A fitness expert reveals a board benchmark that separates the strong cores from the weak after 60.
Building a strong, resilient home is essential to making everyday tasks and hobbies easier. There are many beneficial exercises you can add to your workout to build and maintain core strength—with planks being one of the most common. Planks train your core muscles—including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques—and there are many variations to choose from. That said, if your goal is to focus on core strength, classic planks can do the job. We talked to him Chad LapkaWellness and fitness expert and president of North Shore Sauna, who shares how long you have to take after 60 to prove your core strength is top notch.
Why core strength is necessary after 60
Once you reach your 50s and 60s, core strength becomes more important than ever, as it serves as the foundation for spinal stability, balance, and everyday power transmission, from lifting heavy rental bags to walking on uneven terrain.
according to Harvard Health Publishingthe core muscles can be compared to a stable “central link” that connects your lower body to your upper body. Whether you’re playing pickleball with friends or vacuuming the floors in your house, these movements either come from the core or move. A strong core helps you lift, bend and stand. It also helps reduce lower back pain while improving posture.
How long to keep plaques after 60
If you’re looking for a solid plank benchmark, Lipka suggests aiming for 45 to 60 seconds. “In my own training with senior experienced friends over the years, I’ve found that adults who can hold a clean, controlled plank for 45 to 60 seconds, move better, have less back burn,” says Lipka, and recover more quickly.
Why planks are a useful exercise to master
According to Lipka, you can rely on planks because they put everything on the table at the same time—activating deep abs, stabilizing the shoulders, engaging the glutes, and loading through a position where you can’t “cheat.”
“When someone over the age of 50 can do an effective plank, it shows me that their kinetic chain (meaning all the muscles and joints involved in the work) are cooperating, less side-to-side bending at the waist and lunges, less slouching of the shoulders, more integrity added through the spine.
Changes are related to age
As you age, your body undergoes many changes. In addition to losing lean muscle mass and strength, deep stabilizing muscles may lose endurance.
“Some people keep it easy because they stick to a few small habits: walking in an upright position, doing resistance exercise regularly, adding five minutes of core work to the end of their regular workout,” Lipka notes. “When people over 50 try to plank, the most common faults I see are hip sinking because the glutes aren’t engaged and held in place; shoulder shaking because of a lack of serratus engagement; and holding the breath, which only hurts stability.”
Alexa Milardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering health, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa
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