🔥The plank🔥 (also called a front hold, hover, or abdominal bridge) is an isometric core strength exercise that involves maintaining a position similar to a push-up for the maximum possible time. The plank strengthens your spine, your rhomboids & trapezius, & abdominal muscles, which naturally result in a strong posture as they grow in strength. Developing your posture can improve on a number of ailments, & prevent the onset of other ones. Good posture means you're keeping your bones aligned.
🔥Exactly How to Do a Plank the Right Way🔥
✔️How to Do the Basic Forearm Plank✔️
Planks are important for building core stability, they also work your full body. Here’s how to get the most out of the move.
Get in the pushup position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands.
Squeeze your glutes & tighten your abdominals.
Keep a neutral neck & spine.
Create a straight, strong line from head to toes – a plank, if you will.
Hold that position.
✔️How long should a beginner hold a plank?✔️
If you're truly bracing all of your muscles, it can be hard for someone to hold a plank for longer than 20 seconds—& a minute at most. Start slowly & progress as you get stronger.
Of course like a lot of other exercises, there are many variations. Some other 'Plank' variations that I use frequently in my Pilates classes are 'side plank' & 'reverse plank'.
🔥The 'side plank' 🔥
The side plank is a great exercise for strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, which don't get worked during ab exercises such as crunches.
You will hold your body on your side in straight position supported only by one arm and the side of one foot. Strong obliques can be quite useful as core stabilization muscles. Beginners must build the strength and balance needed with warmups for the obliques & modified side planks before progressing to the side plank. You can include side planks in your core exercise routine, eg Pilates.
✔️Benefits of 'side plank'✔️
The primary muscles used are the obliques, along with the gluteus medius & gluteus maximus to stabilize the hips. Your shoulder stabilizers keep you aligned as well. This exercise doesn't put pressure on your lower back or neck as many core exercises do. It is a balancing exercise & you will be building your balance & coordination. This exercise can help you be able to sustain good posture & ease of movement by building a strong core & better balance.
🔥The 'Reverse Plank' Exercise🔥.
️✔️Reverse planks✔️ are great for improving your glutes & your lower body, particularly your hamstrings & lower back. Sit on the ground with your legs straight out to the front. Put your hands, palm-down, on the floor below your shoulders. Hold your self upright keeping your joints in alignment. Hold for 20 sec in the beginning until your body strengthens.
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