Just so you know - 5 minute planks are definitely achievable

I can hold a plank (or bridge) for 6 minutes.

As part of our benchmarking tests my dragonboat club holds monthly we have to hold a plank for a long as possible. 5 minutes is considered the top benchmark to achieve... I went longer for a challenge.

I dont actually do planks in my ab routine though lol. Oh, and don't forget that your stomach muscles are like any other muscle in your body - they need rest to heal and thus increase in strength. You dont need to work them every day, in fact its far better for them if you do it 3, maybe 4 times a week.

Good luck guys!

i definitely have to take days off! my bad low back really has to rest. I tried to do my 5 sets again just now, and I only got through 2 sets because my back was NOT having it.

Can't wait till my abs are toned and tight and my back doesn't hurt anymore!

Lyria- WOW! 6 min! Crazy! The longest I have hit was 2 min. lol.

Lyria-Wow, 6. Way to go! It would be a good idea to have a rest day, good advice. Thank you.

star-Good job! That's great that your posture seems straighter. I think your core is still alittle tight. Bumber, I didn't really feel any sore-ness. I want to feel that really bad! Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I do still think there is an impovement.

shasha12-aw, I'm sorry about your back. Rest your back, don't overwork yourself. Hey, the fact that you tried shows alot. We will get those sexy flat abs. (lol, that feels so wierd to write.)

gatorgirl6- But 2 minutes is still really tuff. lol

Snow wolf - no prob people always seem to get hung up on working the poor ol' abs forgetting they need some love and care as well lol. Ultimately a flat stomach and ripply abs will come from a low body fat percentage more than 100 crunches a day (oh and good genes...most people will always have that little bit of a "bump"). However a good strong core is vital for excellent posture and keeping your back in good nick (posture will also help with a pot belly... standing straight elongates the torso making you look leaner and flatter).

I have a very sway back so my stomach will always stick out slightly lol, but hey, its strong! Can't complain! ...except when wearing that tiny skin tight little dress I want :P

Lyria- Thanks again for sharing your knowlegde. I confess, I always get really worked up, "I'm going to do this!...and I'm doing to...blah blah blah." Your right, we have to give the abs a breather. lol Everyone should not do planks on thier rest days. Thanks agian for all the tips and info.

Star-Welcome! =) Yeah, I've noticed that too. I always try my best to be very straight, and I shake all the time too, my face turns alittle red. lol I've just been doing the regular. Last night I did just too, so I have to make up those other 3 minutes! I could feel the burn-finally! I was like, "whoa...pain. YES." I'm going to do my lat 3 minutes today, this was suppose to be my rest day, but this is my personal challenge. ...accually I'll do 5 minutes today, might as well. Tomarrow can be my rest day. And to replace the 3 yesturday, I'll do 3 side planks-then rest tomarrow. Does that make sense, how I'm wording it?

Oh, and my stumach looks a tiny bit smaller, less bulge. The challenge is working!!!

stargzr-yeah, well we need rest days from it. We all should be able to cut some slack with ourselves once and awile, it's nice to take a break.
I did only 1 before going to bed I was very tired after walking from 4:30pm to 6:30. Then at 7:00 my brother and I went to the park, we happend to run into my friend, her sister, and my friend's boyfriend. They were playing basketball, I asked if we could join. So we played intensely-I'm very competitive. Until 8:00, I was sweeting and smelling like a fish. bleh. But we lost. They had an upper hand with players. Anyway, after that my brother and I played on the swings, I kept jumping into the air from the swing.

Then we walked around the park, then he wanted to go home, so I walked him home and started walking again until 9:20. My feet really hurt, becuase I did run/jog acouple of times and I was dark. What was scary... I was on gaurd. There was this grawl in a corner in a dark area. I stopped and listened again to hear what I thought I heard. It was deep,throaty, and low. Instentaniously I was booking it, a nano second the growl stopped I was running as fast as I could go and then when I got tired I kept running, until I was sure it wasn't running after me. We have had some mountian lion/bob cat/coyote problems in the area (live in desert). I know I can stand my own ground if something ever came to that, but I flew out of there like white on rice. I'm never doing that again at night.

So I did not stop moving yesturday, from 4:30 to 9:20 I was pretty much exercising. Gez.

I was running on a bowl of cearel, and two peaces of kfc chicken. And lots and lots of water.

The funny thing is, I've been very upset this week-very hard week. I just want to keep putting on foot infront of the other, instead of sitting around, I've been walking to be alone and escape. When I'm upset I don't get as hungry.

I'm in my stomach is getting way to jiggly!

snow wolf- oh my goodness that's a LOT of exercise!! Geez
littlekitty- welcome!

I did my planks yesterday. Slowly building up I did 2 sets of 20-30 seconds. I think I could have done another set, but I didn't want to push it too much. Felt good though, I'm hoping to increase my ability this week!

I'm jumping in a few days late but I'm excited to start these!

how's everyone doing w this challenge??

I had a bad week, and didn't do much exercising at all... but yesterday I did my 5 sets of 20-30seconds, and I am sooore and tight this morning! haha feels good though