I Took The Plank Challenge And Here’s What Happened

Who doesn’t want killer abs?

Why not actively take steps toward improving your abs by taking on a plank challenge?

Planks work out both your core abdominal muscles and your legs, which play a part in basically every movement you do in life. A strong core is a basis for a strong body overall, and planks will help improve your balance, stability, and posture. Core workouts will also help with lower-back pain.

Your skills in any physical sport or activity you do will benefit from the strong ab muscles that workouts like planks will give you, and your body’s general everyday movements will benefit too.

I went ahead and took one of the plank challenges floating around for myself and was pretty happy with it (albeit a little sore afterwards).

What’s The Plank Challenge?

There isn’t actually just one plank challenge, there are several different types. The overall gist of the plank challenge is that you’re working out your core muscles by planking – a lot.

People who choose to take the challenge usually do so out of curiosity or because they’re looking for a workout that’ll challenge their core abdominal muscles and thus better their strength in everything they do.

Always remember to be careful when exercising – be sure to stay in proper plank form whenever you’re taking a plank challenge so you get the workout you intended without raising the risk for possible injury.

The Variations Of The Plank Challenge

There are several iterations of the plank challenge – some involve building up your ability to hold a traditional plank for longer and longer periods of time, while others introduce you to new types of planks and ways to challenge your abs.

So here are a few of the challenges – see which one works best for you!

The 5-Minute Plank Challenge

The 5-Minute Plank Challenge is the challenge I tried my hand at, simply because it was short and sweet and could be tackled in 5 minutes. It was honestly exhausting, and I definitely had to take a break or two. Granted, I’m not someone who works out frequently, so I’m sure others will have better results. I’m going to keep trying it until I don’t need a break to get through it though, so I can feel that sense of accomplishment when I knock it out.

So the challenge lasts 5 minutes, naturally. During those 5 minutes, you’ll do 10 different plank exercises for 30 seconds each with no breaks in between them.

1Plank Hold (hold a traditional plank on your forearms)
2Plank Rock (in a standard plank stance, use your toes and forearms to rock your body back and forth)
3Plank Hip Dip (in a standard plank, alternate dipping your hips over to either side of your body)
4Plank Leg Tap (in a standard plank, alternate tapping your legs out to the sides)
5Plank Hand Tap (in a standard plank, alternate tapping your hands out to the sides)
6Sprinter Plank (lift your plank so your arms are fully extended beneath you, lift your knees into your body as if you were running)
7Plank Jacks (in an extended-arm plank, jump your legs out and in at the same time as if you were doing jumping jacks)
8Plank Up-Down (move from the plank with your arms extended back down to your forearms, and then up to fully extended again)
9Spiderman Plank (from an extended-arm plank, alternate crunching your knees up to your elbows on the same side)
10Cross Plank (from an extended-arm plank, alternate bringing your knees over to the elbow on the other side of your body)

The Traditional 30-Day Plank Challenge

The Traditional 30-Day Plank Challenge takes a month and progressively builds you up to holding a traditional plank for 5 minutes straight. It’s simple to understand but takes a lot more effort to actually complete.

Day 1: 20 Seconds
Day 2: 20 Seconds
Day 3: 30 Seconds
Day 4: 30 Seconds
Day 5: 40 Seconds
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: 45 Seconds
Day 8: 45 Seconds
Day 9: 1 Minute
Day 10: 1 Minute
Day 11: 1 Minute
Day 12: 1 Minute and 30 Seconds
Day 13: Rest
Day 14: 1 Minute and 40 Seconds
Day 15: 1 Minute and 50 Seconds
Day 16: 2 Minutes

Day 17: 2 Minutes
Day 18: 2 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 19: Rest
Day 20: 2 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 21: 2 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 22: 3 Minutes
Day 23: 3 Minutes
Day 24: 3 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 25: 3 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 26: Rest
Day 27: 4 Minutes
Day 28: 4 Minutes
Day 29: 4 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 30: 5 Minutes

Refinery29 30-Day Plank Challenge

Refinery29’s 30-Day Plank Challenge is a very beginner-friendly challenge that will end with you holding a standard plank for 3 minutes. The first 8 days of the challenge start with you planking at an incline, which is easier for beginners – try leaning against a chair, table, or the back of your couch). Then you switch over to a standard plank either on your forearms or with your arms fully extended.

