I Did A 30-Day Reverse Plank Challenge—You’ll Never Guess What Happened

As I’ve stated in my previous challenges, I love the plank movement. I love its simplicity and how you require no training or equipment to perform it. Alongside this, I’m well aware of the many benefits of planks widely published throughout the scientific literature. 

Because of this, I wanted to perform a plank movement that I’d never tried before. I wanted to experience the learning process and see the benefits for myself as a total beginner. 

Now, I like to think I’m fairly experienced when it comes to gym movements. I’ve definitely tried a lot more exercises than most people. However, one movement I’ve never tried is the reverse plank.

One look at the exercise movement got my attention. It’s strange, uncommon, and exactly what I’m looking for.

Here are the full details of what I experienced throughout the four weeks. I share my thoughts, feelings, and main reverse plank benefits after a month.

Reverse Planking For 30 Days — What I Did

Most of us are well aware of the benefits of the traditional plank. Because of this, learning more about the reverse version was an interesting experience for me to say the least. 

Here’s my weekly breakdown as I performed the challenge. 

Week 1

The reverse plank is pretty much an upside-down plank meaning you face the ceiling. It’s the first day of the challenge and I am excited and nervous at the same time. I rarely perform a new plank variation so it’ll be interesting to learn the difference in muscle activation and benefits.

Before the challenge, I had a little go at holding the position. However, I don’t think I’ll be able to do it for the same time as my normal plank.

The goal of week one is to perform three sets every day. I won’t aim for a specific time yet. I’m going to try to perform three sets using one-minute holds by the end of the month. 

For this week, let’s start with three sets of 30-second holds. 

After a good warm-up, I decided to dive in. My first day went pretty well. I feel like I’ve got the correct form down.

The main thing I’m struggling with so far is getting used to the extended shoulder position. Even for me, it’s a big range of motion that I’m not used to.

At the end of week one, I managed to complete all my daily sets for the 30-second holds. I think I’ll be able to increase my volume in week two.

Week 2 

At the start of week two, I felt quite surprised that I completed week one successfully. One thing I’m really enjoying is experiencing a totally new exercise. While I enjoy knowing what I’m doing, it’s nice to have some added exercise variety.

Because of week one’s success, I’m going to increase my plank times to 45 seconds. My goal for this week is to get this time for every set.

I’ve been really busy this week so I’ve split the plank sets up throughout the day. I even did some when out in the park with my friends for some outdoor group exercise fun. Even they had no idea about the reverse plank but enjoyed it just as much as me.

It’s the end of the week and I’ve reached the official halfway point. The main benefit I’ve noticed so far is that my chest and shoulder flexibility has improved. This was something I was really hoping for as my upper body mobility isn’t the greatest.

Week 3

It’s week three and I feel really comfortable with the general movement. I’ve managed to complete all my sets successfully so far. 

With this, I think it’s time to really increase the intensity. This is my way to progressively overload my training. This week, let’s go for sets of one-minute holds!

I know the reverse plank is a core exercise. However, I’m pleasantly surprised at just how much I feel my glutes and hamstrings. I guess that makes sense as they contract alongside the core to keep the straight body position.

Speaking of my core, I do feel that I’m doing most of the sets without leaving enough recovery time. Performing them every day over such a long period is pretty tough. 

In the future, I would probably make sure to have a rest day or two in every challenge I do. The importance of rest and recovery should not be overstated. 

While I didn’t manage to perform all of my sets using one-minute holds, I’m happy with my progress so far. In week four, we try again!

Week 4

The goal of my final week is simple — perform reverse planks for the full week using one-minute holds. I got close last week so let’s see how I go.

Overall, I’m feeling more mobile and more healthy. I’m really glad that I picked a new plank variation. Because of this, I might even try another new one for my next challenge!

With last week feeling quite volume-heavy, I’ve decided to split all of my sets up throughout the day. I’m performing them whenever I get a chance.

It’s the end of week four which means it’s also the end of the challenge. I got so close to performing all sets for one-minute holds but didn’t quite manage it. Nevertheless, I made some great progress and enjoyed the new exercise challenge. 

Results And Key Changes

Some of the results and key changes definitely surprised me. These are the top five benefits that I discovered from performing the reverse plank every day.

The New Exercise Variation Was A Breath Of Fresh Air

The main training principles include training volume, intensity, and rest. These refer to the amount of work performed, exercise difficulty, and recovery time given. Most gym populations tend to focus on these as the main determinants.

