NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • All Blacks
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Fitness vlogger reveals why you've been planking wrong

Daily Mail
30 Jan, 2018 05:57 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      The Video Cloud video was not found.

      Error Code: VIDEO_CLOUD_ERR_VIDEO_NOT_FOUND
      Session ID: 2025-07-09:cce19a32e7e9ed35e6e1c39a Player Element ID: vjs_video_5722096320001

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Graham Norton makes surprise appearance at Auckland supermarket

      UP NEXT:

      Autoplay in
      3
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Fitness vlogger demonstrates how to plank with proper muscle contraction. Source: Youtube / 2 Meal Day

      It's one of the most popular exercises to tone stomach muscles, but a personal trainer has revealed how fitness fans have been planking wrong.

      According to the Daily Mail, Max Lowery, from London, who runs the 2 Meal Day channel, said his technique, called muscle contraction, "completely changed" the way he trains, and delivers better results.

      In a new video, the YouTuber reveals the wrong way to plank, which can involve holding the pose for up to seven minutes, and then demonstrates his way - and he claims doing it for 30 seconds is enough to get toned abs.

      In the footage, which has been watched more than 38,000 times, Max reveals: "There's one exercise in particular that I see being done incorrectly and inefficiently all the time and that's the plank.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "You often see people holding planks for seven minutes - I personally couldn't think of anything more boring.

      "I often hold a plank for 30 seconds. And if you're getting 100 per cent muscle contraction, that's all it needs to be."

      Max, who works as a personal trainer to top models and TV stars, goes on to say that muscle contraction works to "activate every single fibre in the body" which will improve the way it looks and make it stronger.

      In the video, he then shows how he sees most fitness fans doing the plank: "There's nothing wrong with this in principle so long as the back isn't sagging, but I'm not really feeling it anywhere - not in my abdominal region where I want to feel it."

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      And then Max, who boasts more than 43,000 Instagram followers, demonstrates the "right" way.

      Max demonstrates the "right" way to plank using "musicle contraction". Photo / YouTube
      Max demonstrates the "right" way to plank using "musicle contraction". Photo / YouTube

      "I'm now going to contract my abs as hard as I can right now. It's a lot harder.

      "By driving my elbows down, tilting my hips, and tensing my abs as hard as I can... getting 100 per cent contraction on those abs."

      Writing on YouTube, fan Venetia Falconer wrote: "Mind blown."

      Discover more

      Lifestyle

      Mid-age right time to regain youthful heart

      30 Jan 04:00 PM
      Lifestyle

      Mum's 4hr 20min plank sets new Guinness World Record

      23 May 07:00 PM

      However, not everyone was convinced: Lynda Lippin wrote: "While you may certainly 'feel' your abs in the same way you would in a crunch, you are NOT strengthening any of the back extensors."

      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from Lifestyle

      Premium
      Lifestyle

      My weight ballooned after I gave up drinking - here’s how I finally quit both addictions

      09 Jul 06:00 AM
      Travel

      What happens to passengers who are refused entry to New Zealand

      Lifestyle

      The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

      08 Jul 10:00 PM

      Get your kids involved in your reno

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      Armed police cordon off Hamilton street after serious firearms incident
      New Zealand

      Armed police cordon off Hamilton street after serious firearms incident

      09 Jul 11:42 AM
      Red Bull parts ways with longtime F1 boss Christian Horner
      Sport

      Red Bull parts ways with longtime F1 boss Christian Horner

      09 Jul 10:00 AM
      Against the odds: Maroons triumph in epic State of Origin decider
      Rugby League

      Against the odds: Maroons triumph in epic State of Origin decider

      09 Jul 09:30 AM
      Jacinda Ardern says she'll provide evidence to Covid Royal Commission
      Politics

      Jacinda Ardern says she'll provide evidence to Covid Royal Commission

      09 Jul 08:35 AM
      Lotto numbers revealed in giant $10m Powerball draw
      New Zealand

      Lotto numbers revealed in giant $10m Powerball draw

      09 Jul 08:32 AM

      Latest from Lifestyle

      Premium
      My weight ballooned after I gave up drinking - here’s how I finally quit both addictions

      My weight ballooned after I gave up drinking - here’s how I finally quit both addictions

      09 Jul 06:00 AM

      Telegraph: Battling sugar cravings after giving booze the boot.

      What happens to passengers who are refused entry to New Zealand

      What happens to passengers who are refused entry to New Zealand

      The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

      The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

      08 Jul 10:00 PM
      King Charles hosts state visit with burst blood vessel in eye

      King Charles hosts state visit with burst blood vessel in eye

      08 Jul 08:59 PM
      Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
      sponsored

      Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • NZ Herald e-editions
      • Daily puzzles & quizzes
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search