What Is Planking?

Planking is blowing up the news these days. Old people would say it’s another instance of why the youth is screwed. Kids would fire back the most fun you can have being still. Who’s right? And just what the hell is planking?

It’s a stupid internet sensation…
Planking is the act of lying facedown for a photograph. The term planking originated from Australia but is actually just another name for ‘the lying down game’ (I’m not kidding). The specific instructions: to put your body face down to the ground (or table, or object, or anything) with your arms to the side. Yeah.

…that’s really, really stupid…
Again, the act itself is to lie down on the ground. Anybody can do that, right? That’s why kids are getting crazier. You get creativity points for planking in odd places like trees branches. Or escalators. Or animals! Or balls. The more wild you get, the ‘better’ the picture will be.

…but is huge on Facebook.
The Official Planking Facebook page has over 180,000 fans and tons of pictures showcasing the best plankers around the world. Hell, the whole idea about planking is to upload it to your Facebook account so your friends can see it, as planking alone is not planking at all.

Unfortunately, it’s not all fun and games…
An Aussie man died for trying to plank on a balcony, plummeting 7 stories to the ground. Police are growing concerned that people are trying to one up each other in their planking.

…so don’t go nuts if you plank…
I think a safe policy would be to not plank anywhere you wouldn’t sit.

…or really, just don’t plank at all.
Come on, people.

Image Credit: Official Planking Facebook


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