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Nov 2013
8:34pm, 20 Nov 2013
7,582 posts
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The Terminator
i didn't do any last week due to 30 mile race Sunday and have now got back from 3 days in London with 45 students so will resume over next couple of days...
No really I will 
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Jan 2014
11:11am, 22 Jan 2014
2,621 posts
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SusiesueH
as a bit of fun* our running group has taken up the thirty day plank challenge. http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/30-day-plank-challenge/#_ I'm up to day 17 now and the first week or so was almost too easy and the time increased slowly every day or two. Week 2 went well and I was proud of myself for being able to manage 90 seconds with relative ease (I can certainly feel the tightness in my upper abs particularly towards the end of the plank). But then week 3 brought a big increase to 2 minutes for two days, followed by 2.5 minutes for 3 days. I'm on day 17 and it's all gone to pot. I've failed two days in a row to reach 2 minutes. 10 seconds short yesterday and 2 seconds short today. How do I even contemplate getting to 5 minutes in under two weeks from now?
Is it me or is it actually an unachievable challenge?
*dog knows why we thought it would be
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Jan 2014
11:18am, 22 Jan 2014
5,401 posts
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becca7
Planks don't get much easier day by day, in my experience. I wonder what the value is of doing 2.5 minutes and upwards, as opposed to 1 or 2 minutes? I think that at that point it crosses the line from being a (relatively) fun challenge that you get a bit of benefit from into doing planks for the sake of it.
I would keep doing planks but keep the length of each at about a minute but add in side planks and prone elbow stands (as per the first exercise on Core H) to make up the total time e.g. do 5 minutes but made up of 4 different sorts of planks and that way you will be getting a more balanced core workout.
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Jan 2014
11:22am, 22 Jan 2014
2,622 posts
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SusiesueH
thanks becca. it certainly feels like the challenge to get to 5 mins is for the sake of it rather than having any additional training benefit. good point re other types of plank - having a balance of core work was something that occurred to me earlier on in the challenge. I had wondered whether something to work the back & sides might be a sensible thing to do alongside standard planks.
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Jan 2014
11:47am, 22 Jan 2014
5,402 posts
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becca7
I think it is. It is not a good idea to focus solely on particular muscles, as doing one type of plan for minutes at a time would do. That would make it not only a bit silly but also unbalancing.
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Jan 2014
12:36pm, 22 Jan 2014
21,678 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Just plank by itself has limited benefit to runners (not zero benefit of course, but probably diminishing as you go for more than 1-2 mins). Movement more like running as core is better all round (functional, I think they call it now) training, imho.
So single leg squats, squats on wobble board etc. while doing your core (try controlling the wobble on one leg or on the bosu ball/wobble board, if your obliques and abs are weak!) but also other core muscles - hip flexors, lower back muscles etc.
Lots of the core training stuff in the header includes all those sorts of movements too. And it's more fun than "just planks!) :-)G
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Jan 2014
1:50pm, 22 Jan 2014
7,770 posts
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The Terminator
All correct but the plank challenge is just that isn't it, a challenge? I wonder if it all has to be done at once though? Could you not do it over 2 sessions or with a rest between sets?
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Jan 2014
2:01pm, 22 Jan 2014
3,015 posts
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The Scribbler
Happy G has pretty much expressed my thoughts. The only thing holding a standard plank for 5 mins helps you do is hold a plank for 5 mins.
It's also a good idea to support those front abdominal muscles with strength in the lower back too, and having strong side abdominal muscles should help keep your body position nice and straight when you run, so you're not twisting and turning too much.
Functional fitness is simply being fit for your chosen sport/activity. And as you're generally upright and balanced on one leg then the other when you run, then doing lots of floor based static exercises balanced on feet and hands/arms doesn't easily translate.
I guess the idea of the challenge is to ingrain a habit of doing core work, and increase strength by gradually increasing intensity. But just planks... there are way more fun core challenges to try.
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Jan 2014
2:05pm, 22 Jan 2014
7,771 posts
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The Terminator
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/core?page=0,0
Some more good core exercises there, from a biking website but good for runners too.
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Jan 2014
2:11pm, 22 Jan 2014
4,926 posts
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Sharkie
Hello! Has this thread helped oh watchers, lurkers and contributors?
I need motivation to get a decent block of conditioning in before my track season starts....
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