“It is confidence in our bodies, minds, and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures.” — Oprah Winfrey
Did you know that planking will improve your self confidence? It’s true. I’m not talking about dropping into a plank, holding for 10 seconds, and then never doing it again. I’m talking about mindfully setting up a good plank, holding as long as you can, improving that time, and then continuing to plank a few times a week. Read the five reasons below, and YOU will be planking too.
1. Planking gives you a good story to tell people. “I planked for 30 seconds today,” (or a minute, or two minutes) is a great conversation starter. Chances are, most of the people you talk to on a daily basis aren’t planking — ever — so your plank story is sure to sound impressive. Having a good narrative to tell at parties or other social gatherings gives a big boost to self-confidence.
2. Planks make you stronger. And with strength comes confidence. You probably already know that planks strengthen your arms, legs, core, and well, just about every part of your body. But think about what that strength does for your self-confidence. The knowledge that your body is stronger than it was before you started planking is a big boost to self- esteem and your confidence.
3. Planking gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Let’s say you’ve never planked and you set a goal of working up to one or two minutes. It may take a few weeks (or maybe months) to hit that goal, but once you do, that’s a great accomplishment! You will feel so good about this accomplishment the you’ll feel like puffing out your chest and telling others (see first point) about this great thing that you did for YOURSELF.
4. Planking reduces stress and improves mental health. Remember, planking releases endorphins which help relieve pain, and improve your mood. This is a scientific fact folks. True, there are medications that can do almost the same thing, buy why would you choose to take a pill, when all you have to do is plank?
5. Planking will change the way you feel about your body. I’m not kidding when I tell you that planking has changed the way my arms, abs, and legs look. And that, in turn, has changed the way I feel about my body. I’m proud of my toned core and limbs; and while hot yoga certainly contributed, planking has chiseled out some true definition and made me enthusiastic about wearing a sleeveless shirt, shorts, or swimsuit.
There are LOTS of other good reasons to start planking — that I won’t elaborate on now — but a big boost of confidence should be enough to get you going!
