TUM-BELIEVABLE
Fitness vlogger reckons we’ve been doing a plank all wrong… so would you try this?
PLANKING is a simple exercise that can easily be done at home, making it a perfect core exercise for those who don’t have time to go to the gym.
However, it’s also often done incorrectly, and one YouTuber has revealed his secret to making sure it’s giving you the most efficient workout.
who runs the 2 Meal Day channel, says that he often sees people holding a plank for seven minutes, but he only holds his for usually around 30 seconds - and he claims that’s all it needs to be.
In a short video on YouTube, he explains the common mistake that people make, and how to make sure that the exercise is working your muscles as hard as possible.
Max shows the camera how most people do a plank, but he adds: “There’s nothing wrong with this in principle […] but I’m not really feeling it anywhere.”
“Most of the stress is on my joints, not on my muscles.”
3
He then shows how by contracting his abdominal muscles as hard as he can, the exercise is a lot harder for him.
“By driving my elbows down, tilting my hips, and tensing my abs as hard as I can, I’m getting 100 per cent contraction on those abs”
Max also explains that this trick can be applied to other exercises, such as squats where you should “squeeze your glutes as hard as you can”.
3
3
Another common mistake that people make is sagging their back, and Max demonstrates how that looks – so you can watch out for that too, next time you’re attempting the move.
He claims that his tip is important because “by getting 100 per cent muscle contraction, you’re activating every single fibre in the muscle, which means you’re going to improve the way it looks.”
“It’s going to grow; it’s going to be working more efficiently; it’s going to be stronger.”
MOST READ IN HEALTH AND FITNESS
If you're after other exercise that you can do at home, then check out the five most popular YouTube workouts this month - from cardio to yoga.
Or if you're needing motivation, then these at-home gym kits will definitely have you keeping to your New Year's resolutions.
And in more surprising health and fitness news, we reveal the five signs that show you might be healthier than you think.