Plank – Weight Loss Variations | Avoid 4 Common Planking Mistakes!

If you’re a gym person or a fitness fanatic, you all must be aware of planking as a popular bodyweight exercise.

Planks are traditionally present in the routines of abs and core workouts. It’s easy-looking but a tough-to-do exercise. 

However, you’ll be amazed to know the benefits of Planking for weight loss. 

The most common issue with planking, though, is not maintaining the correct form. 

Wondering how you can make planking your go-to exercise to lose belly fat? 

Well, you’ve come to the right place. Today’s blog covers the ABCs of planking and how you can use it to achieve your desired weight loss goal. 

But the first question is – how do planks burn belly fat?

Let’s find out…

Planking for Weight Loss: Do Planks Burn Belly Fat?

Well, it’s not that simple to wrap this up with a straight yes or no. 

Although planks do not directly target fat burning, it is certainly associated with the underlying processes within the body that supports fat loss.

Planks Support Weight Loss

Planking is an exercise generally done to strengthen the core and abdominal muscles. This is actually the main reason people often associate it directly with losing belly fat. 

But that’s just half a portion of the full fact!

In general, planking is helpful for weight loss only to an extent. Planks do not burn fat directly. 

Instead, planks target some specific functionalities within your body that result in fat burning.

Often, the prime objective of adding planks to your exercise routine is not actually to speed up fat loss. People add planks to their workout regime in order to boost their core stability.

Also, planking helps to strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles. This is probably the reason why people associate planking directly with burning belly fat.

Planks have the potential to contribute to weight loss in a lot of ways. We’ll get to understand the effects of planks to lose belly fat better when we learn more about its benefits.

So, let’s have a look…

Plank Exercise Benefits for Weight Loss

Planning to use planks to attain your weight loss goals? 

Following are the major benefits you can expect from plank exercise for weight loss:

#1: Planks Boost Metabolism 

Planking on a regular basis effectively improves the metabolic rate of your body.

The modern work-from-home routine has made a lot of us physically inactive.

Planks would be an effective addition to such a routine that might cover up the loss in metabolic rates of the body due to this inactivity.

As a matter of fact, planks put most of the major muscle groups of your body under stress.

This speeds up the metabolizing of calories present within the body.

As all the major muscle groups are at work, your body tends to burn more calories and lose some weight.

#2: Redefines Your Core

With this, you might be wondering does doing planks burn fat, or is it just a toning method for muscles that apparently looks like fat burning.

Well, people often underestimate the importance of the core muscles. 

Interestingly, plank exercises engage all the muscle groups constituting your core and more. 

This perfect core position helps to grow strong among the muscles including external obliques and glutes as well.

Strengthening of the core further contributes toward better performance at various lifting and weight loss exercises. 

Hence, this increases the impact of plank for belly fat burning. 

According to this logic, following up your abs exercises with short sets of planking can amplify the weight loss results drastically.

#3: Improves the Formidability of Back

Back injuries are quite common during heavy lifting and other heavy exercises. 

Planking solidifies the strength of your back muscles, especially the upper back. 

This decreases the risk of back injuries and prepares your body for heavy lifts and some intense weight loss exercises. 

Well, a strong back does not guarantee any kind of positive impact on your fat burning. But this improves your potential to perform other weight loss exercises with correct form.

This eventually speeds up your fat-burning and helps remove excess weight and provides you with lean muscle mass.

#4: Improves the Body’s Balance

Wondering how does planking help lose weight? 

A lot of weight loss exercises need better body balance for better performance and results.

Most people only think about the legs as the balancing support for the whole body. However, it’s really a misconception.

Along with legs, abdominal muscles, back, and core all have an important role to play in providing balance to your body while you exercise. 

With regular practice of planking, your body balance gradually improves. 

Also, the improved strength of your abdominal muscles enables you to hold the exercise positions more steadily.

Eventually, all these effects contribute toward better rates of calorie burning and fat loss. 

#5: Planks Improve Posture

Body alignment or posture is really crucial while performing any exercise. 

Misappropriation of posture during heavy exercises might result in serious injuries as well.

By planking everyday for a month, you can straighten out your body alignment effectively. 

Also, your body develops the ability to hold that alignment during intense exercises you perform for weight loss.

An improved posture gives a potential boost to your personality and confidence. Plus, it also empowers you to build a well-maintained physique with strong joints and correct alignment.

