OVER 50?

THEN WHY YOU MUST DO THE PLANK EVERY DAY

just one minute a day

As we get older our bodies will naturally decline.

Once we get past the age of 40, things can decline rapidly. All of our excesses when we were younger WILL catch up on us

When we are younger, out bodies naturally heal quicker but once you hit your 40’s (for many, with todays lifestyle and diet, it can even be in their 30’s) things take much longer and in some cases will never heal.

So it's about prevention.

Prevention by movement.

What happens to a car when it’s not driven for a long time? Parts cease up. Have any of your parts seized up yet?

Prevention by nutrition.

What happens when you put the wrong fuel in your car? It stutters and shudders along, till it stops. Check you waistline, your jawline, and other parts of your body. How do your insides feel? How about your skin?

Prevention by mindset.

What happens if you input the wrong destination on your satnav in the car? You won’t get to your desired destination. Are you where you want to be? Are you happy?

It does not take a lot of doing and being before we get ourselves back into a better place.

So let’s start with just one minute of action a day.

The plank is such a valuable exercise that will help in so many areas.

1. Can Help Reduce Joint and Especially Back Pain

As your abdominal muscles become stronger, the body becomes more dependent on stomach muscles and puts less pressure on the back muscles. Also, during plank posture, your spinal cord is in a straight position which helps make them stronger and resistant to joint pain.

2. Develops a Healthy Posture

A bad posture is when we slouch and have slumped shoulders and is more common in women than men, especially as we get older. This happens because of poor alignment and sitting for long durations. A good posture is one where the weight of the body is distributed evenly. It reduces the stress on our spine and gives us a straight, well aligned body while walking, standing and sitting.

The plank position engages all muscles from your neck, shoulder and back up to your pelvis, thighs and legs. Gradually, this results in a strong posture giving you the confidence to walk tall and proper !

3. Improves Balance and Coordination

Our core muscles are responsible for helping us balance while riding a bike or standing on one leg. Even dancing requires engaging the core muscles to achieve the right balance in form. Planks hold the core muscles taut thus teaching your muscle to endure. This builds muscle stability and  increases body balance.

4.Improves Body Alignment and Helps Avoid Illness

Many of us, even at a young age, experience back pain and lower back issues. This is due to bad posture and bad alignment of the body. Regular planks can help improve posture and rid you of back pain. This is because planks help build strong abdominal muscles which reduce the strain on your back, shoulders and neck. Planking down after a long day of sitting on your computer can help relieve neck and shoulder knots too and help your body come into alignment. Planks and regular exercise can prevent degenerative muscle atrophy caused by osteoarthritis too.

5. Improves Metabolism

When we sit and work for long hours or are not physically active in our life, our metabolism tends to slow down. Doing the plank position regularly improves circulation, thus improving body metabolism. The stronger your muscles grow, more will be the increase your food intake. However, if you keep exercising regularly and eat a healthy diet, the combination will make your metabolic rate go up and you will burn more calories, resulting in fat loss. Regular planking can improve your metabolism and you will burn calories, even in your sleep!

6. Improves Overall Mental Health

Any and all exercises release endorphins which help elevate our mood. However, planks can be special mood lifters because it engages the stress corners of our body. Our shoulders, neck and back usually tense up and have knots because of strain and stress, both mental or physiological. Contracting these muscles literally squeezes the tension out from major muscles where the stress accumulates.

Constant stress can cause various mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Thus, exercise is essential to remind our brain and body to release stress and rejuvenate.

Plank pose is a wholesome pose to charge up or relax the body, pre or post workout, respectively. It is a simple solution and can be a great start to health and wellness.

How to do a Plank ?

Simply put, the plank is a 2- step position :

Getting into the Plank pose:

Lie on your stomach and gently lift your torso on your elbows and toes while keeping your back straight. Your body should be in a straight line from neck to heels. Do not exert force to move up or down but simply hold the pose by tightening your core muscles.

Hold the Plank pose:

Once you are in plank, engage and hold as follows :

• Squeeze your belly button (abdominal muscles) towards your spine while keeping your back straight.
• Then squeeze your thigh muscles (quadriceps) and buttocks (gluteal muscles) as much as possible.
• Pull back your shoulders from your ears, keep your neck straight and breathe.

Hold this position for 60 seconds. For beginners, start with a few seconds and gradually progress to 60 seconds. Switch from elbow to forearm plank in order to hold the pose for longer. You will definitely feel a burn in your muscles and some shaking or quivering in the body. That just means you are burning calories !

Come and join me with my daily plank challenge and get back to the healthier, fitter, happier you.

Just one minute a day can change your life.

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