It’s spring vacation week in Maine and most of New England. For me this week has always been a time when I kind of reset for the last bit of the school year. Speaking of resetting, that’s where I got the idea for this week’s Ed Tech Fitness challenge.
Challenge of the Week
This week’s challenge is a repeat of one that we did back in early in February. It’s the planking challenge! Planking is a great way to improve core strength. A strong core can make you a more efficient cyclist, runner, and simply improve your overall tone.
Try doing five repetitions of planking twice per day this week. You decide how long you need to hold a plank based on your current fitness. Some of us might only be able to hold a plank for 15 seconds before we need to take a break. Others of us might be able to hold a plank for a minute or more. Do what you can to the best of your ability without risking injury.
How to plank:
The classic plank is to support yourself on just your toes and forearms/elbows like this. You can modify the plank to fit your needs. One variation is to plank from your knees. Planking from your knees can reduce some of the stress on your lower back. Another variation is to do a side plank. Here’s a good overview of how to do a basic plank and here are some variations on planks.
Calendar
I got a good piece of feedback after last week’s challenge was posted. Based on that feedback I am going to create a Google Calendar of fitness challenges. That calendar will start in May. If you have suggestions to add to the calendar, please let me know.
Disclaimer: I am not medical professional or fitness trainer. Please consult your physician before embarking on a new exercise or diet regimen.