If you Google “benefits of planking” or something similar, the results are quite amazing. Apparently, everyone and his dog should be doing it. Here’s why.

1. You’ll strengthen your core – these are the main muscles in your body responsible for holding you upright and keeping everything together. If your core is strong, you’ll feel stronger and healthier

2. Your back muscles will thank you – all those hours of sitting behind a desk can wreak havoc on your back, but if those muscles are strong, they’ll withstand that torture a lot better.

3. You can get that desired flat tummy – when planking, you contract your abdominal muscles and doing this regularly will make them stronger and more toned.

4. It burns fat – well, not just like that but when you do some strength training, your metabolic
rate increases and burns fat, long after you’ve stopped the exercise (for today!)

5. You’ll stand straighter and sit better – with a strengthened core, you will have better posture.

6. Your mood will improve – as with any type of physical activity, your mood will lift but planks have the ability to assist in relaxing all those muscles that bunch up when tension and stress take over

7. You won’t fall over your own feet – because planking improves your balance, which is directly because your core is stronger.

There are many more reasons why, but those are the main ones.

The infographic below explains how to plank (source: http://www.lifehack.org/292578/7-things-that-will- happen-when- you-do- planking-exercise- every-day)

Start out slowly and as you improve, so will the duration you can hold the plank for. Good luck!