Secrets To A Perfect Plank Exercise

Most of us think that core muscles are only found in the stomach and nowhere else in the body. However in reality the core muscles are also present in the upper and lower body which includes stomach, lower back and hips. If you want to have a good posture and improve every movement in your body then strengthening core muscles is essential.

And if the core becomes the central focus of your fitness training then the plank exercise is the best work out. Plank exercise is done by holding the trunk of your body off the ground in a straight line. There are many variations to it such as push-up plank, forearm plank and one-legged plank.

The secrets behind the plank exercise are that it helps to strengthen the glutes, core and hamstrings. Superior posture and development of a svelte mid section (ab exercise) are the other secrets behind the plank exercise.

It is a balance and core conditioning exercise that benefits various areas of your body. The plank is considered to be one of the best fitness exercise tips for flat stomach since it works all the muscles in your core such as hips, abs, back and internal and external obliques. Here are some of the secrets to plank exercises.

Belly fat
Sometimes the set of love handles cannot be whittled away even with strict diet and crunches. And plank workout is the only effective total body exercise that tightens and tones the tummy muscles. However it doesn’t mean it shrinks the fat around your waist. You can only eliminate the fat in your stomach through proper diet and tummy-toning exercises (plank). The secrets behind the plank exercise is that it tries to shape the stomach muscles by making them look completely long and lean. Plank is the best fitness exercise tip for flat stomach since it works on the core muscles such as rectus abdominus and transverse abdominus.

Reduce back pain
In fact strengthening your core muscles is not about getting a flat stomach but most of these muscles try to give support for your entire body to improve posture and strength in various areas. Plank is considered to be the real body toner which also helps in reducing body pain. It also strengthens your lower back.

Flexibility
The secrets behind the plank exercise are that it increases flexibility in posterior muscle groups throughout your body. On the other hand, your shoulder girdle tries to develop and stretch most of the muscles in your shoulder, shoulder blades and collarbone. Doing plank exercises regularly can stretch the arches of your feet as well as your toes. Plank exercise helps to stretch the muscles which are rigid (due to sitting down at work) during the day. If you leave it completely tightening it can contribute to stress so it is better to do plank exercises.

Improves your mood
Plank exercise not only strengthens your upper-body and lower-body muscles but it does manage to fortify the inner core muscles that support most of your joints. This exercise might provide mental benefits to alleviate and improve your mood.

Works on your personality
Apart from mental benefits, the other interesting secret behind the plank exercise is that it improves your overall appearance by trying to activate your core muscles. The core conditioning exercise tries to strengthen your spine and hips which thereby improves your posture.

Own space
Plank exercises can be done in your own space (home) or at the gym. It can be done anywhere. Moreover to do a plank exercise all you need is a mat.