Are you ready for the Plank Challenge? Here are the details!
The Plank Challenge is actually really simple. It will take place for a total of 4 weeks (October 22 – November 16) and will only require 10 minutes or less of your time on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week. Monday and Friday will be time trial days when you hold a plank, time yourself, and record it. On Wednesdays, I’ll post a plank/core workout (10 minutes or less) on CNC to help you build up your strength and stamina. Basically, the weeks will look like this:
- Monday: Time trial
- Wednesday: Plank/core workout
- Friday: Time trial – try to beat Monday’s plank time!
I did my first plank of the Challenge last night and made it to 3:00 minutes, so my goal for the Challenge is to double my time. I think doubling your plank time in 4 weeks is a great goal, so feel free to set the same one for yourself! If you haven’t done your first plank yet, do it sometime today, so you can start with the plank/core workout tomorrow.
To help keep me on track, I set a bunch of time goals for myself and added them to my calendar. I know holding a plank is all about core strength, but a lot of it is mental too, so if I have a time in mind to strive for, I’m more likely to tough it out and achieve it!
I hope you decide to join my Plank Challenge! I’ll be blogging about it on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for the next 4 weeks, and I’d love to have some buddies to do it with me so we can all keep each other motivated! Let me know if you’re in for the challenge!
Dinner
Last night’s dinner was quick and nutritious. Mal and Dave got take-out for dinner, but I wasn’t in the mood for it after eating out quite a few times this weekend, so I whipped up a simple meal of canned tuna mixed with sautĆĀ©ed spinach, red peppers, avocado, fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
A little while later, I made myself a sweet treat: sweet potato slices with Nikki’s vanilla cake batter coconut butter and cinnamon. OMG, delicious!
Question of the Day
Are you in for the Plank Challenge? If so, how’d your first time trial go?
P.S. Need a little motivation for your workout (or life) today? This post will get you going: What are you waiting for?
202 Comments
I tried to do a trial this morning after some arm strength training and only lasted 30 seconds before I started shaking! My arms totally gave out… so I just tried it again and lasted 2 minutes. So I guess my goal is 4? I will be so proud if I can get to 4!!
Hi! I did my time trial this am…3:00. Told my husband when he got home from work, so he tried it..5:01. It’s ON!!!!! I know our goal is to try and double our times, but my goal is to beat him;).
Haha! Love it!
Looking forward to joining you on the 4-week plank challenge. This is just the motivation I needed to strengthen my core for the Philly half I am doing on November 18th.
@Elizabeth: just timed myself…2:02. Hoping I can double in four weeks!
Hmm, I made it to 1:00! I think my goal will be 3:00.
My trial time is 2:31..and that’s after a boxing class and twenty pug kisses so I hope I can kick it up and meet my goal of 5:01 in four weeks! Thanks for a fun challenge!
I’m in! I’ve been looking for a great way to strengthen my core !
I am currently ruuning a plank challenge with a group but I want in. I would love to challenge myself further and learn from you.
Thank you for the core challenge. I will begin it tomorrow and can’t wait. I love the idea of using a calendar that is my favorite way to track fitness goals too!
I’m in! Thank you for specifying that you did 3 minutes, that inspired me to do 3 minutes too! I can’t imagine doubling that in 4 weeks though. It was HARD. Thanks for a great challenge idea. I look forward to sharing progress and trying your workouts.
I’m in! I made it to 3:00 tonight, but it was tough!!
My boyfriend and I are totally in for the Plank Challenge! My first time was 59 seconds and his was 1:19. I definitely feel like there lots of room for improvement. I can’t wait!
P.S. We’re going to our first Crossfit class next Tuesday! WOOT!
Did my first plank tonight. That stuff is hard!!! Lol I lasted 80 seconds. Silly question….how often do you do them and how many times to build up to your goal?
Made it to 1:21. Sounds like a great challenge. I would like to make it to 4 minutes.
I will be joining my girlfriend Elizabeth in the challenge. I started with 3:03. My goal is to double my time after four weeks and end at 6 minutes.
I’m totally in and can’t wait for the core workouts! I always try to do some sort of core work as people forget how important it is!!
I’m in!
My first plank time was 2:01, but my glutes and quads are burning from a 400m walking lunge challenge at my CrossFit box, so hopefully I can more than double that to get to 5 min!
Initial time: 2:08.
I’ve been so excited about this since you first wrote about it that I have been dropping and planking several times a day!
I also absolutely love your blog and my breakfasts have gone from bread-y type foods to scrambles and pancakes that have made me feel so much better.
Thank you for the inspiration and for the laughs (I love Murphy!)
Sam
1:45. Goal is 3:30. I was hoping to do better.
http://wp.me/p1JJuk-Wr
I did my plank think morning, and I got 1:13. Better than I thought! My goal is going to be a cool even 3 minutes. Thanks for doing this Tina!
I’ve been trying to a plank a day since I started CrossFit 1 month ago, but my core still isn’t really where I want to be. I will continue doing 3x 1 minute planks (which are hard for me) each day, and will probably do the core workouts you post. 6:00 is a great goal! Always seeing coconut butter on your and other blogs makes me want to go out and grab some.
I am in! I have been walking a lot, but not working on any core strength. I needed a little nudge.
Not as good as I hoped, 50.6 seconds.
But I did have 2 dogs trying to lick my face the whole time. Lol!
Got this done last night and my time was only 1:57 š Not happy with that, but the weird thing is, it was more my legs struggling than my abs (probably from a deadlift series the night before). Planks really are full body!
Lots of room for improvement here š
I’m totally doing this with you! I timed myself yesterday and I’m at 4:24. Can’t wait to see your post on the Wednesday Challenge/Work out!
This sounds great! I’m SO INN! I need to work on my abs! I’m already holding my own personal push-up challenge (see blog) so I can add this just as well while I’m at it š thanks for the inspiration!
I’m in for the plank challenge too! 45 seconds is my record so I can’t wait to double it! i’m so impressed with everyone else’s numbers!
I’m totally doing the plank challenge! I’ll also be trying to double my time by November 16th. Thanks for the motivation to push myself and stop being so comfortable with my 1 min. 30 sec. planks haha.
I posted about it this morning on my blog- hopefully I’ll get some more friends to join! I know this is the time of year when people tend to fall off the fitness bandwagon.
http://wickedhealthywashingtonian.com/2012/10/25/plank-challenge/
Plank Challenge Day One: 2 minutes, 26 seconds. Not bad for an almost 50 year old – yoga and Nike Training Club is working!
I just saw a mention of your plank challenge on the pile on the miles challenge. A few days late, but starting today. day 1- 1 minute. I’d like to double that, or more!
I’m in!!!
does it matter what type of plank you do? is the elbow one the harder of them all?
another later joiner, but better later than never. š i did 1:16 min today with the goal to double that number in three weeks.
thanks for setting up the challenge!
Well, I’m late and missed the first week, but I did my first time trial today- 1:21. I don’t think my form was good at the end though because I’m feeling it in my lower back now.
Nice job!!