Day 1: 15 Seconds (incline)
Day 2: 15 Seconds
Day 3: 20 Seconds
Day 4: 20 Seconds
Day 5: 25 Seconds
Day 6: 25 Seconds
Day 7: 30 Seconds
Day 8: 30 Seconds
Day 9: 15 Seconds (standard)
Day 10: 15 Seconds
Day 11: 20 Seconds
Day 12: 20 Seconds
Day 13: 25 Seconds
Day 14: 25 Seconds
Day 15: 30 Seconds
Day 16: 30 Seconds

Day 17: 40 Seconds
Day 18: 40 Seconds
Day 19: 50 Seconds
Day 20: 50 Seconds
Day 21: 1 Minute
Day 22: 1 Minute
Day 23: 1 Minute and 30 Seconds
Day 24: 1 Minute and 30 Seconds
Day 25: 1 Minute and 30 Seconds
Day 26: 2 Minutes
Day 27: 2 Minutes
Day 28: 2 Minutes
Day 29: 2 Minutes and 30 Seconds
Day 30: 3 Minutes

Weight Watchers 30-Day Plank Challenge

The Weight Watchers 30-Day Plank Challenge goes in 4 weeks on the weekdays with “extra credit” workouts for the weekends. It runs through a variety of different planks.

Week 1

Monday: Yoga Plank (aka extended-arm plank) for 20 Seconds
Tuesday: Yoga Plank (on knees) for 20 Seconds
Wednesday: Yoga Plank for 25 Seconds
Thursday: Forearm Plank for 25 Seconds
Friday: Forearm Plank (on knees) for 30 Seconds
Extra Credit: Repeat Friday on Saturday and Sunday

Week 2

Monday: Forearm Plank for 30 Seconds
Tuesday: Forearm Plank for 35 Seconds
Wednesday: Forearm Plank for 35 Seconds
Thursday: Forearm Plank for 35 Seconds and Face-Up Plank (lay on your back, legs straight and together, held 45 degrees above the floor) for 15 Seconds
Friday: Forearm Plank for 35 Seconds and Face-Up Plank for 15 Seconds
Extra Credit: Repeat Friday on Saturday and Sunday

Week 3

Yoga Plank for 45 Seconds and Forearm Plank for 20 Seconds
Yoga Plank for 45 Seconds and Forearm Plank for 20 Seconds
Yoga Plank for 45 Seconds and Face-Up Plank for 15 Seconds
Forearm Plank for 45 Seconds and Yoga Plank for 35 Seconds
Forearm Plank for 45 Seconds and Yoga Plank for 40 Seconds
Repeat Friday on Saturday and Sunday

Week 4

Forearm Plank for 45 Seconds and Side Plank (get on one side, stack your legs, balance on a forearm or fully extend your arm, keep the other hand on your lifted hip) for 20 Seconds on each side
Yoga Plank for 60 Seconds and Side Plank for 20 Seconds on each side
Yoga Plank for 60 Seconds, Side Plank for 20 Seconds on each side, and Face-Up Plank for 20 Seconds
Yoga Plank for 30 Seconds, Forearm Plank for 60 Seconds, Side Plank for 20 Seconds on each side, and Face-Up Plank for 20 Seconds
Yoga Plank for 60 Seconds, Side Plank for 30 Seconds on each side, Face-Up Plank for 20 Seconds, and Forearm Plank for 45 Seconds
Repeat Friday on Saturday and Sunday

So, Plank Challenge: What’s the Verdict?

Plank challenges are great ways to enter the world of planking or exercise in general. The reason workout challenges (like the plank challenge) are so popular is because they help us set good workout goals that we feel capable of doing and compelled to follow through on.

For example, the challenge can bring regularity and organization to a workout routine – even just putting a goal down in writing or setting the intention to complete manageable daily tasks helps you with the follow through. One of the best things about a plank challenge is that it’s on a schedule that sets specific goals.

For example, some plank challenges focus on working you up to eventually be able to hold a traditional plank for a certain period of time, while others introduce you to new ways of planking while also upping your staying endurance.

It’s also nice that a plank challenge is usually for a specific amount of time (5 minutes, 30 days) and will eventually come to an end. It appears a lot more manageable than the vague New Year’s Resolution goal most carry to just work out more.

And honestly, humans are competitive beings – calling it a challenge makes us eager to work hard and succeed. We want to beat the challenge, and we like to win.

So, if you’re up for taking on a plank challenge, I say go for it! It’ll help your exercise health and increase your core strength and give you a chance to challenge yourself and achieve new goals.