PLANK WORKSHOP

Let’s learn the best way to perform a plank and how to progress the move once they get easier for us.
If we perform a plank properly you can engage the whole body and not just your abdominals.

1) Lie down on the floor face down
2) Tuck elbows under
3) Start the plank at your feet not your abdominals
4) Tuck your toes under, straighten the knees to activate the legs and then tuck your bottom under
5) Now lift the upper body by pressing your elbows down into the floor, keeping your head aligned with the rest of your body, looking at the ground in between your hands
6) To start, hold for 10 seconds then release
7) Relax on the ground then repeat getting up into the plank from the feet first as described above.  Repeat this 3-4 times.

Once you can easily get into, hold and out of a plank we can progress the move by moving our arms and legs.

1) Start again by tucking the toes under, straighten the knees, tuck in your bottom and lift
2) Now consider lifting one leg about 4 inches from the ground, then the other leg and repeat>
3) For a greater challenge, shift your weight slightly over to one arm and slowly let the other arm lift – this is very demanding so take time to balance over one elbow

Once this becomes easier we can start to move the entire body within the plank.  We can move side to side, forward and back and also make circular patterns with the body

1) Get into a plank position and hold, then shift your weight right to left
2) Front to back – move through the ankles
3) Circular – combines the two above, roll in one direction then the other, the bigger you make the circle the more challenging it is.

The final progression, if you need to work harder still, we can introduce walking planks.  We can walk front to back and side to side.

1) Get into a plank position and hold and then actually move your body across the floor by walking on your elbows and toes
2) Walk backwards just by moving the feet, not bending the legs too much, then walking forward again
3) Walk sideways on elbows and toes 2-4 times across the length of your mat.  Minimise the amount of hip rolling side to side.