The FastDay Forum

@gillymary and @CandiceMarie, the basic plank couldn't be easier (well, holding it for a long time is difficult…). The only thing is to be careful that your back is straight, so it's good to do in front of a mirror.

Having said that, with an injured hip it's probably not a good idea...

[carieoates]

Anyone tried doing this whilst their cat is head butting them. then my bare feet were slipping on the carpet. But I managed it.

Day 5. 40 secs.

well done, carieoates! I'm expecting one of mine to crawl up on my back while I'm doing it, but so far they just look at me like I'm crazy.

Hi @maryAnn, sometimes hard to tell the difference between pyriformis tightness/ inflammation and a disc prolapse - so glad to hear yours is clearing up quickly!

Yes, much more likely to be from the plank, all that isometric exercise can cause havoc unless your technique is absolutely perfect. You can stretch pyriformis by lying on your back with your legs at 90 degrees and your feel flat up the wall. Now cross one leg over the other knee, being careful that your tail goes straight back down on the floor after you have lift edit to get into position & gets "glued" to the floor so your spine is neutral and you still have a small curve in your lower back. Now push your knee away towards the wall to stretch more. Then also pull your knee towards your body with your opposite hand, this will give you a specific pyriformis stretch, whereas the first one is more glute. Make sure your spine is neutral the whole time. This should feel relieving.

Hope the recovery continues!

[Debs]

That sounds like a wonderful stretch anyway!!
I 'planked' for 45 secs last night, quite pleased with that.

I did start the Plank challenge, but I can't seem to fit in the time to plank daily.
I guess you can count me out.

Three reasons to continue:

1. I've discovered that planks are wonderful a way TO STOP TIME or to at least slow it to glacial speed during those last few seconds. (If my keyboard would reach the floor, I might get more work done while in those draggggging seconds....)

2. It really FIRMS THINGS UP. (Or it could just be the beginning stage of petrification. A mere plank now; collectible tree-ring fragments, suitable-for-framing later.)

3. And I find that it really FOCUSES THE MIND watching those last few hundredths grind down.(My body talks to me in a plank, but I don't know what it's saying. I'm reasonably sure that the first word is "Please...".)

Up to two minutes this morning before a run. Can report that time still stops during those last few seconds.

Saw a blurb on the news this AM of a 16 year old challenging the Guiness(sp?) world record for the plank this Saturday. She's up to 60 minutes!


"Youth is wasted on the young." - George Bernard Shaw

I'm going to try my first plank in over a week today. Followed by some piriformis stretches. I'm going to a physical therapist later as well, to get some additional exercises/stretches.

edit to add: 60s. I'll call it a repeat of day 10 because I think doing 90s tomorrow would be silly!

I'm in! I'm going to start with Day 1. I used to do this at pilates class, but that was a few years ago so I'm sure I regressed. These things are so hard for me!

I finally got in to see a physical therapist yesterday. It was interesting. He had me show him all the exercises I do, including weight machines and what not. He is very pro plank, and was happy with my form, which was a relief. He wants me to do it twice a day. He seems to think my tight hamstrings are my biggest problem, and has me doing loads of stretches twice a day, too.

[carieoates]

Sugar....I keep forgetting to plank.
I do believe that we should all get a free session with a chiropractor, and a physiotherapist every couple of years to put back whats popped out and re-set what we are doing wrong to prevent injury.

I signed up for this challenge on 10th April and then forgot about it until the 15th
So on the 15th I got into position, started the stopwatch and did 150 seconds I have no idea how as I've never been able to do a minute before. I decided to try and carry on from there and today was 240 seconds completed. Maybe running and other ad hoc exercises have helped strengthen my core muscles.

I don't get head butted by either of the cats @carieoats but my elderly cat has been known to settle underneath me when doing planks, once crawling inside the baggy jumper I was wearing - definitely took her life in her paws on that occasion

whoa @AnnieW! That's awesome. I was supposed to go up to 90s yesterday, and I just couldn't do it. I have a weak core, clearly

@carieoates, I have an app that reminds me. Otherwise I would forget, too. And it's good to be reminded how lucky I am to be in Japan. The medical system here is far from perfect, but chiropractors are taken so much more seriously here--and probably receive much better training. I've been really impressed so far. And I've been going quite frequently for a fiver each time.

[Debs]

I have been doing them off and on. I went to a stretch class last night and she snuck in some planks!!
I keep forgetting too, but shall do it tonight, thank you for reminding me!