One way is to slide your elbows forward in front of your shoulders like in the photo below.Īs you do this the plank will get progressively more difficult the further forward up move your elbows. So the planks are going well and you want to make it more challenging! Great – there are a few ways to do this. It also takes some of the load off your core – the very area you are trying to strengthen. This will place strain on your shoulders. Never allow your shoulders to move in front of your elbows. Be sure not not to arch your neck as this can place the neck muscles under strain. It is important that the spine along its entire length remains in a neutral position maintaining its natural curve. Recommence after your recovery period using correct form.Īvoid! Hips rising due to muscle weakness or fatigueĪvoid! Hips sagging due to muscle weakness or fatigue If your hips are rising or sagging due to fatigue it is important to stop and recover. In addition – if you experience shoulder pain when performing a plank on your forearms a straight arm plank is a great option. You can use this exercise as a stepping stone to performing a forearm based plank in the future. If you find yourself in this situation – quite common when beginning, try perfoming a plank with straight arms and on your hands in the standard push-up position.īy increasing the angle between your shoulders and the floor you reduce the load on your abdominals, making the exercise easier. Straight body position from shoulders to feetĭon’t allow your hips to rise or sag during the exercise! This occurs either when the abdominal muscles aren’t strong enough to support the body in the correct position, or you are becoming fatigued.Elbows shoulder width and underneath shoulders.A good way to ensure this is to look at the space in between your hands. Make sure your head remains in a neutral position. With your feet a comfortable distance apart push yourself up and support your weight on your feet and forearms while maintaining a straight body position. I like to avoid having my hands close together as it can push my elbows out do they are no longer directly underneath my shoulders. To perform a standard plank place your elbows directly underneath your shoulders with your palms flat on the floor in front of your elbows and the same distance apart. For those of you who have mastered the standard plank I will show some ways to make the exercise even more challenging! This article describes the correct form for a standard plank as well as some potential body position problems to avoid. When performed correctly the plank will exercise the muscles of the shoulder, abdominals, back, hip and upper leg. One of the reasons for its popularity is that the plank works so many muscles simultaneously. Many people use the prone isometric hold – commonly referred to as a ‘plank’. Within most people’s workout routine you will find some sort of core exercise.
0 kommentar(er)
