Incredibly exhausting, but also incredibly effective –the plank exerciseis undoubtedly one of the best basic exercises for a full-body workout without weights. This not only stresses the abdominal area, but also strengthens the leg, buttocks, back, shoulder and core muscles. In addition, the many plank variations ensure enough variety so that it never gets boring. Since holding a normal plank for several minutes isn't particularly fun, in this article we'll show you another variation for the 30 day plank challenge. A new movement is made every day, building on the last one. Plus, at the end of each week, you'll perform a combination of these moves for a plank workout that will build your strength and endurance.
When sports scientist Daniel Malik from Austria called for a 30-day plank challenge on social media in 2015, the event went viral and more than 600,000 people took part. Since then, the forearm support has become an indispensable part of the training of many athletes. Regular planks strengthen our core, improve our balance, provide better posture, and help us perform better in other sports.
Plank Training – This is what the plank challenge looks like for 30 days
Before we start with thePlank exercise variationsTo begin, we first have to mention that the plank challenge in itself is not a fitness miracle weapon. Without a healthy and balanced diet, you will not get muscular or a flat stomach. Rather, this plank training is about setting ourselves and our bodies a new challenge every day and slowly getting better step by step.
- Tag 1 –On the first day you start with the classic low plank. With your legs stretched out, place your elbows directly under your shoulders, tense your stomach and keep your body in a straight line. Do 3 sets of 45 seconds each.
- Day 2 – Low Side Plank –Lie on your side and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line. Stretch your upper arm upwards, hold the position for 45 seconds and then switch sides. This counts as 1 set – do 3 sets, 45 seconds each.
Tone your body in 30 days with the plank challenge
- Day 3 – Classic High Plank. Just like the low plank, except you stretch your arms out. Do 3 sets for 45 seconds each.
- Day 4 – High Side Plank. Start in a high plank and twist to the right. Stretch your left arm up and hold for 45 seconds. Then go back into high plank and repeat on the left side. Do 3 sets.
- Tag 5 – Low Plank with Knee Beats– Assume a classic low plank position and alternately move your knees towards the floor. As you do this, tense your stomach and make sure that you do not touch the floor. Do 3 sets of 45 seconds each.
- Tag 6 –High plank with shoulder touch. Start in a high plank and tighten your stomach. Alternately tap the left shoulder with your right hand and the right with your left. Make sure that your body remains stable and that you do not sway back and forth. Do 3 sets of 45 seconds each.
- Day 7 – Dynamic Plank.Start in the low plank position and tense your stomach. Then put your hands up and get into the high plank position. Do 3 sets of 60 seconds each.
- Day 8 – Combination.Assume the low plank position and move your knees to the floor once. Get into high plank, touch your shoulders and return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 45 seconds each.
The different variants provide more variety
- Tag 9 – Push-Up Plank.Assume the push-up position, pull in your stomach and hold the position for 3 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each.
- Tag 10 – Low Plank Training mit Hip Dips –Start in a low forearm position and alternately raise and lower your hips to the right and left. Make sure that you do not touch the floor. Do 3 sets for 45 seconds.
- Tag 11 – Plank Jacks.You start in the high plank position. Now hop with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, without your buttocks protruding above shoulder height. Do 3 sets for 60 seconds.
- Day 12 – Side plank with hip dips.Get into low side plank and extend your top hand upward. Slowly lower your hips as far down as possible and then return to the starting position. Continue for 60 seconds and repeat with the other side. Do 3 sets.
- Tag 13 – Mountain Climbers.Start from the high plank position and alternately quickly pull your legs towards your chest. Do 3 sets of 60 seconds each.
- Tag 14 – Low Plank Crunches.Assume low forearm support. Pull your right knee towards your right elbow and hold for 3 seconds. Return to starting position and bring right knee to outside of left elbow and hold for 3 seconds. Do 3 sets of 60 seconds each.
