Learnt from Eunice, one of the NB runners the other day that she's been training on her planks, taking up a 7 day challenge that essentially helps you train your core muscles.
I did it once on Sunday with her and Din while at MacRitchie and came to an embarrassing 1min 30seconds while she went on and did a good 2min 30seconds!!!
Since then I haven't really pushed myself to "get my plank on", but I did manage to give it a go again just now. 2 minutes, not bad, hopefully I can make this a habit.
According to long distance runner Edmund of the New Balance running club at Novena, half marathon runners should be able to do at least 1min 30seconds of planking, while full marathon runners must have core muscles strong enough to hold for 4 minutes so as not to injure their core due to fatigue from running long distances.
The World Record is 1hour 20mins and 5seconds which was accomplished by a 54 year old man.
Brilliant.
10 comments:
Good start. Planks is one of the important resistance exercises. You will improve quickly over time if you do this consistently.
I think it's a good exercise I hope to start making a habit of.
Main reason is to strengthen my spine considering I need to keep my slip disc in check.
It is indeed a good exercise but the body can't just rely on just one good exercise for the rest of our lives. There wouldn't be a need for all the physio doctors if planks is the one solution to all spine problems. My spine is in a worse condition than yours and you have sent me to the hospital because of that.
AL has been trying so hard to convince you about resistance work lor, he should have told Eunice to tell you earlier than it would have been easier for him! =p
Anyway, besides resistance work, yoga and pilates are also excellent core strengthening activities if you must avoid the gym.
I'm not really keen on the resistance workout cause of the part of having to locate a gym, at least the planks allow me to do it at home.
Will see what else is there to do at home loh, for now planks seem to be very convenient right after a run.
I'm not really keen on the resistance workout cause of the part of having to locate a gym, at least the planks allow me to do it at home.
Will see what else is there to do at home loh, for now planks seem to be very convenient right after a run.
Location can't be your main detractor mah. You could already run in all the running spots of Sg from the East to the West!
What about that gym you went to use the treadmill when it was raining?
Anyway, some planks is certainly better than nothing at all. Good job on stepping up to address your spine issue!
Oh, the one near Bukit Gombak? A bit out of the way actually, my west caost runs are when I head to office, my east coast runs and when I send Xin to work.
Besides, that gym is rather...run down.
For now the planks are quite a challenge already so I'll tap into that first.
Actually there's more you can do at home that will help with your running:
- squats
- lunges
- ab crunches (may want to invest in a exercise mat)
If you want some upper body strength, push-ups are fine as well.
Personally, I find the gym more convenient because everything is there and you get air-con too.
I realised the main point I missed out in my entry was that the clincher for me to do planking was for the spine, hence push ups, crunches, lunges and squats didn't appeal to me thus making it hard to justify going to the gym.
I'm fine 30 years from now not having abs or a defined body figure, but I'm more concern about how a slip disc will affect me as I grow older so that's why you hear me ask from time to time about gym balls as chair replacements.
Planking seems like a good starter for now, definitely one to help manage my back problem. Might look more into yoga and such to see how it can help improve my back.
Thanks!
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