Nevertheless, there are several other benefits of regular practice of planking along with the above-mentioned ones. But you need to do it right in order to make the most of its benefits.

Planks do help you lose weight if you do them right.

So, let’s see how to do the plank exercise…

How to Do a Plank Position?

The most important question related to this exercise!

It’s important to do a proper plank position. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enjoy the due benefits of this exercise. 

Also, your body is potentially at the risk of injuries when your position is not correct.

Try not to move any of your joints. Let your body feel like a single solid entity from head to toe. You’ll feel stress in your abdominal muscles, core, legs, and back as well.

Try not to hold your breath while you’re in this position. Breathe normally in and out. 

Holding your breath in such a position can create a lack of oxygen within the body and lead to nausea or dizziness.

As a beginner, try to hold yourself in this position for shorter durations. As your strength grows, you can try to extend the duration of your planks. 

Also, the answer to the question of how much weight can you lose doing planks everyday depends upon the duration you extend your plank position. 

Nonetheless, there are several variations of planking exercises that you can try. 

Each variation puts your body through a different kind of challenge and offers slightly different results.

Let’s have a look at these variations…

6 Plank Variations for Beginners and Advanced Level [Support Weight Loss]

Every exercise needs some modification to amplify the results. 

Similarly, there are certain variations of planking exercises that target your weight loss in different ways.

#1: Straight Arm Plank

It’s similar to the regular plank position as explained above in the blog. The slight variation is in the hand position.

In a regular plank position, you balance your body on your elbows. But in a straight arm plank, your palms are on the ground instead of the elbows. 

However, it’s a relatively easier position to hold in comparison to the regular elbow-supported planks. But it’s a better exercise for your upper back muscles.

#2: Knee Plank

This one is best for beginners. Plus, it’s easy to perform and hold this position. 

Instead of lifting your whole torso, you just balance the portion above the knees with your elbow.

This reduces the weight you are going to support and hold. 

When you can easily perform this exercise, you can switch to performing the regular and more advanced versions of the planking exercises. 

Also, gradually increase the duration of holding the position.

#3: Side Plank on Forearm

Well, this one’s a bit tricky. This variation of plank targets your obliques and the sides of your core.

You need to balance your body on one side. Place your elbow right under the shoulder and your forearm lying flat on the ground. 

Lift your other side of the body straight up and the other arm will point straight upwards. Ensure that the core and abdomen are tight and perfectly aligned.

Hold this position for at least 20 seconds and repeat with the other side. 

While the position is difficult to hold, it’s worth it as the results it delivers are amazing.

#4: Walking Plank 

Another difficult but amazingly beneficial planking variation for weight loss. 

The initial position for this plank variation is just like the full plank or straight arm plank.

Then, you’ll need to engage your glutes and abdominal muscles to initiate the movement. Start moving towards a side with the help of your foot and hands simultaneously.

Move 4-5 steps aside and then repeat the similar motion on the other side. Try to keep the movement slow and steady in order to avoid injuries. 

Do a minimum of 3 sets of the exercises and a maximum of 5-6.

#5: Shoulder Tap Plank

Another planking variation with an increase in the degree of execution!

When people ask – why are planks good for weight loss, you can promptly answer – due to this subtle but effective variation.

This variation will also have the straight arm plank or full plank as its initial position. Then, all you need to do is lift a hand and tap the opposite shoulder with it. 

Repeat this movement with the other hand as well.

Keep alternating this movement for 20-30 seconds. However, you must try to keep the movement slow in order to maintain stability. 

#6: Reverse Plank

This variation of the planking exercise is a bit different from all the other ones. In this exercise, your back will face the ground.

You need to start by sitting on your mat with a straight back. Put your palm on the ground with your hands facing toward your back. 

Straighten out your legs and lift your torso up. Try to hold the position for at least 20-30 seconds in the beginning. 

You can increase this duration as your strength grows.

So, these were a few of the best variations of the planking exercise to burn belly fat. 

Now, let’s see how much of this exercise you must incorporate into your schedule…

How Many Planks a Day to Lose Belly Fat?

Well, the duration of holding the position definitely increases with time as your body adapts to the position and different variations.

However, doing all of it in a day won’t fetch you all the results you hope for. 

