Many of us fear the plank, in fact the core workouts put together. Maybe because they are difficult or take a lot out of you at once. But here’s a small trick to overcome that fear; start with doing a bit of it everyday and keep increasing the intensity every 2-3 days, as the benefits of planking everyday for 1 minute is immense.

Let me stop right there and get going with the benefits that you might acquire.

1. Achieve Improved Core Definition

Typically plank is an ideal abs/core training workout because it engages the major core muscle groups which include both internal & external obliques, transverse abdominis & the rectus abdominis. The importance of strengthening each of these muscle groups cannot be ignored as they server their own purpose:

• A strong transverse abdominis increases the ability to lift heavier weights.
• Rectus abdominis improves your sports performance and is also responsible for giving you the amazing six pack.
• Strong and chiseled obliques improves the ability for controlled side-bending and waist-twisting

You can also check out my 7 mins abs workout to define your core even better.

2. Endurance Building

This is one of the hidden benefits of planking everyday for 1 minute. With regular/everyday planking your body builds up endurance. And if you keep on increasing the time of holding your plank, your endurance level automatically goes up. This is very important to increase your stamina to perform a lot of exercises. 

3. Reduces Belly Fat

A benefit that everybody is looking for in today’s era, and this is one of the core benefits of planking everyday for 1 minute.

Losing belly fat is the most difficult part of any weight loss regime and if you might have noticed every routine would surely include planks in them. A plank at the same time works on four abdominal muscle groups together in turn helping the reduction in belly fat.

4. Strengthens Your Core

Like mentioned above the plank works on four muscle groups together in your abdomen, in turn helping to strengthen a major part of your core muscles. And for this reason, always include planks when you are working on your core.

5. Helps Improve Metabolism

One of the most important benefits of planking everyday for 1 minute is to help boost your  metabolism. 

And this happens because it engages/works on the major muscle groups in your abdomen which ensure that you burn more energy, even when sedentary.

6. Helps Improve Your Posture

Planking aligns your back, chest, shoulders, abs, head and neck in one line which in turn helps to improve your posture and also makes these muscle groups strong and healthy.

A stronger and correct posture will have a stronger spine meaning less to no back pain and also a strong posture shows one more confident.

7. Helps Improve Flexibility

Flexibility is another key benefit of planking everyday for 1 minute, as it expands and stretches all your posterior muscle groups like shoulders, shoulder blades, collarbone & back—while also stretching your hamstrings, the arches of your feet, and the toes which in turn improves the overall flexibility of your body.

8. Can Help Reduce Joint and Back Pain

Plank strengthens your abdominal muscles which helps you to be more upright and takes off the pressure from your back muscles resulting in reduced back pain. The plank also straightens the spinal cord which strengthens the joints and makes them resistant to pain. 

9. Reduced Risk of Back Injury

This is again an important benefit of planking everyday for 1 minute. Like mentioned previously, plank strengthens your core reducing the pressure from the back muscles. Additionally it also strengthens your back muscles a bit in turn reducing the risk of back injuries.

10. Improved Balance

At times you might have felt that standing or rather balancing on one foot is difficult, like falling off losing your balance. This is not because you are clumsy or something or your legs are not strong but it happens because your core is not strong enough to keep you stable. And plank is the exercise that helps you in this.

11. Improved Mood

This particular exercise has an effect on our nerves, making it an excellent means of improving our overall mood. This helps because it releases & strengthens the major muscle groups that are constantly under tension. Like your shoulders, back & hamstrings are constantly under tension if you have to sit at one place and work for the whole day.

I hope you loved the amazing benefits of planking everyday for 1 minute. 

To build an amazing core you can check out my 7 min abs routine here.