The 5-Day Plank Hold Challenge That Rebuilds Core Strength After 60

Most people approach the plank the wrong way. They drop down, set a timer, and try to hold on for as long as physically possible, usually until their hips sag, their lower back arches, and the exercise stops doing what it’s supposed to do. While that approach might work fine in your twenties, after 60, it’s a surefire way to turn a core exercise into a lower-back strain.

Fortunately, there’s a better approach to rebuilding core strength after 60. By gradually adding a few seconds at a time to your planks, your core has a chance to actually adapt to the load rather than collapsing under it. That’s the idea behind this five-day plank challenge. Rather than chasing an arbitrary time goal on day one, you extend your hold by five seconds each day, keeping the same three sets throughout, so your muscles build real endurance instead of just gutting out a single long hold with poor form.

We spoke with James Brady, CPT, a certified personal trainer at ...