Master the move PERFECT YOUR PLANK

This move may look simple but the body benefits are huge. Strength and conditioning coach Nolan Sunnassee shows you how to reap the rewards

Want to tone your stomach, legs and arms in just a few minutes a day? The plank will do all these things. This move is a highly effective way to work multiple muscle groups at once. It not only tones your abs but strengthens your back extensors, quads, glutes, upper back, shoulders and arms.

It also improves posture because it strengthens the main muscles around your spine, and helps with intermuscular co-ordination, meaning better synchronisation between muscle groups.

Although the plank may look easy, it is commonly performed incorrectly, which can cause the wrong muscle groups to engage.

Beginners often encounter difficulty holding their body up off the ground for any length of time, as their muscles are not used to it. This can be due to sitting in chairs and driving around all day, as a lot of people do, which leads to weakened abs, overly lengthened and, therefore, weak back muscles, and tight hip flexors, all leading to poor core strength. But even if you can only do a few seconds at a time to begin with, you'll soon reap the benefits. For example, you'll be better able do other exercises such as squats; having a strong core is essential for performing squats as you need to hold your torso upright and not collapse forward.