce risk of injury
Plank is an isometric exercise, meaning it creates tension in the muscle to help build strength without any movement. One 2022 study found that the plank and other isometric exercises such as wall sits and leg extensions are better at preventing high blood pressure than going for a run, walk or a bike ride. Scientists at Canterbury Christ Church University, in Kent, reviewed more than 200 trials which looked at a range of exercises and how they impacted blood pressure.
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