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How long can you hold a plank — and how does it stack up to others in your age group?
That’s the question that was posed on “Fox & Friends” Thursday morning, when co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones competed in a plank challenge.
A plank is an isometric move where the person holds a push-up position for a set period of time.
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Both held a low plank for well over a minute, exceeding the thresholds for their ages, although Kilmeade held his for a few seconds longer.
A fitness expert at Lifetime in New York City provided the below targets for how long you should be able to hold a plank by age.
- 20s: 1 to 2 minutes
- 30s: 1 to 2 minutes
- 40s: 1 minute or longer
- 50s: 30 to 60 seconds
- 60s and above: 20 to 30 seconds
Benefits of holding planks
Planks are often touted as an abdominal exercise, serving as an alternative to traditional sit-ups and crunches, which can strain the back and neck.
However, the isometric move benefits the body in many other ways beyond just sculpting a six-pack.
In addition to working the abdominals, planks also strengthen the muscles in the arms, legs, chest and back, according to Healthline.
They can also help improve posture while sitting or standing and can boost flexibility by stretching the lower half of the body, the above source stated.
Different plank versions
While Kilmeade and Jones both held low planks, some may opt for a high plank, which is where the arms are straight and the person balances on the palms of the hands.
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For those who are still working up to holding a full plank, the move can be modified by dropping the knees to the floor.
There are also variations of the plank that target different parts of the body.
Those include side planks, knee touches (touching alternating knees to the ground), hip dips and leg/arm extensions.
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If you’ve just started planking, experts recommend starting with 15 to 30 seconds and gradually increasing the duration, with two minutes generally regarded as a good maximum.
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