The plank is a crucial exercise for all who want to gain core strength and strengthen abdominal muscles. However, for some people, the sensation of pain can be quite challenging to avoid.
You’re not keeping your upper body in a straight line with your hips. When you’re using plank, one of the most common errors people make is leaning forward to support themselves or moving their arms out from under them. This can lead to an uneven curve in your spine and strain on other parts of your body.
Being unable to complete a plank is something that no one wants to deal with. Do you have pain during planks? This article is meant to guide you on how to ensure that the plank is not causing pain.
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What Is a Plank?
A plank is a core exercise that works the entire body and can be done anywhere.
Planks are a great way to build strength in your core and improve posture. They also help you burn fat and strengthen your back, arms and legs.
Planks require no equipment, so they’re easy to do anywhere- at home or at the gym. They’re one of the most effective exercises for beginners because they tone your muscles quickly while building endurance.
But don’t let their simplicity fool you: Planks can be tough!
If you’re just starting out, hold the plank position for 30 seconds until you’re comfortable enough with it to increase the time. The average person should be able to hold a plank for 60 seconds after two weeks of practice three times per week.
Why Do My Arms Hurt So Much During Plank?
There are many causes of arm pain during a plank. The most common include:
1. Poor Core Strength
If you have weak abs, they won’t be able to support your weight as well as they would otherwise. This means that the effort will shift to your arms and shoulders instead, which can lead to pain in those areas.
2. Poor Shoulder Blade Alignment
If you experience pain in your shoulders during a plank, it could be due to poor shoulder blade alignment. The shoulder blades are made up of three bones: the scapula (or shoulder blade), the humerus (or upper arm bone) and the clavicle (also known as the collarbone). The bones are connected by a joint which allows for movement and flexibility.
When you do a plank exercise with poor shoulder blade alignment, it can cause your muscles to work harder than they should. This can lead to muscle strain or soreness.
3. Poor Breathing Technique
Breathing through pursed lips (or “pursed-lips breathing”) can contribute to arm fatigue during planks because it restricts airflow from entering and exiting the lungs effectively – making it more difficult for you to get enough oxygen into your body for energy production during exercise.
4. Overuse
If you’re doing too much too soon, your muscles may become strained and inflamed. This can cause pain in your elbows or shoulders. You’ll know if it’s overuse because it will happen immediately after exercising and subside as soon as you rest.
5. Injury
If you’ve been injured, such as when playing sports or lifting weights, it could cause inflammation and pain in your upper arms. The pain will worsen with movement but improve when at rest.
How Do You Make Planks Not Hurt Your Arms?
If you want to reduce the pain in your arms during planks, there are a few things you can try:
1) Use an Underhand Grip
The easiest way to keep your arms from hurting during planks is to use an underhand grip (palms facing each other). This takes some stress off of your shoulders and traps by reducing the amount of weight that’s pushing down on them .
You can also try resting your forearms on something like a yoga block if you don’t want to change your hand position. The bottom line is that if you want to make planks less painful for your arms, then try this first!
2) Don’t Lock Out Your Elbows
It may seem counterintuitive, but locking out your elbows will actually cause more strain on them than keeping them bent .
This is because locking out puts more pressure on your joints and increases the risk of injury. In fact, many people who suffer from shoulder pain have been told by their doctor to avoid locking out their elbows during planks.
3) Don’t Hunch Over Too Much
If you’re going to do planks, it’s best not to hunch your upper body too much. When your spine is curved forward, your arms can’t reach the floor behind you. This puts unnecessary stress on your shoulders and arms.
Instead of hunching over, try lifting up so that you’re using the muscles in your back and core. This will help keep your spine straight and prevent injury from occurring.
Does Planking Work the Arms?
Planking works the arms. The plank is a great exercise for developing core strength and stability, but it also works your arm muscles.
When you hold a plank position, you’re essentially supporting yourself with your hands and forearms.
Your triceps are responsible for straightening your elbows and keeping your shoulders from sagging down toward the ground. Your biceps help to stabilize your upper arms and lower arms as well as help with elbow flexion (when your forearm moves toward your upper arm).
