Planking, not to be confused with the common core exercise, is the strange new viral trend spreading like wildfire across the globe. A strange phenomenon where boys and girls attempt to replicate the rigid and stiff pose a wooden plank would make. From the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream Waters, people are “planking” in the craziest places, from on top of towers, to on top of the glorious golden arches of McDonalds.

Daredevils have begun to take planking even farther, associating grave danger with the playful activity it once was. One crazy man has taken it upon himself to plank on top of a living tiger, and another crazy man has planked on top of a road marker at least 30 feet in the air! What’s next, the Eiffel Tower?

Planking has garnered some mainstream attention due to the sheer amount of people planking across the world. Popular show, The Office, has followed suit in the peculiar trend, having secretary Erin Hannon planking in season 8 episode 1. 

Health professionals are raising some red flags on the phenomenon. Lying down in such a stiff manner on top of an object can cause an inflamed stomach according to BBC news. Additionally, in 2011 a man died while planking on a balcony in Australia. All in all, planking, as innocent as it may seem, can become a scary thing if executed irresponsibly.

Planking phenom, Devon Simmons, has this to say about planking: “One’s body is merely a physical attachment to his participation in the ethereal mudslide that is existence. Darwin once explained that man shall remain vertical for the duration of his conscious lifetime, that uprightness of man makes him human. But I say, nay, to break the laws of physical orientation is to break free of the biological constraints of societally accepted life.”

It is safe to say that planking has become a modern facet of life, sure to remain a mainstay in the culture of today’s world.