What Really Happens to Your Core If You Plank Every Day for Just 1 Minute?

The plank is an unassuming exercise. After all, you’re just holding the same position for a specific time. Isometric exercises like the plank involve contracting a muscle group without changing their length or moving the joint, which can help maintain and build overall strength and muscle mass. (1)

Recently, a new challenge grabbed my attention — one-minute plank a day. I have been training for over 17 years, and I have historically had a weak core. Since I perform my best in high-pressure situations, this 30-day challenge offered the perfect opportunity to turn around a weakness into a strength.

Before I get into the specifics of my one-month challenge, let’s address the elephant in the room — what is the core? Contrary to what most people think, the core isn’t limited to the abs. It comprises around 10 muscle groups, including the pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and hip muscle groups.

The fact that planks can work all these muscle groups simultaneously should be enough to encourage you to add this exercise to your training regime.

Science of Planking

Here are the primary muscles engaged during a plank:

• Rectus Abdominis: This is the muscle people usually refer to when talking about the six-pack. Besides improving your physique aesthetic, it is responsible for flexing the spine.
• Transverse Abdominis: This deep core muscle acts like a weightlifting belt for your midsection and helps stabilize your spine and pelvis.
• Internal and External Obliques: Planks demand a significant degree of antirotational strength. The internal and external obliques run along the side of your abdomen, helping you twist and bend your torso and maintain a proper posture.
• Glutes: Keeping the glutes contracted throughout the exercise helps maintain the body in a straight line and prevents the lower back from sagging.
• Shoulders and Backs: Hold a plank long enough, and you will start feeling an intense stretch in your back and shoulders. The deltoids, trapezius, and erector spinae help keep the upper body aligned.

How Planks Strengthen The Core

Planks are among the most effective core exercises. Since isometric exercises such as planks don’t involve movement at the joints, they are excellent for people with limited mobility or those going through rehabilitation.

Performing the planks regularly can improve your balance and coordination in the long term, improving your performance in sports and everyday activities.

Practicing the planks can also help maximize power generation. Furthermore, isometric exercises also cause less fatigue than isotonic exercises and help lower blood pressure levels. (2)

Isometric exercises are excellent for training the muscles in their weakest position. As you gain more experience, add more challenging plank variations like the Superman plank into your routine to train your midsection in the fully lengthened position.

“To make the planks more challenging, extend the lever arm by moving the elbows forward so that they are at the level of the eyes,” says Jeff Nippard, a fitness content creator and natural bodybuilder.

Several of my clients report improvements in lower back pain after eight to 12 weeks of regularly performing the planks. It can also improve posture, which can alleviate neck and shoulder pain and discomfort.

Week-by-Week Effects of a 1-Minute Plank

Here is a summary of my experience:

Week One: Building a Foundation 

To be honest, I was a little nervous going into this challenge. Why, you ask? Because I’m well aware of my weaknesses, and it’s not uncommon for me to get an ab cramp during a core workout. Experienced trainers would agree that ab cramps are the worst type of cramps you can get.

I aimed for a 30-second plank during the first week to give my body enough time to adapt to this new challenge. To my horror, I was a few seconds away from a cramp on the first two days of this challenge. However, I have now developed a stretching routine that helps relax my midline and prevent the cramps. Besides that, I ended the week on a high note and felt strong.

Week Two: Increased Endurance

The second week meant a 40-second plank. To my surprise, the planks felt much easier on Day Eight compared to the first six days. Sidenote: I took one day off each week to allow my body time to rest and recover.

On the final two days of this phase, I positioned my arms and feet closer together to increase the challenge. I noticed a significant improvement in my core strength and stability during this week. My mobility in overhead and hip hinge exercises was also much better.

Week Three: Improvements in Strength, Stability & Aesthetics

Things started heating up as I added another 10 seconds to the total plank time. I ended each planking session with a core and quad pump. I actively contracted the target muscles to maximize muscle fiber stimulation and growth.

However, I was treated to a pleasant surprise mid-week — my abs started peeking through. I must also highlight that I was in a calorie deficit during this period, which could have played a substantial role in this improvement.

Week Four: The Final Stretch

The final week of every challenge fires me up. I prioritized perfect form as I gunned for the 60-second planks. While the first couple of workouts were challenging, I cruised through the third and fourth sessions like nobody’s business.

Inspired by my progress, I decided to challenge myself to 75-second planks for the final two workouts of this 30-day plank challenge. I’m happy to report that it was a big success. This month-long one-minute plank challenge not only improved my core strength, endurance, and function but also enhanced my performance and overall functionality.