For optimum results, you must begin with 2-3 sets, holding the position for 20-30 seconds in each of the set.

Later on, you can increase the duration ranging from 90 seconds to 2 minutes according to your capacity. 

One or two sets are enough to make an impact on your belly fat.

Moreover, it’s really important to keep the duration or intensity of any exercise within the healthy range. 

Lower than required won’t create any impact, and more than enough can cause even more problems.

Hence, you need to incorporate planks within your workout routine with proper calculations based on your body type and requirements.

Now the question is – does planking burn belly fat with immediate effects? And if it does, how much weight can you lose doing the plank challenge?

Let’s find out…

How Much Weight Can You Lose Doing the Plank Challenge?

Well, we said this earlier as well, planking does not directly help you lose weight. It has certain benefits regarding your body functions eventually leading to weight loss. 

Planking burns about 3-5 calories per minute.

So, it totally depends upon your capacity, metabolic rate, and how much it affects your fat burning.

Now, although planking includes simple mechanisms, people commit a lot of common mistakes while performing this exercise.

Let’s have a look at these mistakes so you can avoid them while using planking for weight loss…

4 Common Plank Mistakes to Avoid 

There’s no rocket science that goes into performing a perfect plank. 

Most of the time lack of proper training and guidance is the reason behind the mistakes you commit during this simple exercise. 

But you can simply avoid these mistakes by making yourselves more aware. 

You need to rule out these common mistakes in order to maximize the plank exercise benefits for weight loss.

#1: Tilt of Head

Head position is very crucial during planks. However, most people tend to tilt their heads upward or downward.

But the correct way is to point it straight. Your whole body including your back, head, torso, hips, and legs must fall in a straight line.

#2: Arching Of Back

Arching the back makes the position easier to hold as it removes the load from the abdominal muscles. 

But this is not the correct way. Your back must be straight and you must feel the stress in your abdomen area.

#3: Dropping Down the Hips

Your hips start sinking down when you are getting tired in the position. This is the time when you must end the plank and get out of the position promptly.

Otherwise, this would put excess load on your lower back and might result in a chronic injury.

#4: Looking at the Stop Watch

It’s something that influences your planks psychologically. Having constant attention on the stopwatch draws away your focus from where it actually must be.

This impacts your performance negatively.

Avoid these common mistakes and you’re good to go.

However, know that planking is just a type of exercise; it won’t make you lean and slim single-handedly. 

As a result, you must back it up with some more effort in order to increase its effects on fat burning.

Let’s see what you must add to your routine with planks to increase fat burning…

ALSO READ: 10 Common Weight Loss Mistakes 

What to Do in Addition to Planks to Lose Weight Fast?

There are quite a few things you can do along with planking. Some of them are:

#1: Stick to a Strict Diet

No amount of planking or any other exercise is going to help you lose weight if you are constantly munching on unhealthy foods.

You must adopt a strict and healthy diet that’s low in calories and high in nutrition. This will enable your body to lose fat rapidly.

#2: Running

It’s among the most popular and traditional techniques to lose weight. However, modern gyms are making them obsolete. 

It’s still the best way to supplement your journey towards a fine slimmer physique.

You don’t need to sprint every day. Just going for a brisk walk 2-3 times a week would do. 

#3: Weight Training

People usually think of weight training as a way of getting big. However, it’s true that weight training is also effective in losing excess body fat.

Intense lifting induces testosterone release, which is quite helpful in reducing the fat content in your body.

Nevertheless, there are several more things you can add to your routine in order to support the effects of planking for weight loss.

Final Words

Planking for weight loss is quite effective. Although it does not directly induce fat-burning in your body, it certainly supports the process in a lot of ways.

Also, planks are a wonderful way to improve your body alignment and posture.

It’s an easy-to-perform exercise, has a simple mechanism, and offers amazing benefits. 

Still, there’s a scope of committing mistakes while performing this exercise, especially in the beginning.

Hence, you need to train and educate yourself well before starting. Try to avoid all the potential mistakes while performing this exercise as it may result in injuries.

Moreover, planks are something everyone can do except for pregnant women. Also, people having shoulder and back injuries must avoid doing planks. 

For the rest, planks are a must-do exercise if you want a strong and steady core and surfboard abs. 

Hope this blog was helpful and informative for you…!

Please do share your feedback along with the benefits of the plank you’ve noticed for weight loss.

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