Welcome to your 30 day plank challenge!
Seesaw back.
Below is a day-by-day schedule to build up your strength and endurance for this efficient and effective move.
If you at any point need to take a break or drop to your knees, do that. It is very important that you never compromise you form in a plank! It is much better to drop to your knees when you feel your back drooping than to put strain on it – you’ll get a better core workout on your knees than with compromised form on your toes.
If you are more advanced with planks, double the time/reps for each day, or use this to add on as a final burnout to your workout!
During the first week, you will be building up time in full arm and forearm planks. The second week brings movements, the third adds in side planks, the fourth rounds it out with stringing movements together. You will finish this challenge with two days of burnout.
Here is your day-by-day routine:
Week One: Establish Your Time.
Day 1: Full arm plank position – 30 seconds. Forearm plank position – 30 seconds.
Day 2: Full arm – 30 seconds. Forearm – 45 seconds.
Day 3: Full arm – 45 seconds. Forearm – 30 seconds.
Day 4: Full arm – 45 seconds. Forearm – 45 seconds.
Day 5: Full arm – 1 minute. Forearm – 30 seconds.
Day 6: Full arm – 45 seconds. Forearm – 1 minute.
Day 7: Full arm – 1 minute. Forearm – 1 minute.
Week Two: Move It.
Movements:
Marches.
Marches: Tap each knee to the floor (tap the floor; don’t transfer your weight).
Seesaws: Transfer your weight forward, with your head and heels moving forward. Your whole body moves front and back in a sawing motion. You will feel this in your shoulders!
Day 8: Full arm – 1 minute hold, 10 alternating marches on each leg. 30 second hold.
Seesaw forward.
Day 9: Forearm – 1 minute hold, 15 seesaws, 15 second hold.
Day 10: Full arm – 1 minute hold, 10 alternating marches on each leg, 30 second hold.
Day 11: Forearm – 1 minute hold, 15 seesaws, 30 second hold.
Day 12: Full arm – 1 minute hold, 20 alternating marches on each leg, 30 second hold.
Day 13: Forearm – 1 minute hold, 20 seesaws, 30 second hold.
Day 14: Full arm – 1 minute hold, 20 alternating marches on each leg, 45 second hold.
Week Three: Bring in the Side Body.
Day 15: Forearm – 1 minute. Place right then left palms to floor (that’s an elevator plank!), hold full arm plank 45 seconds.
Day 16: Side planks on full arm – 30 seconds each side. Then come to center full arm plank and hold for 75 seconds.
Day 17: Full arm – 1 minute. Place right then left elbow to floor (elevator planks) and hold forearm plank for 1 minute.
Day 18: Side plank on elbow – 30 seconds each side; 75 seconds hold in center.
Day 19: 4 elevator planks from full arm to forearm - right elbow down, then left elbow down; right palm, then left palm. Repeat leading with the left, then do it again on both sides! Hold full arm plank 1 minute.
Day 20: Full arm side plank – 30 seconds, pulse hip up 10 times. Drop top arm to ground to full arm plank and hold 30 seconds. Rotate to other side and hold plank for 30 seconds, then pulse hip up 10 times.
Day 21: Forearm side plank – 30 seconds, pulse hip up 10 times. Drop top arm’s elbow to ground to forearm plank and hold 30 seconds. Rotate to other side and hold plank for 30 seconds, then pulse hip up 10 times.
Week Four: Choreography of Movements!
Movements New for This Week:
Knees into chest three ways – straight into chest, up your side body bringing your knee toward your armpit, and across your body with your knee toward your opposite shoulder.
Day 22: Forearm – 15 seesaws, 10 alternating hip dips on each side, hold 30 seconds.
Day 23: Full arm – 10 alternating knees into chest on each side, hold 15 seconds, bring alternating knees into armpits 10 times on each side, hold 15 seconds.
Day 24: Forearm – 10 alternating hip dips, 10 alternating marches on each leg, hold 45 seconds.
Day 25: Full arm – alternating knees into chest 10 times on each leg, hold 15 seconds, bring alternating knees across chest to opposite shoulder 10 times on each leg, hold 15 seconds.
Day 26: Forearm – 2 minute hold.
Day 27: Full arm – 10 alternating knees into chest on each leg, 10 alternating knees to armpits on each leg, 10 knees to opposite shoulder on each leg.
Day 28: Forearm – 2 minute hold, 10 alternating marches on each leg.
Two Bonus Days:
Day 29: Full arm – 1 minute hold. 10 alternating marches on each leg, 10 alternating knees into chest, 10 alternating knees into armpits, 10 alternating knees across body to other shoulder.
Day 30: Forearm – 1 minute hold. 20 seesaws, 10 alternating hip dips, 10 alternating marches on each leg.