Do you know that plank is not just an exercise? It can be used to indicate your age, stability, and health.
Planks are simple. They don’t require music, movement, or routine.
This exercise is considered in every workout plan because it assesses your body coordination and resiliency.
But there’s one question that you must ask yourself: “How long can I hold a plank at my age?”
What do experts say about this? Let’s figure it out.
What to Know about Planking?
Planking is a routine that checks your full-body strength.
It intends to assess your mental focus, lower-back support, arm and shoulder stability, and core strength.
This routine relies not on motion, but on control. No wonder it is used by many experts to confirm an individual’s real fitness.
Plank Hold Time by Age Group
The holding time of the plank varies among age groups. The degree of what’s considered healthy depends on an individual’s age.
Here’s what the experts ruled about the healthy plank by age group:
- 20 to 29 years old: Must hold for at least 60 to 90 seconds, enough to show stronger endurance.
- 30 to 39 years old: Able to withstand for 45 to 75 seconds, allowing your core stability to be maintained over time.
- 40 to 49 years old: Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, which may help you preserve your core stability despite the decline of muscle mass.
- 50 to 59 years old: Can perform at least 20 to 45 seconds to ensure great balance and strength.
- 60 years old and up: Achieve at least 15 to 30 seconds of active body, without putting stress on your joints.
Longer Does Not Mean Better
Although planking measures stability, some experts warned against achieving longer plank records.
When you achieve a time higher than 90 to 120 seconds, this is where physical pain starts to show.
Longer plank records focused on training your body to withstand the pain, and not to achieve a pain-free feeling.
Proper Planking Position
When doing some proper planking, expect it to be boring but physically tough.
The proper planking must have your head, shoulders, heels, and hips in a straight line.
While your elbows are stacked under your shoulders. On the other hand, you would not have any drooping hips or backside raise.
Aside from that, a core tight should be done when bracing for a sneeze.
It is over when your form is finally broken.
Not the Right Time
Planking is not a graded routine, but a guideline that you must practice until you are comfortable enough to test your stability.
Don’t worry if you think you haven’t gotten it right this time. Continue practicing, and you will learn it the right way.
At first, you may find it challenging to begin if your body is adjusting. Even recovering from injury or sitting for long hours can also feel the same in planking.
The key there is practice, and you’ll be on the right track sooner or later.
Plank Improvement
Every pro begins at the foundation. Nobody masters a skill without knowing the tips to get it done and doing a lot of consistent practice.
Improving your ability to do planking requires timely rest, a 20 to 30-second holding rule, and repeating the process.
It helps you to form your solidity and build faster strength.
The Best is the One You Can Control
Plank is not just about staying fit or stable, but also about being capable of doing so.
If your ability to do planking fits your dedication and age, your hard work pays off.
You don’t need to perform the spotless planking possible, but to showcase how you improve over time.
Now let’s see how long you are able to withhold planking.