Staying Fit
At 7:29 a.m., six days a week, I log on to a Zoom meeting.
It's not for business. And it's not necessarily fun. But it has been an essential part of my life during social distancing. It connects me to friends, creates structure in my day and keeps me fit.
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Six days a week, my wife Sally and I gather with friends for a brief session where we all plank — a full body exercise where you hold yourself in a push-up for several minutes. Our sessions do more than strengthen our muscles; they strengthen bonds of friendships that started in college almost 40 years ago and connect us to people who are outside our pandemic bubbles.
By 7:30, Marta joins from Florida and Todd and Laura, from either their Brooklyn apartment or home in Maine. As we prepare, we chat about the weather, the news or whatever is on our minds.
Then Marta says, “Ready?”
We mumble our assent, knowing how difficult the next few minutes will be.
"3. 2. 1. Go."
And we start planking. Some of us get into the traditional position, putting our forearms on our yoga mats and straightening our bodies from head to toe. Others modify their position to accommodate injuries, aches or pains.
Building up muscles little by little
Planking requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. You start by lying down and push your body up, resting on your forearms or hands with your arms straight. By keeping your toes firmly grounded, your back straight and your abdominal muscles engaged, you strengthen muscles in your arms, abs, back and legs. Compared to sit-ups or push-ups, you burn more calories, strengthen more muscles and build more endurance. There are several variations of planks, some of which are easier to hold over a longer period.
Our planking group started shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everyone's lives. Having previously failed to complete the 30-day plank challenge after several attempts, Marta asked Todd and Laura to join her to plank six days a week (Saturday is a rest day). When they started, they planked for 30 seconds and gradually increased as they went along.
Laura invited Sally to join during one of their “how are you making it through this pandemic” calls. A few days later, I invited myself.
