Editor’s note: Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you experience pain.

CNN
 — 

Planks are widely considered by fitness experts to be a fantastic exercise to strengthen the muscles in your core and elsewhere, no matter your age or physical fitness level.

There are numerous versions of the plank, but its basic form involves balancing on your toes and forearms while holding your body off the ground.

A plank may seem daunting, especially if you are not a fitness fanatic. But it can be modified to be more accessible — or much more difficult.

No one knows for sure who invented the plank, but some credit Joseph Pilates, who created the Pilates exercise regimen in the early 1900s. What is clear, however, is that the plank became the favored core exercise a decade or so ago, eclipsing the crunch and sit-up. The latter two exercises can put strain on your spine and hip flexors, while planks do not.

But there are other reasons for the plank’s popularity besides going easy on your spine and hip flexors. One is that planking strengthens numerous muscles in your body at once, said Dr. Claire Morrow, a physical therapist in San Francisco who works with digital clinic Hinge Health.

“The plank can activate your postural muscles, shoulders, back of the neck, elbows, triceps, hips and quads,” Morrow said. “It is a pretty efficient exercise in terms of the muscle groups activated while doing it.”

Planks are also great at improving your functional fitness, said Julie Logue, director of programming operations for SilverSneakers, a fitness program for adults 65 years and older that’s included with many Medicare Advantage plans.

“If you do planks regularly, they will improve your posture and help you do everyday activities more easily,” Logue said. “They also have a lot of value because they’re body weight based, so you can plank anytime, anywhere.”

Finally, planks can help with a wide variety of issues outside of strength, posture and balance. For example, they have been found to help combat urinary incontinence, according to a December 2021 study published in the journal Healthcare. Your golf swing can also benefit from planking, concluded another study published in the June issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Plank newbies should begin in a standing position, placing their hands on a wall or the edge of a countertop, Morrow said. Walk your feet backward until you’re leaning into the surface. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then repeat four times.

“The position is the first place to start,” Morrow said. “Next is how long to hold it. Once you work up to holding a wall plank for 30 seconds at a time, you can continue to increase the time or change your position.”

Changing positions might mean moving to a lower surface, such as the edge of your couch or a step, or to the floor. Once on the floor, you can do a plank on your knees and hands, or knees and forearms if you have wrist issues, Logue said.

“I also love the bird dog exercise as a way to get started,” she said. “Get on your hands and knees, then extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back. This gets you ready to do body-weight exercises and helps create core strength.”

No matter which position you begin with, planks require attention to form. You should always tighten your core muscles while planking, along with your glutes and quadriceps, the Morrow and Logue said. Your shoulders and hips shouldn’t be sagging, and your butt shouldn’t be sticking up in the air. When in doubt, consult an expert, such as a physical therapist or personal trainer.

Paying attention to your breath is also important.

“Many people hold their breath during planks, which can be dangerous,” Logue said. “Remember to think about your breathing.”

Once you’ve got the hang of planking on the floor, consider adding some variations. There are many. Side planks involve balancing on one forearm with your feet stacked and your body sideways.

“Side planks work more of your side body and hip abductors,” Morrow said. “They’re good at strengthening your hips for good balance.”

To do mountain climbers, start in the push-up position. From there, you employ a marching motion, bringing your right knee to your right elbow, then left knee to left elbow. You can also bring your right knee to your left elbow, and vice versa, an exercise known as a cross-body mountain climber.

Climbing planks require you to start on your forearms, with toes on the ground, then “climb” up on your hands. From there, you keep alternating climbing down to your forearms with climbing up to your hands.

Ideally, Logue said, you can create a plank regimen that incorporates both traditional planking and several variations, which will help reduce your risk of muscle overuse and create a more balanced body.

The key takeaway is to give planking a try by starting slowly and easily.

“There isn’t a point in any exercise program, whether you’re planking or walking or squatting, where you’re too old or out of shape to try,” Morrow said. “There is always a point of entry. Yours just might be different than someone else’s.”

Sign up for CNN’s Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts.

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer who specializes in hiking, travel and fitness.

When I first got to college, one of the things I was secretly thrilled about was leaving gym class behind. No more mandatory laps, dodgeball games or mile runs that felt like a public shaming ritual. Finally, freedom from fitness I didn’t enjoy, but somehow, I found myself working out still. I’d walk miles to class, lug a too-heavy backpack around campus and take the stairs to my third-floor dorm room in Southgate religiously. 