If you want to make sure that you’re getting the most out of each repetition of this exercise, try this tip:
- As you hold the plank position, imagine that someone is pulling on a rope attached to each side of your head and extending through your spine. This will help engage the muscles in your back so that they support the weight of your body instead of relying solely on just the muscles in your chest and abdomen.
Most Common Plank Mistakes
Here are the most common mistakes that you shouldn’t be making:
1. Leaning Too Far Forward or Backward
Planking is all about balance, so if you’re not balanced then you’re doing it wrong. Make sure to keep your back straight and your butt tucked in.
If you’re leaning too far back, it’s probably because your glutes aren’t engaged enough, so try squeezing them as hard as possible on each rep to keep yourself from tipping over.
2. Holding Your Breath
You might have heard that holding your breath helps build endurance and strength, but this isn’t true for everyone and can actually cause serious health problems like fainting or passing out if done incorrectly (and often).
Instead of holding your breath, focus on exhaling fully before inhaling again. This will get more oxygen into your blood stream while still allowing you to get the benefits of an increased heart rate without stressing out your body unnecessarily.
3. Crossing Arms Over Chest
This is another common mistake that people make in their planking positions – they cross their arms over their chests instead of keeping them shoulder-width apart at all times during the exercise (as if they were holding two dumb bells).
This can make it much more difficult for you to keep your body straight and get the full benefits of the exercise because it restricts blood flow in your arms.
How to Do a Perfect Plank
- Get into position.
- Lie face down on the floor with your forearms parallel to each other and directly under your shoulders (as if you’re making snow angels).
- Tighten your abs so that they’re slightly lifted off the floor, then rest on your toes and keep them flexed throughout the exercise (don’t point them).
- Keep your back flat. Keep your torso as close to being flat as possible by pressing through your feet into the ground instead of arching or bending forward at all during this exercise.
- Your butt shouldn’t be raised too high either since doing so could cause back pain.
- Pull your shoulders back. As you lift your torso off the ground, pull it back by squeezing your shoulder blades together. This will help keep your upper body in line with your lower body so that there aren’t any gaps between them when you’re lying down.
- Keep your neck straight. This is important because if you keep your head on the ground while doing the exercise, you’ll be able to lift more weight with less effort than if you’re looking up at the ceiling.
- Keep your eyes open.
- Breathe normally throughout the exercise and exhale as you pull yourself up.
What Is Supposed to Hurt When You Do Planks?
The goal of the plank is to build core strength and stability along with flexibility in your upper body.
To do that, you need to engage your core muscles as much as possible. In order for those muscles to work properly, they need to be stretched out enough so that they can contract fully.
Extra Tips to Make Planks More Comfortable
Here are some tips for making them more comfortable:
Make sure your back stays straight. If you arch your back or tilt your pelvis, it will make the exercise much harder. Keep your entire spine in a straight line, from your tailbone to your neck.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows, but don’t let them flare out too much or you might feel strain in your shoulders. Try to keep the position where there is a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm (without letting them flair out).
If you have bad knees or back issues, try doing planks on an exercise ball instead of the floor – this will take some pressure off of those areas and allow you to move freely without worrying about falling over!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cause of pain in my arms during plank?
The most common cause of pain in your arms during a plank is muscle fatigue. This is caused by not warming up properly before your workout or by doing too many repetitions with improper form.
What should I do if I feel pain in my arms during planks?
If you feel pain in your arms during planks, then it’s important to stop and rest. You should also make sure that you have proper form before trying to continue exercising. A good rule of thumb is if any exercise hurts, then it shouldn’t be done!
What are some other exercises that can help me strengthen my core without putting strain on my upper body?
Some other exercises that can help strengthen your core without putting strain on your upper body include: leg raises, side crunches, bicycles, mountain climbers and reverse crunches
Our Thoughts
In general, the best way to prevent pain from planks is to focus on your breath and not let your body start sagging downwards.
This will also help you get the most out of your planks.
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