I have a love-hate relationship with the plank. In my home Pilates workouts, I'll be counting down the seconds, but I know how good the exercise is for my core, back, and shoulders, so I get down and do it anyway.
Maintaining our core strength as we age by learning how to do the plank properly and doing it for long enough can help prevent and alleviate back and hip pain, improve balance and stability, and enable us to perform weight-bearing exercises and daily tasks such as lifting and carrying. Les Mills UK trainer Paulina Składanowska says: “Our core is the centrepiece of our bodies. It connects the upper and lower body, and so making this link strong is absolutely vital."
