Find the Best Position for Your Ideal Plank
Now that we’ve been tinkering with our plank problem for almost two weeks, you’ve probably guessed that some types of planks seem harder than others. Small changes in your body position can make a big difference.
Last week, we learned that the forearm plank makes the core harder, and the straight arm lifts give the arm muscles more workout. Lifting your leg off the floor challenges every part of your body. But what about the rest? Here are some things to think about:
- Your head : If you look up or straight ahead, you tire your neck, disrupting the position of your spine. When your neck is in line with your back, you will be looking at the floor slightly ahead of you.
- Shoulders : Keep your neck long, as yoga instructors like to say, so that your shoulders do not lift up. When you do this, your body hangs passively from your shoulder blades. Turn everything on so that your arms are as high as possible and your body rests on them like pillars.
- Your pelvis : You probably know not tolift your glutes up in the air (unless you’re doing theplank bending over on purpose), but it’s also useless to let your lower back sag. To fix this, squeeze your abs as if you were pulling the front of your pelvis towards your chest. This will naturally flatten your lower back.
So how do these boards feel? Do you remember to do them every day (I almost always have them) and have you tried any fun variations? Mute downstairs and get ready for another amazing week of (ugh) boards.