Why Trust Us? When I heard the record for a woman holding an abdominal plank was measured in hours and not minutes (a whopping 4 hours 19 minutes and 55 seconds), I honestly couldn't believe it.

YOU KNOW THE SAYING: Work smarter, not harder. You may have already incorporated that mentality into your training routine, subbing unfocused, 60-minute workouts for strategic 30-minute sessions ...

"A solid core is the bedrock for all other daily movement," agrees Georgia Edwards, Pilates instructor at Cove Reformer Studio ... the simplicity of a plank belies its difficulty and efficacy.

Alternative materials are appealing for several reasons. Synthetic plank decking, for instance, offers good looks with less upkeep than wood. Composites, which blend ground-up wood and plastic ...

With his role as a disruptive reformer, Elon Musk has left his mark on US politics in just a few weeks. He has shaken up central state institutions and polarised the political debate. Musk and his ...