anyone else do RKC planks?

[Anonymous]

My personal trainer introduced me to RKC planks (planks where you brace your abs and glutes) and man, are they a workout! I hold one for 45 seconds and am COMPLETELY done. What a great exercise.

[Anonymous]

Yes! My trainer introduced me to them and they are so much more challenging. I used to be able to hold a plank for 5 minutes, but when I do them this way I am done after a minute.

[Anonymous]

Isn't that how you normally should plank? What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that how you normally should plank? What am I missing?

Normal plank your arms are extended, and you don't tense anything. People can hold those for a long time. RKC plank you're on your elbows, and, as my trainer explained to me, you kind of pull the floor towards your feet with your arms, while bracing your abs. for extra you can also brace your quads and glutes. It's MUCH harder. I hold mine for 45 seconds (and it is HARD and just one is enough for me) but you can also do them in shorter intervals.

https://drjohnrusin.com/the-best-exercise-you-arent-doing-rkc-plank/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that how you normally should plank? What am I missing?

Normal plank your arms are extended, and you don't tense anything. People can hold those for a long time. RKC plank you're on your elbows, and, as my trainer explained to me, you kind of pull the floor towards your feet with your arms, while bracing your abs. for extra you can also brace your quads and glutes. It's MUCH harder. I hold mine for 45 seconds (and it is HARD and just one is enough for me) but you can also do them in shorter intervals.

https://drjohnrusin.com/the-best-exercise-you-arent-doing-rkc-plank/

Thanks. Just looked them up. It's pretty much the plank hold for solidcore, which I've been doing for a few years. Yeah, they're hard (and even more so with having to hold the tension from the springs). But at least I know why they didn't sound different from my usual!

[Anonymous]

That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

OP here. My previous experience with planks was in yoga, and the definitely don't have you brace or flex! Also not enough emphasis on the elbows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

Then their trainer should be fired. These are normal plank adjustments. This is why it’s important to have someone qualified to walk you through workouts as you’re getting started. Poor form is what causes many gym injuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

OP here. My previous experience with planks was in yoga, and the definitely don't have you brace or flex! Also not enough emphasis on the elbows.

Solidcore PP, and the first place I heard about that flexing was during an online yoga class. "Hold your plank and squeeze your butt!" I was like, oh, uh, what? Ha! But yeah, most yoga studios don't cue that engagement, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I agree with others that those are just normal planks and how you're supposed to do them anyway. I do a 3-4 minute one daily. I can start out cold, but dripping with dew and elbow/armpit sweat by the end of one!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with others that those are just normal planks and how you're supposed to do them anyway. I do a 3-4 minute one daily. I can start out cold, but dripping with dew and elbow/armpit sweat by the end of one!

You can't do an RKC plank for 3-4 minutes, so indeed you're just doing a "normal" plank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with others that those are just normal planks and how you're supposed to do them anyway. I do a 3-4 minute one daily. I can start out cold, but dripping with dew and elbow/armpit sweat by the end of one!

You can't do an RKC plank for 3-4 minutes, so indeed you're just doing a "normal" plank.

Here's another good explanation! https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/How-Long-Should-I-Hold-Plank-39196204

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

What? It’s not even really possible to be in this kind of plank without engaging core muscles and shoulders. You’d touch your gut to the floor pretty quicky (I just attempted myself). But whatever. If an old thing needs a new name to make it marketable, I’ll play along

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a normal plank to most. It’s also much safer for wrists and shoulders. Thank you for the link.

Elbow planks are pretty typical but I’ve found that most people aren’t actively bracing/engaging/flexing their glutes, abs and shoulders during a plank. It tends to be more passive.

What? It’s not even really possible to be in this kind of plank without engaging core muscles and shoulders. You’d touch your gut to the floor pretty quicky (I just attempted myself). But whatever. If an old thing needs a new name to make it marketable, I’ll play along

read the links above. there's a big difference between creating as much muscle tension you can in plank, and just "engaging your core" as in yoga. with the RKC plank (aka hardstyle aka tension) you tense EVERYTHING. if you're doing it right you will not be able to hold it for longer than a minute.