- Day 15 – Combination.Do 2 dynamic planks, bring each knee to the opposite elbow and perform 5 plank jacks. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each.
- Tag 16 – X Plank.Start in the classic low plank position. Place your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width and your legs hip-width apart. For this plank workout, your body needs to look like an X from above. Do 3 sets for 30 seconds.
- Tag 17 – Panther-Plank.Get into a quadruped position, placing your arms under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tense your stomach, keep your back straight and lift your knees about 2 centimeters above the floor. Hold the position for 75 seconds and do 3 sets.
- Day 18 – Combination.Assume a right side plank with feet on top of each other and left hand behind head. Slowly turn your left elbow down towards your right shoulder and lift your left leg slightly. Repeat for 45 seconds and switch sides. Do 3 sets.
- Tag 19 – High Walk Plank.Start in the high plank position. Pull in your belly button, tense your bottom and move your hands forward as far as possible. Hold for 45 seconds and do 3 sets.
- Day 20 – Side plank workout with leg raises.Lie on your right side and lift your hips off the floor. Raise your left leg up and lower it again. Repeat for 45 seconds, switching sides. Do 3 sets.
- Day 21 – Combination.Assume the Patnher Plank position. Slowly move the body to the right by simultaneously sliding the right hand and right foot a few centimeters to the right, followed by the left hand and left leg. Move right for 15 seconds and then move left for 15 seconds. Continue for 75 seconds and do 3 sets.
- Day 22 – Dynamic Side Plank with Crunches.Stand sideways on your right side. Lower your hips twice and lift your left leg twice. Then do two side crunches and repeat 5 to 8 times. Do 3 sets per side.
- Day 23 – High plank with push-ups and rotation.Transition from high plank to side plank. Extend your right arm up, return to the starting position and do a push-up. Repeat the plank training with the left arm. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each.
- Day 24 – Low plank with towel.Start in a low forearm position and place your feet on a towel. Then move your body forward and backward for 60 seconds. Do 3 sets.
- Day 25 – Side Plank with Leg Raises and Rotation –Stand on your right side and lift your hips off the floor. Now stretch your left arm up and under your waist and then lift your right leg off the left. Continue for 60 seconds, switching sides. Do 3 sets per side.
- Day 26 – Walk Plank with towel.Start in the low plank position and place your feet on a towel. Now tense your stomach, keep your back straight and use your elbows to move forward 8 “steps” and then 8 “steps” backwards. Do 3 sets for 60 seconds each.
- Day 27 – Combination.Stand sideways on your right side with your right leg in front of your left and your left hand behind your head. Now pull your right knee towards your left shoulder and return to the starting position. Repeat the plank training for 60 seconds and switch sides. Do 3 sets.
- Day 28 – Single-leg high plank with towel.Start in high plank position and place your right foot on a towel. Pull your left knee towards your chest and keep it pressed while you also move your right knee towards your chest. Return to starting position and repeat for 45 seconds. Switch legs and do 3 sets.
- Day 29 – Combination.Take a high plank and place your feet on a towel. Take 4 steps forward with your hands and open your legs wider than hip-width. Then take 4 steps back and continue for 60 seconds. Do 3 sets.
- Day 30 – Reverse plank with leg raises and crunches.Reverse plank training is also known as reverse forearm support. Place your hands under your shoulders, palm down, lift your butt and thighs off the floor and push your body up. Stretch your left leg up and pull your knee towards your chest. Return to starting position and repeat with right leg. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
And how about a plank training plan?
That adding the plank exerciseto your training routineIt is clear that it brings with it a lot of advantages. But a plank training plan takes less than 20 minutes and is a wonderful option to train all major muscle groups at the same time in a very short time. Complete the following cycle three times per week, resting 30 seconds between movements.
- Classic low plank for 30 seconds
- Low plank with alternating leg raises for 10 reps per leg
- High plank with crunches for 10 reps per side
- Side high plank with rotation with 6 reps per side
- Plank jacks for 60 seconds
