Spring has sprung, officially, as of March 20th. For some, thoughts drift to spring cleaning--that feel-good process of both decluttering and organizing the home or office. For others, it’s the realization that warmer weather is on the horizon, meaning it will be time to break out the shorts soon, or worse yet, the bathing suit. Some of us may also need to shed a few pounds, known fondly as our “winter coat”.
The changeover from the frigid winter to those hot summer days takes time. And that’s what Spring is for. To gently transition nature from one end of the spectrum to the other, all the while inspiring those of us who are fortunate enough to witness it with lush greenery and the beauty of budding flowers. So, while nature is reawakening in this poetic manner, we thought we should do the same and reawaken our bodies.
We went in search of an all-over head to toe exercise, and I think we found it. Planks. The plank is an underrated workout. It can be difficult at first, but once mastered, it is packed with impact. Planks are an excellent all-over body workout. Not only that, but they are practical, simple and wallet friendly, requiring no equipment. All you need is your own body weight. (Bhardwaj, 2020)
While planks are primarily touted as a core-crushing exercise (which we are not disputing) you may be interested to know that they also work the shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, back and legs. In other words, the entire body. For individuals who sit at a desk for long hours at a time, they also help to improve posture. Sound like anyone you know? (Keenan, 2015)
The plank is a pose where you hold a push-up position while resting on your forearms. Make sure your back is flat and your head and neck are in a neutral position. Oh, and breathe. Very important to breathe. Simply google “Planks” on YouTube and you’ll discover a slew of videos that demonstrate the correct posture and positioning if you need direction. (Solan, 2019)
So here it is. Tycor’s April wellness challenge is to breathe new life into our entire body by “rocking the plank.” We’ll start slow and work our way to a 2-minute plank. It doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, you may never think about “a couple of minutes” the same way again! See the attached, printable Rock the Plank Challenge and join us!!!
>> We invite you to learn more about Tycor and CONTACT US if you have questions!
Sources:
Bhardwaj, N. (2020, November 1). Here's how doing the reverse plank can tone your body from head to toe. Retrieved from healthshots: https://www.healthshots.com/fitness/weight-loss/heres-how-doing-the-reverse-plank-can-tone-your-body-from-head-to-toe/
Keenan, M. (2015, 2 19). Plank goodness: A whole body workout. Retrieved from www.statesmanjournal.com: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/life/2015/02/20/plank-goodness-whole-body-workout/23104751/
Solan, M. (2019, November 13). Straight talk on planking. Retrieved from health.harvard.edu: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/straight-talk-on-planking-2019111318304