The Plank

In a recent article, Get Off the Pendulum, Jonathan Ross writes about the tendency of fitness participants and sometimes trainers to replace ab work entirely by overusing the plank. Plank or table top is the exercise where we are basically on toes and elbows.  While it does work the abs, it teaches core stability. He points out that while we may gauge strength by how long we hold the plank, holding the plank more than 30 seconds is a waste of time.  The real work is "not in holding the plank but in creating it."  Remember the last time you held it too long and collapsed to the floor? He even advocates holding for 10 seconds, lowering with control and repeating several times.  It's a very good point.  I am sure some of you will repeat the 10 second part of this to me at our next workout.  Just keep in mind that there are so many ways to make plank more challenging even in 10 seconds.