Exercise: Challenge Of The 28-day Plank To Reduce Belly

We present a routine that, even as a beginner, will allow you to strengthen your core progressively and through one of the most recommended exercises for it.

The perfect figure is the dream of many people. Physical exercise and a balanced diet allow you to properly strengthen the muscles of the body and have a better silhouette. How can the challenge of the plank that we will talk about next benefit us ?

Before we begin, it should be noted that no exercise alone will work miracles. To have positive results, every routine demands that it be complemented with a healthy diet and adequate rest. With that in mind, let’s meet this challenge!

The abdomen, a complex place

Removing fat from the lower and upper extremities may not be that difficult if the guidelines mentioned above are followed. Therefore, the gain in terms of lean mass or muscle tone is much greater in these areas.

On the contrary, there are other parts of the body that are quite complex to work with. One of them is the abdomen, a place where adipose tissue reserves are usually housed, which offers an aesthetic aspect that many individuals want to distance themselves from.

As a study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research details , it is not possible to remove fat from a specific region of the body through localized exercises.

Instead, what you have to do is lower the general levels of fat from the energy deficit; that is, you have to burn more calories than you consume. This is clearly explained in research published by the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism .

What is the plank challenge?

From what has been commented previously, we can deduce that abdominal exercises alone will not lead us to achieve a marked abdomen.

However, if they are included in a comprehensive routine and that allows the reduction of body fat, they can be effective. Cardio is very helpful in this regard, according to a study published in the  International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism .

When looking for abdominal work to include in the routine, an alternative is the plank challenge . Have you heard about it? It is a routine carried out for 28 days and made up of a single exercise.

The secret of this challenge is centered in the duration of the practice of the exercise; that is to say, it is simple in terms of its posture, but the resistance is demanding. The days of this challenge must be done in a row. If only one is skipped, the entire method must be restarted.

How to do the plank challenge?

It is true that these days it is common to find challenges that promise wonderful results without too much effort. We must be aware that such a thing does not exist. However, if it is a progressive exercise plan and immersed in an active and healthy lifestyle, the question changes.

According to a study published by the International Journal of Physiotherapy and Research , the 30-day sit-up and plank challenges that were tested on 60 young people helped reduce waist circumference and skin folds on the abdomen.

Regarding the challenge of the plank that we will explain below, whoever is going to carry it out must be reminded that the 28 days must be consecutive and that, in addition, the time will increase with the passage of time. Here’s how to do the plank exercise :

Days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

These are the considered days of introduction to the exercise of the plank . Therefore, the posture should be assumed calmly and patiently. Feeling a little “vibration” in the body is normal; This can happen due to a lack of conditioning and strength in the core area.

• During days 1 and 2, the exercise will be performed in a duration of 20 seconds; on days 3 and 4, you should try to reach 30 seconds.
• By the fifth day, the body will be a little more accustomed, and for this reason the duration of the exercise will be increased to 40 seconds.

Days 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11

Rest is essential in physical exercise. That is why we will  take advantage of the sixth day to relax.

• On the following days, the 7th and 8th, the plank is performed for 45 seconds.
• For days 9, 10 and 11, if the transition of the exercise has been successful, the time will be exactly one minute.

Days 12-17 of the plank challenge

We are in the middle of the road. If we have eaten well and also performed other aerobic and strength exercises, surely the results are already beginning to show. This is a more than enough argument to continue on the path.

• On the 12th, we will increase to 90 seconds.
• On the 13th, we will take a second rest period.
• Days 14 and 15 resume with 90 seconds.
• For days 16 and 17, the increase of the exercise will be made to 120 seconds.

Days 18 to 21

• On the 18th, we will do the plank challenge for 150 seconds.
• On the 19th, we will take the opportunity to take a third break.
• On days 20 and 21 we will resume with 150 seconds.

Days 22 to 25

The goal is getting closer and closer, therefore the effort must be increased. The progression of these days will be as follows:

• On days 22 and 23, we will do 180 seconds of plank.
• By the 24th, we will increase to 210 seconds.
• On the 25th, the fourth and last break takes place.

Days 26, 27 and 28

• After the break, the activity resumes on day 26, with 210 seconds.
• On the 27th, we will hold up to 240 seconds.
• Finally, on the day of achieving the goal, we must go as far as the body resists.

Other clarifications on the plank challenge

As we have pointed out several times before, this challenge will work as long as it is accompanied by a good diet. According to professionals at Mayo Clinic, it is important to eat a good breakfast, watch your portion sizes and choose your snacks well, among other keys to maximizing the effects of exercise.

Last but not least, we must not cheat ourselves to achieve the goal. Try to comply with the order for each day, even if it is with a short break if you do not arrive at all of the time. Courage and train!