There are numerous abdominal exercises you can perform to develop the tone and size of your abs, Everybody has heard of sit ups and crunches which are good in there own rights, but the plank abdominal exercise is rated as one of the top 10 Abs exercises you can perform. So throw away your fancy abs exercise gadgets and gizmo’s and keep reading as his article will discuss the plank exercise benefits and how to do it.
One of the main benefits of the plank is that it can be performed anywhere, either at home, the gym or even the office. All you need is a floor mat and you are good to go. This exercise works the Abs, back and core stabiliser muscles.
Benefits Of The Plank Abs Exercise
This exercise can be performed at home or at the gymnasium, all you need is a floor mat and you’re pretty much good to go. The Plank works the abdominals muscles, back, legs and arms. Although this exercise looks easy to perform, you will soon see that it is much harder than it looks.
How To Perform The Plank
* Place the mat on the floor and lie face down on your forearms.
* Now lift your self up using your forearms / elbows as if performing a standard push-up.
* Keep your back, hips and legs straight and tense your abdominal muscles.
* Hold this position until your hips begin to sag.
* Rest and repeat the exercise.
If you are a beginner you can hold this position for 10 seconds and then rest and repeat. You will soon be able to hold the position for much longer using this exercise on a regular basis. You will also be able to perform variations in the plank exercise. The variations in the plank exercises are the stability ball plank which work the muscles harder and the side plank which works the obliques.
The plank exercise should be used as part of an overall abs exercise program, As this exercise used on its own will not give you the six pack you want. But used in conjunction with other abs exercises, cardio workouts, weight training and a good nutritious diet then you will soon be reaping the rewards.
In conclusion the plank exercise can be performed virtually anywhere, works the abdominal muscles and helps to increase your core strength. So don’t just do hundreds of sit ups a week, mix up your exercises and really put yourself to the test.
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