Maybe I should preface this blog by saying the title should read – “I tried to do a 2 minute plank everyday for a month…” Because when you’re counting the seconds, two minutes can seem like an eternity. As a result I suffered 7 days of planking pain for the entirety of the first week! Overthinking the time factor of a ‘two minute plank’ is NOT recommended. And that’s how I’ll begin this story!
So let’s be totally upfront and honest here about Week 1
Day 1, was all about the fear of the unknown. Truthfully, there was a time a 2 minute plank would’ve been a walk in the park…but how would I fare now? Especially now I’m a mum and this core, like most mums, has taken a bit of a battering. Admittedly, I set out with some uncertainty and feeling vulnerable.
Days 1 to 4, I fell short. I didn’t hit a straight 120 seconds on my toes on any one of those days and I wasnot happy about it. In fact, I was in total denial when it first happened! You can be as fit and strong as anything in your daily workouts, but when it comes to a specific exercise that requires 100% focus and effort, none of that can matter! Mentally I weighed up the options, I could a) view it as failure, or b) treat it as motivation…and no way was I about to accept defeat without a battle! So I shelved my pride, accepted my fate, dropped from my toes to my knees and took a few breathers where needed.
By day 3, I finally achieved more seconds on my toes than knees, and by day 6 I was up for the full 2 minutes and happy enough with my form. I did a mini mental handshake with myself and agreed never to drop back in intensity or effort for the next 3 weeks. Happy!
Week 2: Mind power
As with anything, once you overcome the mindset blockage then the path ahead smooths out. When your head is in the right place, things inevitably feel like they’re coming together and you’re way more unwilling to give up! 2 weeks in, my mind was stronger than ever and I was feeling stronger in my core and upper body. I also felt I was able to zone out more effectively, so that I wasn’t always focusing on the stopwatch. Less huff and puff each day, time seemed to go quicker – this was progress! Look out Week 3!
Week 3: Power of the mind continues
You know when you’re getting within an inch of the finish line and your mindset traps return? Trying to trip you up again? Well, that was me in Week 3. Let me tell you, the struggle was REAL. It could be that everything else going on in my day was distracting me from really being able to focus on the plank. On the upside, despite feeling like the 2 minutes dragged out to 4, I was now in control of the muscle shakes. I was starting to feel like a boxer with my tauter rig and everything involving the upper body seemed easier. My body composition scales confirmed an increase in lean muscle mass and a decrease in body fat. Winning!
Week 4: The home stretch!
Week 4 felt like I’d managed to haul myself out of the quicksand. I’d definitely turned a corner! I was motivated and really starting to feel like I was running the show! Muscle shaking is a past history, I was breathing easier and evenly in my holds and I felt balanced and strong – no sagging anywhere! As the week came to an end (Day 26) I found myself actively seeking out ways to push harder. Rolling onto the tips of my toes and pulling my elbows back towards my ribs ticks all the boxes. By the end of the week, I couldn’t help myself and I did my final plank untimed. I managed a 4 minute wonder for my Week 4 finale! And now, this 49 year old is more than happy with that!!
Mish xx
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