One can use many options when it comes to exercise regimens on their weight loss journey. Of course, the option you choose depends on what you are looking to achieve. If you are looking for a full-body workout, one of the best options is the plank.
Why is it such a great option? Simply put, it is a full-body workout that burns a lot of calories. The answer to how many varies depending on your body composition and weight.
Understanding everything you can about the exercise to determine if you should fully understand what it is and what it can do for you. So let’s take a look at planking and what it can bring to your workout routine.
Is it the Same Amount for Everyone?
It would be wonderful if every exercise that you did burned the same amount of calories across the board. But the truth is every exercise, depending on your body weight and composition, is going to affect you differently. The same can be said for planking.
Those with a heavier body frame utilizing more strength to hold themselves up will burn more calories. This is because it is a full-body exercise that utilizes the weight of your body as the tension.
So the more weight, the more tension, and that will inevitably always mean more calories burned.
Does Planking Burn the Most Calories?
There are tons of great exercises that burn a lot of calories, and planking is among them. This isometric exercise burns between 2 and 5 calories per minute. That means for a 15-minute session of planking, and you could look to burn between 30 and 65 calories.
When it comes to exercises that you can work into your workout regimen, the best and most calorie-burning exercise you can do is running. However, this is not an option for everyone as sometimes, running is not a good fit due to physical constraints.
For How Long Should You Plank to Lose More Calories?
Whenever you add any type of exercise to your regime, you want to get the most out of it that you can.
To get the most impact from including planking in your exercise routine, you need to understand the repetitions and the time needed in each stance to maximize the results.
Most experts will say that it is best if you execute three planks holding each plank for at least 60 seconds. This will burn between 6 and 15 calories per cycle.
It may not seem like a lot, but any type of optimization of a workout portion can be the difference between achieving and not achieving your weight loss goals.
How Many Sets Should You Do?
When it comes to how many sets you should do, that depends on your level of physical activity before that. Most industry professionals suggest you start with three sets of 30 seconds in each plank for beginners.
Typically they would say that this should be a low plank and not a high plank, as you haven’t built up the stamina yet.
To get the most from adding planking to your exercise routine, though, we suggest you do the following:
- Try to include it two to four times a week in your exercise routine
- When they start getting easy, add time in five to 10-second increments
- If you can hold the position for more than a minute, then it’s time to move to a new position
Is Planking Better for Gaining Muscle Mass or Losing Fat?
When looking solely at the plank, you’re looking at an isometric exercise that helps improve your core strength. But other advantages come with planking. For instance, your metabolism is improved. This, in turn, will help you lose fat quicker.
Along with this body, as a supplement for a weight machine, creates tension in the muscles and helps build them. So if you’re wondering if a plank helps gain muscle mass or lose fat, the answer is both.
Though it will not be as significant as other exercises, planking can improve many aspects that will help in other realms of your physical fitness regimen.
Final Thoughts on How Many Calories Can be Burned In a Plank
If you’re trying to improve your core strength and just burn some calories, there are multiple ways to do that. One of those is planking.
When executing planking, you’re going to burn anywhere from 2 to 5 calories a minute. This may not seem like a significant amount, but one that can have an impact on your overall results.