Will planking help me get a six pack?

[Anonymous]

I do a perfect plank everyday for at least 15-30 minutes. I have recently lost weight and want to strengthen and work my abs, so that I have a flat sexy belly this summer. Is this a good exercise to help me achieve those perfect summer abs?

[Eridan]

As other have said, diet is the key. Also, if you're training for maximum strength (which comes with muscle volume), you want to do really hard exercises with a small number of reps (I've heard that 8 - 12 is ideal, but I'm no fitness expert or anything). By the time you're done with your set, your abs should be so sore that you can't physically do any more reps. Planking won't be of much help, I suggest you do some hanging bar exercises.
I have visible abs, just not a defined six-pack yet (I'd have to lose some weight to achieve that). Holding 15 - 30 minute plank is something I could never do - I'm in awe. really.

[Asker]

Thank you so much for you're help! :)

[Eridan]

Again, I'm no expert, so take my advice with a grain of salt. But I believe that in bodyweight training, you should always be doing the most challenging stuff you're able to pull off. In your case, planking has become easy and it's time to step up to something more difficult.
by the way. planking trains mostly your lower abs, which is fine, but it's just one part of your core.

[Asker]

I have recently lost over 50 pounds and eat very cleanly. My lower abs are where I have issues with extra skin and it is flabby. Do you think that planks would help that?

[Miezko]

Yea, but you should be doing other exercises too. Muscle has memory, so if you only do the same routine every day you really aren't going to get results because your muscles already know it. You have to switch things up, shock your body and keep it guessing.

[Miezko]

P. S. look into H. I. I. T. superset it with your abb routine, also try carb cycling.

[heavenonearth]

Six packs are mostly made in the kitchen, with a careful, clean diet. Also, cardio and weight-training. Ab exercises are good, but you need to get rid of the layer of fat covering your abs for them to be visible. Your body fat % needs to be low enough.

[Xfitchick]

If you train your abs, you will always get a six pack. However, whether its visible depends on the fat layer above your stomach. If you want to make it visisble, train down fat. But accept also that training down fat, will remove female curves

[TheAngryBanana]

ok i can help you with this

you will need 2 things diet and excersice

you first need to go on a cleaner diet if you are not on one so eat as clean as possible and do a lot of core exsercises which will help not just planking

[Asker]

I am on a very clean diet for health reasons; do you think the plank will help tighten my abs? I recently lost over 55 pounds and want to tighten them. :)

[TheAngryBanana]

yes and no i mean as an isometric hold yes it does work but doing it alone will not improve your stomach you need to do a viraety of core based excersices to help invoce quicker and more efficent physical adaptations

[Asker]

What do you suggest? Thank you in advance :)

[TheAngryBanana]

erm im not sure of your physical abilities so general ones instead

www.mayoclinic.org/.../sls-20076575

[Asker]

Thank you so much for your help :)

[Levin]

haha, I read that as seconds. Minutes? I didn't know you were supposed to hold it that long :P Anyway, that area is more about diet, in my view. Namely, a diet based on whole grains and vegetables, with small amount of everything else.

[AliceInWonderLand93]

It will strengthen your core but it won't give you a six pack, your better off doing ab wheel rollouts, leg raises, and oblique crunches. Plus keep losing weight so you can see your abs

[Imafreespirit]

Planking, crunches, etc are good for strengthening your abs, but u need to uncover them, so that means u have to lose fat. working out helps, but nutrition is the key

[justbanANNAz]

15-30mins solid planking? WTF?
as for its effectiveness, no you'd need to have rotation in order to better attack your core.

[thorthorley]

You mean seconds right lol. Planking is good altho i would do more reps. Also do situps or crunches and leg raises.

[Tdieseler]

Its one of the ways, but crunches are the fastest way... proven.

[Prof_Don]

If your diet is in check and you do some cardio, yes. Also make sure to do other ab exercises as well for a balanced workout. :)

[06CuriousMind]

Yeah you should do side planks too to mix it up. I love Med ball exercises too.. You should give those a try

[ConsultantIsBack]

Yes planks are good. However, abs and a sexy waist are made in the kitchen, it's all about diet.

[Tarvold]

Perfect plank for 15minutes?

WOW.

I can barely hold 5.

[Decentguy]

yes planks are good. but you gotta be very careful about your diet

[MaLifeBeLikeOooAaah]

You should also try crunches and hanging leg raises, and sit ups, also running helps a lot too! :0

[Anonymous]

Wait... you can hold a plank for 15-30 mins straight without stopping? This I need to see.

[SunnyCaliGirl]

Yes It help you get a six pack

[SunnyCaliGirl]

It will most help you out

[skeptic007]

noooooooooooooooooooooo thats dumb

[bcromartie]

Yes.

[Polocrew]

Not really, no l