Planks are very effective exercise because they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These are erector spinae, rectus abdominis (abs), gluteus maximus (glutes), and quadriceps (quads) among others. There are many forms namely Classic PlankSide Plank,Spidermans,side plank toe touches. Benefits of a plank  are a stronger core, toned upper and lower body, better balance and mental clarity.

A strong core is important for injury prevention because it makes the runners body stable when running. Core muscles for runners help to stabilize the spine and make movement of the extremities as economical as possible, allowing the transfer of power with minimal dissipation of energy.

I have this problem. After a running break-which I take after a full (42 kms) or longer marathon I suffer from serious itches when I resume. This happens from around the 1-kilometer mark when the body starts breaking into a sweat. The itch is so severe and irritating that during my inaugural run many years ago, I almost tore through my skin scratching profusely and eventually concluded that maybe I wasn’t meant to run and went back home with nail marks all over my body.

The South African fight for freedom is a story of the triumph of the human spirit. Prisoners jailed in various prisons most of them in Robben Island spent years and years for the sake of liberating their country from apartheid. It is a story of hope; hope that their struggle would liberate their country from apartheid, a hope that the likes of Nelson Mandela held onto for the 27 years he was in prison.