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After knee surgery, Oprah Winfrey promised she would change her lifestyle. Walking and hiking became her favourite exercise, and she started lifting weights with a personal trainer.
Recently, the 72-year-old presenter and author has been sharing videos on Instagram of her achievements in strength training, including deadlifts using a hex bar, kettlebell workouts, and treadmill sessions. Last year, she set herself a plank challenge to see how her core strength develops over a few months, and revealed the results this week.
“If you want to age well, one of the things I’ve learned is that flexibility and strength are the most important, particularly for women and our bones. And so I’ve started strength training,” she said.
What exercise did Oprah do?
A plank was the chosen exercise. This is one of the most common core exercises, so effective as it challenges full-body strength, mobility, and stability.
“Planks are the most challenging exercise for me. My first one in 2024 lasted 10 seconds. Now I can do them for over a minute, with weights, and whatever creativity Trainer Peter throws my way 💪🏽,” she wrote in the Instagram caption.
How to do a plank
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Come down onto a mat on your hands and knees, making sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees sit under your hips.
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Lift your knees off the ground and walk your legs back behind you so they are completely straight.
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Your body should make a straight horizontal line from your head to your feet.
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If you can, come down from resting on your hands to resting on your forearms.
On the first try, Oprah completes a standard plank for 10 seconds. That was done in August last year. This week, she posted an update to reveal that she can now do the exercise for a full minute “with weights”.
Eric L’Italien, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, says two minutes is the “maximum” time to aim for. “You don’t get much benefit after that,” he says.
What are the benefits of the plank?
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Boosts strength: Several studies (including those from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Memorial University of Newfoundland) show that the plank can improve full-body strength and endurance. This is useful in everyday life and for improving performance in other activities, such as hiking (Oprah’s favourite workout) or running.
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Improves mobility and stability: The plank is particularly effective at improving full-body stability and mobility. It strengthens the core muscles, which we use constantly to stay upright.
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Efficient: From core to back strength, the plank targets all major muscle groups in the upper body, making it an excellent go-to compound exercise for those short on time.
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May help reduce lower back pain: As the plank is one of the better back exercises, studies show it may help reduce lower back pain by strengthening the small muscles that support the spine.
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Aids longevity: Longevity is about living better and for longer. Doing regular planks can help prevent falls by improving full-body stability.
At the end of the video, Oprah reveals she’s graduated from the classic core exercise to bear hold renegade rows. This movement is harder than the plank as it further challenges balance and stability, and uses dumbbells. You’ll spot the star doing it at the end of her video.
How to do bear hold renegade rows
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Come down onto your mat in the tabletop position (on your hands and knees), resting your hands on your dumbbells.
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Lift your knees a couple of inches off the floor.
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Once stable, begin to row, one arm at a time, bringing the dumbbell towards your hip.
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Keep your back flat and hips stable throughout the movement.
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Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. Once you can do this, go up in weight or repetitions to continue to build strength.