Then during freshman year, I realized my routine was missing something: the gym. I wasn’t looking to “get in shape” or achieve some fitness goal; I just wanted to feel good in my body again. I wanted to take control and exercise in a way that made my time feel meaningful. But every time I thought about walking into the gym, I hesitated. I wasn’t a “gym girly” or even the kind of person who enjoyed exercise. That just wasn’t who I was. 

But after coming back from my first winter break, a friend and I decided to brave a Saturday morning yoga class in Brodie Gym. It felt surprisingly good to get up early and start the weekend off with a sense of accomplishment. So, one class turned into a weekly endeavor. 

By the time the semester was over, I knew I wanted to continue exercising. Yet, I wasn’t sure I had the intrinsic motivation to frequent the gym on my own time or if yoga was really my thing (or just a convenient way to start moving). Still, yoga was the only exercise I felt brave enough to continue, so I decided to stick with it. 

When class registration for sophomore year arrived, I decided to give Yoga Level 2 a shot. It being a class on my transcript was motivation enough for me to roll out of bed twice a week. Yet by Thanksgiving break, I had used up almost all of my unexcused absences and I wasn’t sure I liked yoga anymore. I loved my instructor, but the clock seemed to tick slower and louder every class until we reached our 9:45 a.m. dismissal. My mind would drift to my laundry or pending deadlines and I’d forget to breathe through the poses. I felt like a fraud for even bothering to show up when I wasn’t in the present moment. 

By December, I needed a break from yoga, and since I’d taken the advanced-level course, it was a great excuse to switch to something different. So, I found myself in Pilates Level 1 the following semester. It was mentally challenging. I didn’t know anyone in the class and I didn’t enjoy the exertion of the exercises. But I didn’t know any better. I just thought everyone felt that way about exercising. It was something to push through, a task meant to be endured.

For many of us, exercising has often felt like a chore on a never-ending to-do list: We drag ourselves to the gym, go through the motions or find creative ways to avoid it altogether. Working out often feels like a means to an end, focused on physical outcomes rather than enjoyment.

For me, my mom’s lingering voice in my head saying “Don’t forget to exercise” was my number-one motivator — I was only doing it to make her proud of my “productive routine.” That all changed when I enrolled in Fusion Fitness for Women.

Another bonus of taking a class is the built-in accountability without the pressure of rigidity. I’m often so busy, I put off going to the gym at all, but having a carved time in my schedule where I have to go allows me to workout regularly. You also get six unexcused absences, meaning you can still prioritize other parts of life when needed. 

Fitness classes are truly Duke’s hidden gem. They give us a chance to redefine our relationship with exercise. From Aikido to tennis to yoga, these classes encourage us to try new things and push ourselves physically without the pressure of expertise or competition. It’s not about being the strongest or the fastest but about showing up, trying something different and realizing that exercise can be enjoyable and rewarding. 

Duke’s fitness classes also taught me that fitness is deeply personal. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s okay. For some, working out is about building strength or improving speed, and that can be incredibly motivating. But for me, fitness has become less about measurable outcomes and more about exploration. It’s about discovering what brings me joy and makes me feel grateful for my body’s abilities.

The beauty of it all is finding what resonates with you. Fitness doesn’t have to be about forcing yourself through something you feel an obligation to complete; it’s about finding what you love and what makes you feel good.

These classes haven’t just changed how I feel about exercise in college. They’ve given me the tools and confidence I’ll carry long after graduation. Knowing how to approach a new activity, take up space in a gym (and anywhere else) and listen to your body means you’ll always have the ability to figure out what works for you, no matter where life takes you. 

Ultimately, fitness doesn’t need fancy equipment or the perfect “gym.” You can use your dorm-room carpet as a makeshift yoga mat or a scarf as a stretch band, but all you really need is you.

If you’d told me as a freshman that I’d one day look forward to working out, I wouldn’t have believed you. But these classes have shown me that fitness doesn’t have to be about pushing through something you hate or striving for an ideal you don’t care about. It can be about movement that feels exhilarating, activities that spark joy and environments that encourage growth. Fitness isn’t something I dread anymore, and it doesn’t have to be that for you either. Don’t endure your workouts — enjoy them. I promise it’s much better that way.

Valentina Garbelotto is a Trinity junior. Her column, “Dear comfort zone: It’s not me, it’s you. Time to break up…”, typically runs on alternate Thursdays.