Here’s Why I Think Planks Are Key for Triathletes

Whether you’re swimming, cycling, or running, your core provides the essential stability, connection, and support that makes all your movements more effective. A strong core facilitates and enhances power transfer and helps prevent injury by maintaining proper form and stability. One of the simplest and best ways to build core strength is by doing planks. In just one minute a day, you can target your entire core — front, back, and sides — and lay the foundation for better athletic performance and resiliency.

What Muscles Do Planks Work?

The short answer is they work just about everything, certainly more than just your abs!  Yes, planks are often thought of as a simple ab exercise, but they actually work multiple muscle groups, including:

• Rectus Abdominis (your "six-pack" muscles)
• Transverse Abdominis (deep core stabilizers)
• Obliques (side abs that assist with twisting and stabilizing movements)
• Lower Back Muscles (erector spinae that help support the spine)
• Glutes (help keep your hips stable)
• Shoulders, Chest, and Arms (for supporting body weight)

By doing planks regularly, you'll improve not just core strength but full-body stability, all of which are critical for performing well in triathlon and everyday activities.

---

How to Do a Proper Plank

The Low Plank (Forearm Plank, traditional Plank)

1. Start Position: Get into a push-up position but rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands.
2. Engage Your Core: Tighten your core muscles, imagining you're pulling your belly button toward your spine. If you’re not sure how to do this, try coughing once and you’ll probably naturally hit the right points of tension.
3. Glutes and Legs:  Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips from sagging. Press back through your heels while keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.  Think of reaching forward through the crown of your head.
4. Head Position:  Keep your head in a neutral position with your eyes looking at the floor, avoiding looking forward to keep your spine aligned.
5. Breathe:  Don’t forget to breathe! Deep, controlled breaths help you stay engaged.

Key Tip:  Think about pulling your elbows toward your hips without actually moving them. This creates extra tension through your core.

---

Plank Variations for Added Challenge

1. High Plank (Push-Up Position):  

   Similar to the low plank, but you’re balancing on your hands with your arms extended. This plank increases the challenge for your shoulders and upper body.  In case you didn’t already realize it, this is the starting point for pushups.  If you find yourself in a high plank position and get a little bored, you can always do a few push ups while you’re there.

2. Side Plank: 

   Lie on your side, propping yourself up on one forearm. Keep your body in a straight line from head to feet. This variation focuses more on your obliques and adds instability, making it harder to balance.

3. Movement-Based Planks:

   - Plank with Leg Lifts: While holding a plank, slowly lift one leg, hold for a few seconds, then switch legs, all while trying to keep your lower back stable. This challenges your glutes and balance.

   - Plank with Shoulder Taps: In a high plank position, tap your opposite shoulder with one hand while balancing on the other hand. This increases the challenge to your core and shoulders.2. Plank with Alternating Arm Reaches:  

  - Plank with Alternating Arm Reach:  In a high plank, lift one arm straight out in front of you while maintaining a strong core. Hold for 2-3 seconds and then switch arms. This increases the challenge to your shoulders, core, and stability.

- Side Plank with Hip Dips:  While holding a side plank, slowly lower your hips toward the floor, then lift them back up. Repeat for several reps. This variation works the obliques even harder while adding dynamic movement to your core work.

- High Plank to Low Plank (Plank Up-Downs):   Start in a high plank (on your hands), then lower one arm at a time into a forearm plank (low plank), and push back up to a high plank. This movement challenges your shoulders and core while maintaining stability.  This is my least favourite plank variation. I rarely do this one. Life is short and there are lots of other plank variations out there.  

4. Increasing Tension and Engagement:  

   For a more advanced challenge, think of actively pulling your elbows toward your hips and pressing your body away from the floor through your heels and the crown of your head.

---

30-Day Plank Challenge

This progressive challenge is perfect for anyone — whether you're just starting out or looking to improve. By the end of the 30 days, you’ll be able to hold a plank for 2-3 minutes.

Week 1:  

- Goal:  Build a foundation with a cumulative 1-minute effort daily.  

- Instructions:  Break the 1-minute plank into smaller sets if needed (e.g., 3 x 20 seconds or 2 x 30 seconds). Focus on form!

Week 2:  

- Goal:  Hold a 1-minute plank in one effort.  

- Instructions:  By the end of the week, you should aim to hold a 1-minute plank in a single effort. Keep your glutes engaged and practice adding tension (pull elbows to hips, press back through heels).

Week 3:

- Goal:  Increase time to 90 seconds.  

- Instructions:  Gradually add time in increments (e.g., add 10-15 seconds every few days). Focus on controlled breathing and full-body engagement.

Week 4:  

- Goal: Hold a 2-3 minute plank.  

- Instructions: Continue to increase plank hold time. By the end of the challenge, you should be able to hold a plank for 2-3 minutes continuously. Explore variations like side planks or adding movement to further challenge yourself.

Key Takeaways

- Planks are a full-body core workout that can enhance your triathlon performance by building strength and stability.

- Progress gradually with this 30-day challenge, and by the end, you’ll have significantly improved your core strength and stability.

- You can mix up your routine by adding variations, incorporating movement, or increasing tension for variety and greater benefits.

- Even one minute a day makes a difference over time.  Even on the busiest of days, most people can carve out one minute. Afterall, it’s only a minute.  

-  It might only be a minute, but that doesn’t mean it will always be easy. When a minute becomes easy, challenge yourself with more variations that add tension or movement or both.   

---

What Are You Waiting For?

I encourage everyone to start with a 30-day challenge. Then, try another 30 days or a hundred days.  That’s how I started and I decided to just keep doing it and now I’m seven years in and haven’t missed a day.  It’s now a firmly embedded habit for me and I consider it to be one of my daily non-negotiables, just like my coffee.  

Planks may be simple, but when done consistently, they’re an incredible way to build core strength that supports everything from swimming to biking to running.

 

Photo by Jonathan Borba: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-doing-yoga-together-13896768/