Tabata planks

[Kyle Borowsky]

Can anyone post a link that shows what a Tabata plank looks like?

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

A waste of time?

[Ramsey Abdulrahim]

I remember reading some controversy about the efficacy of using the tabata protocol (originally intended for cycling, but also applied to swimming, running, and rowing) for other movements dissimilar to those activities. Basically, tabata is great for more cardiovascular exercises but is it effective for doing pushups or squats or situps or some other activity.

It's kind of up for debate but tabata planks... I'll admit to not know much but tabata planks does not seem to me to at all be an effective use of the tabata protocol. Tabata applied to isometrics?! that sounds crazy. How can you even do it intensely?

Besides, 20 second increments of planks is not difficult for most people. I'd say you'd be much better off trying to hold it for a goal of 2:30.

[Kyle Borowsky]

... and a link to what this exercise looks like is?

[Ramsey Abdulrahim]

Kyle:

You presumably just hold a plank for 20 seconds, rest for 10, hold the plank for 20 more seconds, rest for 10, and so forth for 8 rounds which will take 4 minutes.

Tabata applied to isometrics doesn't make any sense at all the more I think about it. Anyone more knowledgeable want to comment?

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Plank for 20 seconds then rest for 10 repeat 8 times

[Kyle Borowsky]

ok thank you for the clarification. I had never heard of a tabata plank before and assumed it was a different exercise all together. Now that I understand you are correct it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense when I can already hold a plank for 3 minutes at a time

[Mark E. Wallace]

Our affiliate sometimes uses a Tabata plank sequence as a finisher after WOD. I disagree that Tabata planks are a waste of time, but I definitely agree that they're not really productive as a main WOD.

An example of what we will sometimes (and, we're talking about maybe once per month here) do:

20 on, 10 off of:

1. full arm plank ("up" position of a pushup)
2. down plank ("down" position of a pushup)
3. full plank position, lift left arm and right leg off of floor
4. then switch arms & legs
5. elbow plank
6. in same position, lift left arm and right leg off of floor
7. then switch arms & legs
8. full arm plank

- Mark

[Ramsey Abdulrahim]

Mark:

If 20:10 is a rep scheme for holding planks, that's fine, especially with the planks where you lift an arm and a leg. 20 second holds in this case would be challenging to a lot of people (plus the cumulative effect of the rounds adds to the tension).

But that's just as a time scheme... I don't think anyone can kid themselves into thinking that they're getting the benefits of the Tabata protocol through doing an isometric exercise like that. Maybe I'm wrong but tabata as all out balls to the wall intense bursts doesn't correspond to literal motionlessness.

[Lincoln Brigham]

Plank for 20 seconds then rest for 10 repeat 8 times

...which really doesn't make sense if you can already hold a plank for 4 minutes straight without bothering with the rest periods.

There's really nothing you can do to encorporate planks into the Tabata protocol. The intent of the Tabata protocol is to go all-out (or close to it) for those 20 seconds. There's no way to go all-out on a static hold exercise. There's no sense of scalability. Sure, you can do planks for 20 on/10 off/8 rounds, but that doesn't make it the Tabata protocol.