I would highly recommend this challenge to anyone looking to improve their core strength. However, people dealing with pre-existing health conditions must get their doctor’s clearance before starting any new training or diet regime.

How To Plank For the Best Results

Here is how to plank with a picture-perfect form:

1. Kneel on the floor.
2. Learn forward and place your elbows and forearms parallel to each other.
3. Transfer your body weight onto your arms and extend your legs behind you.
4. Curl your toes and position them close to each other.
5. Your body should be in a straight line in this position.
6. Brace your core and hold the position for at least 60 seconds.

Most Common Plank Mistakes

Avoid the following errors to get the most out of this exercise:

• Raising the Hips: While some trainers let their hips sag during this exercise to make it easier, others raise them toward the ceiling. This removes the tension from the core and transfers it to the lower back and shoulders.
• Incorrect Breathing: Fitness content creator and personal trainer Jeet Selal opines that an incorrect breathing technique is one of the most common plank mistakes. An exerciser must avoid holding their breath. Instead, they should take slow and controlled breaths throughout the exercise.
• Hunching the Shoulders: Your shoulders should remain square throughout the exercise. Avoid shrugging, extending, or proacting them during the hold to avoid unnecessary shoulder strain.

30-Day Plank Challenge

Although planks are an isometric exercise and you’ll be doing them for just one minute, you must still warm up adequately before starting your workout. I recommend doing dynamic stretches such as arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists before attempting the one-minute plank.

Similarly, you must stretch out after completing the exercise to flush the metabolites from the cells and kickstart recovery.

Intermediate and advanced exercisers can begin this challenge by gunning for a one-minute plank from Day One. On the other hand, beginners can use the following progression scheme to strengthen their core and hit the one-minute mark by the final week:

Modifications for Beginners

Depending on your current fitness levels, you might want to employ the following plank variations:

Knee Plank

This plank variation involves placing your knees on the floor to reduce the load on the core and make it easier to maintain proper form. As you gain more experience, transition to using one knee instead of two.

Incline Plank

This exercise involves holding your body at an angle, reducing the gravitational pull you must resist. Place your hands on an elevated surface like a flat bench or plyo box with your elbows fully extended and position your feet close to each other on the floor.

How To Stay Motivated During the 30-Day, 1-Minute Plank Challenge

I won’t lie; planking can be boring, especially when you have to do it daily for one minute. Holding a position for 60 seconds can feel like meditation. It is no surprise that most people avoid both these activities. Nonetheless, here are a few tips to keep you on track:

• Set Realistic Goals: Even intermediate lifters initially have difficulty performing a one-minute unbroken plank. You must allow your body time to adjust to this challenge. Use the progression program listed above for smooth progress.
• Be Accountable: Most people give up before achieving their fitness objectives as they are not answerable to anyone. Hiring a coach, finding a training partner, or sharing your progress and goals online with friends and other community members can help keep you accountable.
• Track Your Progress: Watching yourself improve in real time can be one of the biggest motivators. Use a workout journal to monitor your performance, mood, and other related notes. You don’t need anything fancy; a vanilla notes app will do.
• Celebrate Milestones: Reward yourself every time you hit a new goal. For instance, when you can hit the 20-second mark after five days of 10-second planks, go out for your favorite meal. Remember, no cheat meals!

Conclusion

You need a strong foundation to improve your overall fitness levels or build strength and muscle mass. A weak core can lead to instability during compound exercises, increasing the possibility of injury.

The one-minute plank challenge can be the answer to all your core problems, as it can help improve stability and balance, boosting your performance in sports and everyday activities. It can also help generate power, enhancing your performance in other exercises.

Beginners should start small and progressively increase the planking duration to allow their bodies enough time to adapt to the new training demands.

If you have any questions about the 30-day one-minute plank challenge or need help implementing it into your routine, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References

1. Lum, D., & Barbosa, T. M. (2019). Brief Review: Effects of Isometric Strength Training on Strength and Dynamic Performance. International journal of sports medicine, 40(6), 363–375. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0863-4539
2. Baffour-Awuah B, Pearson MJ, Dieberg G, Wiles JD, Smart NA. An evidence-based guide to the efficacy and safety of isometric resistance training in hypertension and clinical implications. Clin Hypertens. 2023;29(1):9. Published 2023 Mar 15. doi:10.1186/s40885-022-00232-3

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.