Planks :)

**Catrin** · 07-03-2012, 04:31 PM

I am starting a small group training program with the head trainer at my gym to get help with some muscle imbalances that will, hopefully, help me to NOT tweak my overuse injuries so often so I can progress on the bike. He gave me a most unusual (to me) fitness/functional movement assessment the other day.

One of the tests was to go into a full plank position and hold it as long as possible - until I couldn't keep good form. I've wondered how long I can hold a plank... much to my surprise I was able to hold it for 4 minutes and 53 seconds - and the only reason I had to stop was my right IT band started complaining. If it wasn't for that it would have been longer.

At my consultation with him a couple of days later when he showed me a list of 10 corrective exercises to work on my own, he told me that he's never seen anyone hold a full plank that long. Ever. He's been in the business for a long time. Not that I am meaning to brag or anything, but that is kind of cool

I don't know anyone who would understand that so I had to share - it just shows how far I've come in the last 3 years in this physical journey of mine.

That being said, I was totally incapable of moving from being flat on the ground to a full pushup position in one movement, I couldn't even figure out how to get started

Two serious core strength tests, quite different results. I COULD move into a full plank in one movement, but not a pushup position.

I will start that once a week group session with him in two weeks and I am already dreading/looking forward to it at the same time. This is going to be fun

At one time I would never have considered a small group training like this, but I've come to see the benefits. It is different from the other group classes I've done at my gym in that it will be the same people in the group and it will be at 6am

**Giulianna23** · 07-03-2012, 04:38 PM

Wow...that's amazing...good job!...I can barely make it near to 2 minutes ...and really suffering

**Veronica** · 07-03-2012, 04:50 PM

WOW! That's cool!

I wonder if being able to move into a push up position is more about arms and shoulders than core.

It will be interesting to see what you can do after the sessions.

Veronica

**Catrin** · 07-03-2012, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Veronica

WOW! That's cool!

I wonder if being able to move into a push up position is more about arms and shoulders than core.

It will be interesting to see what you can do after the sessions.

Veronica

Tony said it was more about the core, but the arms and shoulders have got to be part of the equation - that's only logical. One of the goals we worked out for the next three months is to really hit my upper body strength. My lower body is quite strong - and this isn't the season to focus on building lower body strength anyway, but my upper body has been a challenge since I started working out 3 years ago.

I am still amazed at how well they work with small groups - it is like they have eyes in the back of their heads! In some ways I've found an advantage to small group training over individual - my competitive side starts to come out and it seems to make it easier to focus/encourage me - especially in the brutal workouts. I've been quite surprised by this discovery.

**Artista** · 07-03-2012, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Catrin

One of the tests was to go into a full plank position and hold it as long as possible - until I couldn't keep good form. I've wondered how long I can hold a plank... much to my surprise I was able to hold it for 4 minutes and 53 seconds - and the only reason I had to stop was my right IT band started complaining. If it wasn't for that it would have been longer

You rock!

**chatnoire** · 07-03-2012, 07:25 PM

4+ minutes???? I bow down before you! (and then get stuck and unable to get up, lol)

I can hold less than 1 minute.

Group training sounds awesome. If I could get over the inability to wake up early, I'd totally be down for that.

**Catrin** · 07-04-2012, 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by chatnoire

4+ minutes???? I bow down before you! (and then get stuck and unable to get up, lol)

I can hold less than 1 minute.

Group training sounds awesome. If I could get over the inability to wake up early, I'd totally be down for that.

It wasn't that long ago that 45 seconds was torture...something changed and I don't know when but I will take it.

I do NOT like "traditional" fitness classes - things like step, general aerobics outside of a good spinning class, combat, etc. Metabolic/functional training is a totally different beast entirely. Just being with a couple of others who are doing the same thing is encouraging and there are partner exercises that allow us to use our bodies in ways just not possible otherwise.

I don't HAVE to take the 6am option, but I am going to try it. There is a 5:00pm option if it just doesn't work for me.

**OakLeaf** · 07-04-2012, 04:05 AM

Almost 5 minutes ?!?! Good grief. Good job.

I think shoulder stabilizers are considered part of the core? So those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

**Catrin** · 07-04-2012, 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Almost 5 minutes ?!?! Good grief. Good job.

I think should stabilizers are considered part the core? So those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

The test was called a "Pure Stability Test"...and a full plank is complex - (witness to my IT band finally ending it rather than my lower back or something else). I actually didn't think my time was unusual until Tony said something about it a couple of days later, and the comments here.

Time to ride before the big broiler in the sky kicks into overdrive...

**roo4** · 07-04-2012, 09:42 AM

Nice!

Now try them with your feet on the bench. Or arms on bench, feet on stability ball. Lots of fun!

**Irulan** · 07-05-2012, 08:44 PM

Can you find a YouTube vid of that move?

**Catrin** · 07-06-2012, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by Irulan

Can you find a YouTube vid of that move?

I've spent the last half-hour trying to find a video, or even just a series of pictures on a website, of the special pushup that was part of my fitness assessment test but can't seem to find one. They all appear to start from an elevated position or raising the upper body before the lower body. If I do find something I will post it here. Tony made it look so easy - but after my inability to do this one he skipped the rest of the pushup part of the assessment - for which I was thankful! We already knew that I need some serious work on non-modified pushups.

**Crankin** · 07-06-2012, 04:14 AM

Yesterday, as we were doing the third of 3 repetitions of three sets of planks (forward, left, right side), I was thinking of you guys.
We also did a lovely new plank like thing. This involved getting in a plank position on your hands, paper plates under your toes, and crawling across the gym floor, then pushing yourself backwards to the start. Twice.
Did*not*like*those.

**Irulan** · 07-06-2012, 06:26 AM

We call those "gators". We do them with weight plates ; dragging them with our toes on the AstroTurf. I imagine what the gym floor surface is like, what they use. Do you have an ab wheel there? You know, "as seen on TV"? You can stick you feet in the loops and do it that way too. Just another variation....

**Catrin** · 07-06-2012, 10:59 AM

I gave up trying to find a video, there are so many different kinds of pushups and the only thing that really makes this different is the starting position.

Perhaps a different explanation will help.

Body flat on the ground, face to the floor. forearms on the floor, hands/fingers angled in to point to the temples. Maintain a plank position when using the arms to raise the body into the pushup position maintaining the same hand position/angle as when you started. So your entire body rises at the same time.

Crankin, I found a video of the "Gator Pushups" which look like what you described and it looks positively brutal, I can see why you didn't like it. But you did it

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