5 Min Plank Workout Challenge
Planks vs crunches for abs
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m taking the 5 min plank workout challenge.
But first, why would I attempt to complete a 5 min plank?
As a fellow YouTuber, I’ve come across quite a few 5 minute workout challenges.
However, this 5 min plank workout challenge intrigued me.
Since I’ve never tried it before, and I’m always up for a good challenge, I was curious to see if I could complete a 5 min plank.
Have you ever tried to complete a 5 min plank before?
If you haven’t, get down and give it a try.
To prove that I attempted it, I had the camera filming me in real time.
This way you can watch to see if I can complete a full 5 minute plank.
But since watching someone attempt to hold a plank for 5 mins doesn’t make entertaining content, I did a picture in picture video edit in post production.
That way, you can keep your eye on me completing the 5 min plank, while I share my thoughts on:
Which is better:
- planks vs crunches for abs
- to effectively burn belly fat
Holding a 5 minute plank may not sound that difficult, but trust me, you’ll be sweating during the 5 minutes.
During the beginning of the plank challenge, I felt pretty good, as I was listening and bobbing my head to music.
But after the 3 minute mark hit, I was feeling the sweat, and my body started to shake.
At the 4 minute mark, I quickly transitioned into a different plank variation called the straight arm plank.
During the 5 min plank workout challenge, you do not need to stay in the forearm plank for the entire time.
Without stopping, you can move into any other plank variation, if you feel like you need to.
What’s the big deal with planks?
First of all, most people complete planks, and other ab exercises like crunches, because they have a goal to get a flat stomach.
The number one goal of 85-90% of people in the gym is to lose belly fat.
However, I always tell people, if you want to lose belly fat, crunches are not the best exercise for you to be doing.
The best types of exercises to burn belly fat are:
Heavier compound exercises, that incorporate multi-joint movements, and work more of the larger muscles in the body.
These are the best exercises to burn belly fat because they burn a lot of calories.
I did a post on the 7 best exercises to lose belly fat here.
This is important, because at the end of the day, if you’re going to lose fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, by burning more calories than you’re consuming.
Your diet is crucial to burning belly fat
This is why you may have seen the quote on my wall that says, “Abs are made… in the kitchen”.
Your diet is the most important factor in losing belly fat and getting abs.
This means, crunch after crunch after crunch, is not the proper way to lose belly fat.
You first have to lose the belly fat by following a workout and nutrition program that is comprised of multi-joint exercises and dials in your nutrition.
These multi-muscle exercises should target the biggest muscles in the body, as they burn a lot of calories.
Once you start to see the belly fat burn off, then you can start incorporating more ab exercises, to sculpt, define, and condition your core.
This will eventually give you the definition you want, including the straight line down your stomach that defines your six pack abs.
Again, focus on getting rid of the belly fat first, then concentrate on adding in more movements that target your core.
Which is better: planks vs crunches for abs
#1. Planks burn more calories than crunches
Although I’ve never tested this myself, and I don’t have the studies to back this up, I did read somewhere that planks burn more calories than crunches.
So that’s one score for planks.
#2. Excessive crunches can be bad for you
Crunch after crunch after crunch can be bad for your body because of the excessive amount of flexion and curving of your spine.
If you’ve ever completed 3-4 similar crunch exercise variations in a row, you may begin feeling it more in your back.
This is why it can be smart, at times, to add in a plank exercise between crunch exercises.
Planks not only strengthen and condition the front of your core, they also help strengthen your lower back as well.
When you complete a plank correctly, it’s an isometric move that targets pretty much every muscle group in your body, including your:
- abs
- back
- shoulders
- legs
That was my successful 5 min plank workout challenge
I completed the 5 min plank workout challenge.
Afterwards, my body was sore after just 5 minutes of exercise.
But I felt incredible.
So no more excuses.
Even if you only have 5 free minutes in your day, I want you to get down and give this 5 min plank workout challenge a try.
If you can’t complete the full 5 minutes, start slow and build your way up by maintaining the plank for as long as you can.
Remember, you do not have to stick with one plank variation throughout the entire 5 minutes.
You can move from one plank variation to another.
For example, you could:
- Start with the forearm plank
- Then transition to the T-plank or a forearm side plank
- And then move to the straight arm plank
Just do your best
It’s now your turn to see if you can complete the 5 min plank workout challenge.
I hope you enjoyed this challenge workout as I’m interested in doing more workout challenges in the future.
If you missed it, a did a 1 minute push up challenge against Jill Hanner here.
Show your support by clicking the social media buttons to share this 5 min plank workout challenge with your friends.
Also, subscribe to our Live Lean TV YouTube channel and leave a comment below to let me know if you made it to 5 minutes with your plank.
If you didn’t make it, there’s no shame in it, just keep working on it.
I’ll be back tomorrow with another Freestyle Friday post.
Talk then.
Questions For You:
- How long can you hold a plank for?
- What other ab exercises do you like to do?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
Check out our free workout videos here.
Check out my free recipe cooking videos here.
If you’re looking for workouts that quickly burn fat, check out more of my 4 minute Tabata Workouts here.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
I loved this. I will be trying this over the weekend. Ill let you know how i get on
Loving this. I will be trying this at the weekend and will let you know how I get on.
good luck with it friend!