Everybody Hates Planks. This Invention Tricks You Into Thinking They’re Fun.

An old trainer of mine used to say that our most hated exercises are simply the ones we work hardest to improve on.

It’s a frustratingly accurate observation. If you fear a specific type of machine or movement, you probably know that it hurts and that it will get more painful before it gets easier. Therefore, left to our own parents, most of us are Really good at pretending the exercise never existed in the first place.

Planks are my fitness boogeyman. I despise them. If a coach adds a 60 second hold to the end of a class, I will swear audibly. In my spare time, I just refuse to do them. I’m not one for masochistic mind games when they can be avoided, and the torture of an isometric torso exercise has long seemed over the top.

The problem, though? Planks are so damn good for you. As a runner, weightlifter, and fitness writer who cares about posture, mobility, and full-body health, I’ve also long been aware that I need to get over my aversion and find a way to include planks. in my weekly routine. routine.

Recently, I had a breakthrough, thanks to a funky invention called the Griddle. It’s a German-designed balance board, made of walnut-finished wood and sweat-resistant foam, that you hold on to (like kids holding on to the edge of a pool during a swimming lesson) while striking a lunge pose. table. If that’s all there is to the product, it would be pretty solid. A variety of products have similarly formalized and updated flexing over the years, lifting it off the ground and giving students a more reliable grip.

But the real draw here is the board’s “connection” to the Plankpad app, a clever library of games and workouts that have forced me to push back on my personal board ban and somehow (this sounds crazy, but I’m serious) ) even enjoy the miserable exercise.

Plankpad reminds me of the apps I used on my iPod Touch in 2009, which probably sounds like a snub, but I mean that as a compliment. It’s an incredibly simple service with rather silly games called Fruit Slicer, Stix N’ Stones, Meteor Madness, Snow Cruisin’, etc. The purpose of these games is intuitive: to deviate from the path of debris along a path, on a mountain, or in space. Along the way you will get “points”.

Also, believe it or not, you will suddenly find yourself 30 seconds or more in a plank position. Plankpad swaps the mind games of a notoriously difficult exercise with games… games. Technically, this doesn’t make the physical act of holding a board any easier, but it will distract you long enough to finish a set. And once you’ve invested in the games, the designers clearly hope you’ll be willing to spend a little more time on the board in order to beat your “high score.”

The visual cues in the games may seem strange to beginners: why do I have to turn to the side to avoid a hurtling asteroid? But the movement that Plankpad is looking for is subtle. Slight, restrained side-to-side shifts make the board less stable, and in an effort to regain balance, your muscles have to work harder and together. The app is designed to work only when your phone is placed on the front of the dash, and can detect when it moves too far to the side. It will alert you with a buzz. When you’re doing everything right, it’s undeniable that it’s a full-bodied company. My shoulders, abs, thighs were on fire after a few games of Wave Rider, an otherwise ridiculous game where a guy with straight red hair has to surf between sharks.

If the games don’t do it for you, Plankpad also has a training feature, broken down by session length (everything from 30 seconds to four minutes is represented), and peppered with moves to add to traditional plank sets, like spider and mountain strides. climbers Plankpad recommends moving into workouts and prioritizing patience and posture first. It’s a good advice; One of the main reasons for opting for planks is the benefits they bring to the back. If your form is wrong, if someone can draw a pyramid from head to toe, that’s a telltale sign, you can actually tension your back.

One of Plankpad’s best features is its most basic: a 30-day checklist, with a daily set exercise pattern. The first day it says “30 sec. REST 20 sec. REST 15 sec. It’ll walk you through the workout, no surfers or spider strides, and give you a green check mark when you’re done. By the end of the month, you’ll be doing “90 sec. REST 85 sec. REST 80 sec. Sound unlikely? Right now, of course I do. But if you do planks for a couple of minutes every day, there’s no reason you (or I) can’t get there.

Also, one of my favorite things about Plankpad is that it won’t shoehorn you into some sort of monthly subscription. Fitness subscriptions are already eating us alive, not to mention all the other recurring fees in your life, but Plankpad is a “get what you get” situation. There are a few apps you can unlock by paying extra (a mysterious frog-themed game called Hopper), but it’s hard to imagine that any new game Plankpad offers will be any different than what’s already out there.

Your only investment, then, is $87 for the board itself, which is lightweight and easily sits in the corner of any gym, garage, apartment, you name it. It also comes with a non-slip mat, which is useful if you have to install it on a wooden floor. For the sake of abs, or less back pain, or finally demystifying a diabolical exercise, I highly recommend this thing. Fitness is supposed to be fun. The Plankpad passes that test and then some.