Giulia Ralph is a qualified Nutritionist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Weightlifting Coach, and Personal Trainer. She has a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutrition and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition.
Shutterstock
Does planking burn fat? You’ve heard the famous debate about whether planks burn fat, especially around the abs. The exercise looks simple enough, but is it? Will you genuinely lose weight and burn calories while planking? Also, you likely wonder if you’re doing it right.
The last question is likely the most important one because incorrect planking won’t bring results. Say what? Indeed, discover whether planking burns fat and calories while seeing why an improper form can make the exercise as useful as couch surfing.
Does planking burn fat and help you lose weight? Here’s how planking leads to fat burn and other weight loss benefits
That’s simply a brief overview. Instead, let’s dive into why planking helps you lose weight and burn calories and fat.
BetterMe is your fast-track ticket to a long-lasting weight loss! Tailor your fitness journey and maximize your results with just a couple of swipes!
Plank calories burned don’t sound like much per minute until you realize how you can burn more calories during rest if you plank correctly. The daily calories burned calculator shows that you’ll burn three calories per minute if you weigh between 130-150 lbs. (11).
However, it isn’t that simple because the amount of calories you burn per minute also depends on your muscle-to-fat ratio and metabolism. The Mayo Clinic explains how a faster metabolism and having more muscle burn more calories during rest (8).
Your body is constantly burning calories, even during rest. It has to turn food into energy for basic body functions such as breathing, hormone regulation, and more. The number of calories your body uses for energy during rest is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR). Muscle tissue contributes to an increased BMR.
The more muscle mass you have, the more efficient your metabolism is and burns calories at rest. Still, other factors also influence BMR, including (8):
You’ll likely burn three calories in 60 seconds of planking. However, your BMR determines how many calories you burn during resting periods after planking.
Planking to burn belly fat is possible because of the muscle-building benefits that increase your muscle mass to enhance your BMR (8). Physio-Pedia shows the abdominal muscle groups a traditional plank uses when you apply the proper technique (12):
So, are planks good for abs (1)? Yes, planks are excellent for your abs because they engage other core muscles, too. For example, traditional planks engage the:
A small study of one middle-aged man by Korean researchers displayed that high-intensity planks improved the man’s body composition and muscle mass over four weeks (4). The man increased his skeletal muscle mass by 3.1% however caution is needed due to the small sample size
Planks might not directly target fat burning, but the muscle-building effects help your body’s BMR and metabolism rid you of belly fat and calories. What burns more calories to enhance your planking exercises?
Cardio workouts may burn calories faster if you add them to your plank routine. You saw how many calories you burn with planks. The University of Rochester has a calorie calculator that shows how many calories you burn in an hour per cardio workout if you weigh 150 lbs. (2):
The numbers appear much higher. Still, let’s change the plank time to 30 minutes to accommodate someone planking for 60 seconds and taking 60-second breaks for an entire hour. It isn’t possible for most trainers, but it would burn 107 calories (11).
Unfortunately, planking that long in a day isn’t logical. Instead, add cardio workouts to your planking routine to maximize calories burned. However, don’t lose planks because of the muscle-building benefits that help your body burn calories during rest (8).
Read more: 5 Plank Wall Exercises For A Powerful Core.
You’ll lose body fat everywhere you bulk muscles with planks. Insider shows other muscle planks target as a full-body workout (16):
Planking for weight loss is one way to use the famous isometric exercise. Korean research shows how planking five days weekly for four weeks helped one middle-aged man in the following ways (4):
Harvard suggests a strong core is necessary for good posture and reduced lower back pain (15). Weak core muscles can result in the surrounding muscles to overcompensate, which may cause pain over time.
Plank stomach and body benefits may occur in a minute for each hold. A 30-60 second plank is considered below average but works for beginners (12). Holding a minute will just push you into the average time most people hold.
Times of India states that a 60-second plank is an effective duration (10). However, Harvard says 10-30 seconds is also effective enough with rest between holds if you do multiple sets daily (15). Start with what feels comfortable, but progress the hold weekly.
For example, use this progression to maximize your planks as a beginner:
Progress the weeks further by adding more sets and increasing your hold time until you reach two-minute planks.
Two-minute planks are challenging. Physio-Pedia ranks a two-minute plank as an above-average hold (12). However, Harvard suggests two minutes is long enough per set and claims you won’t see many benefits after that (15). Besides, you will want to speed up calorie-burning effects during your resting state. Two minutes is good with 1-minute breaks.
Harvard, India Times, and Physio-Pedia agree that improper form won’t do you any good with planking (15, 10, 12). Using the wrong form during a plank means you may not activate the intended muscles necessary to build muscle to burn calories.
