The Plank

Low plank is a great exercise for your whole body but designed for core / spinal stabilization.

Often we think we are in a good plank (alignment) but could use some feedback from our bodies! Using a dowel stick or broom stick really helps.

The idea is to have the stick stay in contact with your head, shoulder blades and top of your lower back/ tailbone.

Often we are not drawing our abs in enough & have a big “gap” at the lower back or “arch”. Getting the space as small as possible is the goal.

1) Start on elbows with forearms parallel to each other (clasping hands encourages rounded shoulders). Make a fist or have hands flat, wrists in contact with the floor.

2) Wider feet makes the plank a little easier – wider base of support.

3) Have someone place a dowel stick on your back.

4) If your head drops try to pull it back to the stick. If your head is too high you will cause the stick to come off the shoulder blades. If your middle “sags” the stick will no longer touch your shoulder blades. If you round your back too much the stick will leave the tailbone (and probably roll off).

5) To keep the upper body from fatiguing use that same “tear the paper towel” visualization to keep the shoulder blades from winging causing you to collapse in the shoulders and now feeling the plank in the upper body & neck.

Hold as long as possible in good form. On on  the knees (hover plank) is a great way to start out & you might even feel your “core” even more in this modification (less is more sometimes!)