Why planks are the best abdominal exercise

Crunches do not flatten your midsection. Knowing this, you have probably freed up 15 minutes of your training time. Well, at least 5 minutes. Here's why and here's what you can do instead.

The crunch activates the well-known and beloved rectus abdominis muscle, also known as the six-pack (if its definition is visible through the skin and overlying body fat). When you work this muscle to fatigue, nothing happens to the body fat that accumulates on top of it. Your body does not take belly fat and transform it into more muscle, nor does it use this fat as fuel for exercise. Spot reduction is probably the most famous fitness myth, but we stick with it with great optimism. For whatever reason, we hope that if we keep trying to reduce detection it will eventually work. You won't, so change your focus. Eliminate boring abs from your workout and spend your energy elsewhere.

First, spend 5 more minutes on the treadmill, or whatever your chosen cardiovascular activity is. Aerobic exercise raises and keeps your heart rate in an effective target zone for a period of time. After about 15 to 20 minutes, your body switches from using carbohydrates to fat for fuel, since fat is a better source of fuel. You are now in your fat burning zone for the rest of your aerobic workout. Replace your sit-up time with aerobic activity and you'll be in this zone for 5 more minutes.

Second, strengthen your core. The muscles of your core are deeper and more important than the rectus abdominis. Your core is your base of strength. These muscles connect the upper and lower body and, like a chain, you are only as strong as your weakest link. Core muscles keep your spine and pelvis in proper alignment while you work and play, providing resistance and preventing injury so you can work and play harder.

If you are still attached to the idea of ​​point reduction, know that core strength can affect the appearance of your waist. Strong core muscles, as well as other key upper and lower body ท่าลดหน้าท้อง, allow for better posture when standing and sitting, giving the illusion of a trimmer tummy.

Planks are the best exercise to strengthen your core. In a plank position, the muscles of the upper body, lower body, and core are activated to resist the force of gravity and keep the body in proper alignment. Planks are challenging because gravity acts on the entire back of your body. This is a large area. The muscles that are strengthened during a plank are the same as those used for standing and sitting upright during the day. However, the surface area that gravity acts on when you're standing is now much smaller - just the top of your head. Strengthen your core and other stabilizers with planks, and now maintaining good posture the rest of the day is almost effortless.

Planks are great for a few other reasons - the plain plank has numerous variations, offering a wide spectrum of intensity options. There's an ideal plank position for every fitness level, and it's easy to advance to the next level when you're ready. Planks can be made anywhere and require no equipment. Using your own body weight to strengthen your own muscles is extremely functional and since there are so many muscles involved in decking, they provide exceptional value for the time invested.