An improper form may enhance the risk of injuring your back muscles (5). Here are ways to avoid injury and mistakes that negate your plank benefits:
Yanking yourself back in shape has never been so easy with our game-changing fitness app! Start transforming your life with BetterMe!
Does planking burn fat? Of course, planks might not burn fat overnight, but they help toward your dreams of a flat belly. However, they activate muscles that burn calories and tone your body. Let’s discover planks and variations to use to lose weight. Hold all planks for as long as you are comfortable before progressing with your exercises.
Holding a traditional plank in the correct position will ensure you benefit by toning your abs and burning fat around the belly (10). Remember to be aware of your form during the exercise, whether doing the high or forearm plank.
Korean research found that the reverse plank can help improve muscle balance in the upper body and alignment of the shoulder position, which can positively influence good posture(7). Here’s how to do reverse planks:
Side plank hip lifts challenge you more (13). This plank variation can improve your oblique activation down the sides of your torso and can help effectively strengthen the core muscles. Here’s the plank variation:
The Women’s Health Magazine recommends a side plank crunch (6). The variation targets your upper body, shoulders, chest, and back muscles, and the unilateral emphasis adds an additional challenge in comparison to a traditional plank. It can also add a cardio boost with a crunch. Here’s how you can do a side plank crunch:
Surprisingly, crunches burn the same calories as planks per minute. You only burn three calories per minute while doing crunches if you weigh 150 lbs. (3). However, 10 minutes can l burn 33 calories because you’re enjoying a cardio workout, too. Still, crunches and planks burn the same calories, meaning the side crunch plank can be better to double the burn.
The American Sports and Fitness Association recommends plank walkouts as an excellent alternative (18). Plank walkouts challenge core stability further while enhancing upper and lower body strength. Also, they increase the calories burned. Here’s how to do it:
Have you heard of the Spiderman plank (14)? The Spiderman plank variation welcomes cardio training to a full-body, muscle-toning exercise. It can also improve your balance, burn more calories, and hit the quads. Here’s how you do it:
Progressively challenge yourself by doing the Spiderman plank with a twist (14). Bring your right knee to your left elbow and vice versa for a criss-cross movement instead.
Speaking of Spiderman, the Superman plank is another excellent variation. Men’s Health suggests the Superman plank challenges the anti-extension ab function to enhance your core workout (17). Beginners beware, but advanced trainers supercharge your core workout with these steps:
Read more: 10 Plank Alternatives For When You Want To Switch Up Your Core Workout.
Adding other belly fat-burning exercises to planks will only tone your stomach more. Let’s discover which exercises you can add to your planks daily to tone envious-inducing abs.
You’ve already discovered that adding cardio will enhance your plank workouts. However, did you know cardio can also help burn more belly fat? The British Heart Foundation states that any aerobic exercise can be effective in increasing fat loss (including belly fat) r such as these cardio workouts (20):
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of high-intensity cardio with your planks weekly (20). Also, you must eat a healthy diet, maintain a calorie deficit, and sleep well to burn total fat and belly fat with cardio and planking.
Any exercise that targets your abdominal and core muscles can help speed up your BMR by contributing to increased muscle mass and, therefore, a higher muscle-to-fat ratio (8). Adding more resistance-based exercises can improve your total belly fat-burning goals. WebMD recommends these exercises to target the abs and belly fat (19):
A small Korean research study of one middle-aged man displayed that regular and consistent planks can tone and strengthen the muscles in your core and abs (4). Muscle endurance and flexibility also improve. However, participants planked between 15.85 and 18.83 minutes five days weekly for four weeks. Resting times between the planks daily were 13-14 minutes. Planking alone requires dedication and effort to build abs.
How much fat you burn depends on your metabolic rate and muscle-to-fat ratio. The average person who weighs 150 pounds can burn six calories every two minutes (11). Planking can activate and help build muscles, which can result in a higher metabolism and burn more calories (4, 8). The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn in your resting state after planks.
You may reduce your waist circumference if you plank daily for 30 days. Indian researchers compared a 30-day plank versus an abdominal workout challenge (9). Planking for 30 days was as effective as the abdominal workout challenge in reducing waist circumference and skinfold issues in young, healthy adults.
Does planking burn fat? You know all the answers now. Planking properly with added cardio, ab-crunching workouts, a calorie deficit, and an adequate diet can help turn a flabby stomach into a toned belly. Planking variations can also effectively help the process. Pick your planks and any additions, and start your belly-toning, fat-burning exercises today.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.