Mastering the Plank

The plank is a great exercise for core strengthening because it promotes the entire body to participate: arms, legs, core, and even your neck! I love its versatility in that there are so many ways to do the plank differently, such as doing it on your side, taking away an arm or a leg, using an unstable surface like a bosu, etc. On a functional note, a plank looks a lot like pushing with your arms. This is really important because we push every day. We push open doors. We push objects like lawn mowers, grocery carts, vacuums, or your pet when they are hogging your side of the bed. So it makes sense to be familiar with the feeling of a stable core while you push and a plank is a great way to connect to that feeling.

The thing is, sometimes other parts of the body are working harder than our core during a plank. The most common complaint I hear about planks are, "I feel my arms and legs working really hard but my core doesn't seem to be doing anything." For the sake of getting our cores back into the game, let's break down the do's and do not's while doing a plank.

Don't let your head hang low. Lengthen the back of your neck and keep your ears in line with your shoulders. Tongue on the roof of your mouth.

NO! YES!

Don't let your chest sag. Actively push the ground away from you, making your shoulder blades broaden away from each other and away from your ears. Note that this is a different position from rounding your upper back. Keep your back in neutral while you push through your arms.