Siberian Cruella Does Planks in Heels and Kokoshnik
Plank is perhaps the only exercise that has become a meme, a trend, and part of pop culture. Everyone does it: from office workers at corporate events to professional athletes. But there is someone who has taken the plank to a new level – turned it into a performance, hype, and a way to communicate with stars. This is blogger Olga Platonova, whom many know as Siberian Cruella for her bold and extraordinary approach to sports and PR. Why does she make celebrities do planks? Specifically for NGS, the blogger answered this question, and world bodyfitness champion Daria Manuylenkova explained how to perform the exercise correctly.
Stars in Plank: Jokes, Doubts, and Weighted Versions
Olga doesn«t just hold a plank – she creates events. Her actions are eco-friendly hype that works on several fronts: reach, PR, audience engagement, and even popularizing a healthy lifestyle. But most importantly – she takes people (and herself) out of their comfort zone, forcing them to look at a familiar exercise from a new angle.
The blogger«s star list already includes 15 celebrities who have participated in the exercise in one way or another: some enthusiastically joined, while others simply stood or sat nearby as the blogger herself demonstrated her physical abilities.
«Who have I done planks with? Let»s list them: Mitya Fomin, Kristina Orbakaite, Yekaterina Varnava, Mark Barton, Sergey Zhukov, former HC Sibir forward Nikita Kologrivy, Mikhail Koklyaev, Dmitry Klokov, Steven Seagal, Dmitry Yefremkin, Liliya Rakh, Zemfira Aliyeva, Dmitry Guberniev, Andrey Malakhov commented on the plank, when I stood in it on the stage of NOVAT,« says Olga Platonova.
When Olga invites celebrities to join her in a plank, reactions vary: from delight to irony.
«Kristina Orbakaite joked that she didn»t bring her yoga mat, otherwise she would have definitely joined. Yekaterina Varnava complained about the pressure but still got into position. And Nikita Kologrivy immediately suggested making it harder – doing a one-legged plank,« the blogger recalls.
With strongman Mikhail Koklyaev, Olga even did a weighted plank – she lay on his back.
«I can»t refuse an offer to lie on you. On top, on your back,« Olga said then during the meeting with the weightlifter.
The opposite happened with psychologist Mark Barton – he himself expressed a desire to sit on Olga«s back to test how strong Siberian women are. He refused to perform the exercise but appreciated Olga»s enthusiasm.
«I won»t get into a plank after two glasses of prosecco, otherwise our performance will end right there,« Barton joked.
Such collaborations not only attract attention but also show that planks can be different – from humorous to extreme.
On a Plane, on a Horse, and on an SUV Hood
Olga doesn«t limit herself to studios and gyms. Her plank is also a way to explore the world. Or rather, to get into a plank in its most unexpected spots.
«Once I held a plank on a plane, on a ship, managed to do it in a funicular at an altitude of 2500 meters. I»ve also done planks in a circus ring, in restaurants, movies, theaters, on Red Square,« Olga lists her impressive record.
Once, on City Day in 2023, Olga Platonova got several dozen Novosibirsk residents into a plank right on Mikhailovskaya Embankment.
«I expected a more lively reaction, many were afraid of getting their hands dirty. People here are still quite reserved in their actions and emotions,» the blogger shared her impressions.
Olga said she dreams of gathering as many people as possible to simultaneously get into a plank to enter the «Russian Record Registry.» In her pursuit, Olga has already managed to get a hundred people into a plank, and not just anywhere, but on water on SUPs.
Exotic situations are also part of it – once Olga stood in a plank on two horses simultaneously, on an SUV hood, on a runway, on the Chike-Taman Pass (in the Altai Mountains), and even in a bikini in –40 degree (–40°F) frost.
«Once I held a plank on a table, with 6 kilograms of sushi rolls on my back, and the chef was preparing them right at that moment, using fire,» recalls Olga Platonova of an extreme case.
Is She Doing It Right? An Expert Opinion
Some viewers notice that Olga sometimes holds a plank «not by the book» – for example, in heels. But her goal is not perfect technique, but emotion, engagement, the art of the moment. To help those who want to do planks correctly and beneficially, we turned to an expert.
Daria Manuylenkova, world champion and absolute Russian champion in bodyfitness, explains: plank is a static exercise that strengthens the core, back, shoulder, and leg muscles. It improves posture, tones the abs, and requires no special equipment. The main thing is to do it correctly:
Lie on your stomach, rest on your elbows, and lift your torso.
Keep your back straight, your body in a straight line.
Support yourself on your elbows and toes, tighten your stomach and glutes.
Breathe evenly.
«For beginners, 20–30 seconds in several sets is enough. Regularity is more important than records: 3–4 times a week will yield excellent results. But there are contraindications: for acute back pain, eye problems (glaucoma, pressure), and cardiovascular diseases, you should consult a doctor,» says Daria Manuylenkova.
Why All This?
Olga Platonova doesn«t just hold a plank – she creates stories. Her actions are sport, art, humor, and a social experiment in one. She reminds us: sport can be fun, and a plank can be not only an exercise but also a gesture, a performance, a way to greet the dawn at altitude, or simply to smile together with a star.
And even if her technique is sometimes far from ideal – the mission works. She inclines people towards sport, even if through provocation. And you can try getting into a plank today – even for a minute, even for 20 seconds. The main thing is to start. Even without heels and sushi rolls on your back.
More to Read
She grew up in the shadow of her champion sister, felt the support of Vyalbe, and found love in sports. Daria Nepryayeva«s sprint to the 2026 Olympics.
«To just play, you don»t need much«: padel is gaining popularity in Novosibirsk – what is this sport.
A brutal handsome man in a cassock: a church rector – on how he became a powerlifter and lifts a 300 kg barbell.
