VIDEO: Malaika Arora gives us some morning motivation to do planks

Malaika Arora gives us some fitness goals with her latest video, where she is doing planks. Check out the secret of Arora's great body posture and the benefits of doing planks here.

Malaika Arora does planks to stay fit. (Source: malaikaarorakhanofficial/Instagram)

If you have ever envied Malaika Arora her fit body, then the 44-year-old has some lessons for you. Arora, who is a self-professed fitness freak is actively seen posting glimpses of her exercise regime on her Instagram account. She has been seen doing weighted squats, which are not everyone’s cup of tea and recently the actor came out with a video of her practising another difficult but effective exercise, planks.

They are a core workout for the abs and can also strengthen other muscle groups from arms to shoulders, depending on the type of plank exercise you opt for.

If you’re looking for some morning motivation to help you workout, the benefits of planks will definitely be a wake-up call for you. A basic plank exercise involves keeping the elbows directly below your shoulders and placing your wrists directly in line with the elbows. Maintaining this position while bracing your abdomen for 20-30 seconds is how a normal plank is done. Check out the video of how Arora does it.

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Here are some of the benefits of planks and its variations.

* Nothing lays a better groundwork for those six-packs than building up your core muscles. Planks train your inner muscles, which give a more refined structure to the abdominal muscles.

* Planks are better than crunches for people with back pain as they do not involve the flexion of the spine. They strengthen the muscles of the back, thereby reducing any pain there.

* Side planks give the side muscles a good workup and increase flexibility in your posterior muscles.

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* If your muscles have become numb from prolonged sitting, planks can relax them and have a therapeutic effect on your mood.

* Planks with extensions or side planks help to improve balance. If you include a stability ball in your workout, then it can help improve the posture as well.

* Generally, the muscle groups in your arms and legs take the brunt of physical work but planks can help the body use abdominal muscles for stabilization. In other words, planks and all their variations help train the body to use abdominal muscles as well, making you more efficient overall.

Inspired to work out yet? Let us know in the comments below.

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