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We never cease to be amazed by how creative (and bored) young people are. Who else can quickly take an absurd idea for a pastime and turn it into a worldwide phenomenon? Today’s case in point: Planking.
The objective of planking is simple: Find a place to lay face down, stay completely still and unresponsive, and have a buddy snap a picture of it to post online. The weirder the location, the better—especially if it’s in public, like on a park bench, in a flowerbed, or right in the middle of the road. But you’re only a true planker when you practice your craft in dangerous spots, like on top of cop cars and on high-rise balcony railings, from which another Australian man accidentally plunged to his death over the weekend. In light of the death, Aussie police are hoping to crack down on rogue plankers, and you can bet that thrill-seekers all over the world are now trying to one-up each other in finding even riskier places to plank. (Call it the Jackass effect, and we wholeheartedly recommend against it.)
That said, we’re a little peeved at the whole planking craze. Why? Because everyone in these photos is totally doing it wrong.
Look, here at Men’s Health, we live and die by the plank. In one exercise, you can sculpt a six-pack and stabilize the spine, preventing lower back pain. It’s one of the best core exercises you can possibly do, which is why we cringe when we look at pictures of everyone laying on the ground like a cadaver and passing it off as a plank. (Well, that’s not the only reason we cringe—the whole thing is creepy.)
So read up, potential plankers: Here’s the right way to do the move. Use it to impress your friends, earn major cool points, and—oh yeah—work your core.
1. Start into a pushup position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of on your hands.
2. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
3. Brace your core by contracting your abs as if you were about to be punched in the gut, and squeeze your glutes.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds—or as directed—while breathing deeply.
The objective of planking is simple: Find a place to lay face down, stay completely still and unresponsive, and have a buddy snap a picture of it to post online. The weirder the location, the better—especially if it’s in public, like on a park bench, in a flowerbed, or right in the middle of the road. But you’re only a true planker when you practice your craft in dangerous spots, like on top of cop cars and on high-rise balcony railings, from which another Australian man accidentally plunged to his death over the weekend. In light of the death, Aussie police are hoping to crack down on rogue plankers, and you can bet that thrill-seekers all over the world are now trying to one-up each other in finding even riskier places to plank. (Call it the Jackass effect, and we wholeheartedly recommend against it.)
That said, we’re a little peeved at the whole planking craze. Why? Because everyone in these photos is totally doing it wrong.
Look, here at Men’s Health, we live and die by the plank. In one exercise, you can sculpt a six-pack and stabilize the spine, preventing lower back pain. It’s one of the best core exercises you can possibly do, which is why we cringe when we look at pictures of everyone laying on the ground like a cadaver and passing it off as a plank. (Well, that’s not the only reason we cringe—the whole thing is creepy.)
So read up, potential plankers: Here’s the right way to do the move. Use it to impress your friends, earn major cool points, and—oh yeah—work your core.
1. Start into a pushup position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of on your hands.2. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
3. Brace your core by contracting your abs as if you were about to be punched in the gut, and squeeze your glutes.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds—or as directed—while breathing deeply.
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