Exercise variation is something that really should be viewed with more importance. Bigger exercise variety helps to improve motivation while showing similar improvements in muscular adaptations. 

For me, the new variation was a breath of fresh air. I’m so used to performing the same exercises. Because of this, it really improved my training motivation and challenge enjoyment.

My Glutes And Hamstrings Felt Stronger

There’s no denying that the plank and its variations are primarily core exercises. This is also the case for the reverse plank. 

However, the reverse position requires the hamstrings and glutes to work as secondary movers. They help to maintain the straight leg position as the core controls the torso.

At the end of the challenge, my glute and hamstring strength improved. Even halfway through the challenge, they felt sore on some days, especially with the higher intensity. 

The importance of strong glutes can’t be overstated. They help to stabilize the body position and exert force in several lower body movements such as the squat.

The gluteus maximus is one of the largest muscles in the body. It accounts for 16% of the total cross-sectional body area. The improvement in my glute and hamstring strength was a welcoming surprise for me.

I Improved My Core Strength Using A Different Exercise Angle

There is no denying that the traditional plank improves core endurance and stability. Many studies show improvements with enough volume. However, less is known about the reverse plank variation.

At the end of the challenge, there’s no doubt that the reverse plank improved my core strength. Toward the middle of week three, I could definitely feel the difference when carrying my travel bag.

This improvement in core strength increased my core stability and general mobility. My dynamic movements felt more stable with less movement than before. Because of this, the reverse plank is a great core option.

In a different article, we’ve discussed the differences between planks vs. crunches as two common core movements.

My Posture And General Spine Alignment Felt Better

Altered posture is a huge issue in today’s society. As the prevalence of desk-based jobs increases, so does poor posture. Hunched shoulders and rounded backs place more strain on the lower back and surrounding muscles.

The plank and its variations are identified as key core exercises for lower back pain. After four weeks of performing the reverse plank, it should definitely be included as one of them.

Interestingly enough, research looking at the reverse plank showed improvements in forward shoulder posture. My posture and spine alignment felt better which supports these findings!

My Chest And Shoulder Flexibility Improved A Lot

As I’ve mentioned in my previous articles, my upper body is bigger than my lower body. Because of this, my flexibility doesn’t tend to match up. I tend to perform regular lower-body stretching but neglect my upper body.

At the start of the challenge, I found the chest and shoulder positions challenging. The stretch was good but hard to maintain. By the end of the challenge, I could get into the same position with relative ease.
I know flexibility is an important component of health and performance. Because of this, I was really happy that my upper body flexibility improved.

How To Do A Reverse Plank

Here’s a breakdown of how I performed the reverse plank over the four weeks. If I noticed any form deviations, I would stop and reassess my form.

How To Do

1. Set up next to a suitable padded area or gym mat. Sit on the mat with your legs out in front of you and your hands by your sides.
2. Bring your hands behind your hips while keeping your elbows tucked in. Your hands should be pointing in the same direction as your legs. Your shoulders should be directly over your elbows and hands.
3. Keep your chest up and head facing forward. This is the correct starting position.
4. Engage your core. Lift your hips off the floor while maintaining straight arm and leg positions.
5. Come up until there is a straight line from your heels to your head. Squeeze your glutes and quads while holding the top position for the stated period. Your heels should be in contact with the ground with your toes pointing up.
6. Come back to the starting position under control once the allotted time is up. Repeat for the stated number of sets.

Tips

• Keep your core engaged throughout the hold. Stop if your hips start to sag and reassess your form. Correct exercise technique is vital when performing the reverse plank to avoid injury. 
• Your knees and elbows should be straight without forcing them into position. Avoid overextending them to limit potential joint stress. 
• Ensure your head stays in a neutral position. Avoid excessively tucking your head in or bending it too far back.
• Make sure to warm up before performing the reverse plank. The dynamic stretches should involve your primary movers. 

Final Thoughts

With the challenge finished, I honestly can’t believe how hard I found them. I’m pretty good with the normal plank and side plank but the reverse plank was much different. Because of this, I’ve definitely noticed some new things that I need to improve.

The reverse plank is often put on the back burner and replaced by the traditional plank. However, after four weeks of performing it most days, It’s worthy of getting much more love. I’ll be adding it as part of my weekly training to further improve my upper body mobility and core strength.

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