Top Tips for Plank - High Chaturanga

Plank, also known as a high Chaturanga is one of the simplest and best core and whole body strengtheners and we love it! Here is why;

• Intensely strengthens the deep abdominal muscles, toning the belly. It also works the hamstrings and buttocks.
• Great for improving your posture and preventing bad backs.
• Opens and gently stretches the muscles around the shoulders and upper back, hamstrings and even your toes.
• Leaves you feeling great. Gets the blood pumping,  and endorphins racing.
• There are endless exciting variations on this pose

 
Alignment is very important to do  pose safely and effectively. As in all dynamic Yoga postures direction is key. Checkout Aya in the picture below.We are lifting away from the floor are thinking about a horizontal direction. These directions can transform your plank from feeling like heavy lump to feeling long, strong and light.

Once everything is in place you will feel the burn in all the right places!
 

• Always start with the shoulders directly over the wrists.
• For us, the safest way to do a plank is keep those hips the same height as your shoulders.
• Lift up between the shoulder blades and pull the stomach and chest in towards the back of the body.
• Have a sense of lifting the body away from the floor rather than pressing down
•  Engage your buttocks and press backs strongly through your legs.
• Imagine your are dragging the hands back, the shoulders back and the crown of the head forwards, checkout Aya's arrows.
• Keep the back of the neck long.
• Breathe!

 
 Checkout the George Hood setting the Guinness World Record of holding a plank for 1 hour, 20 minutes and 7 seconds. Amazing! Anyone up for beating this? (not me!) 
https://youtu.be/1w-uD-uPCBQ