Try These 3 Tips To Improve Your Plank!
In Pilates we tend to opt for the high plank (i.e. on your hands rather than elbows) and here are 3 tips relating to how to organise your wrists, elbows and shoulders to improve your Pilates plank.
This September planks will be the focus in our live mat and seated classes so there will be lots more tips and options for helping you to improve how you plank. And don’t worry there will be modifications for those of us with wrist issues.
Press evenly onto the outside (little finger side) and inside (thumb side) of the heel of your hands. The outside links to the outside of the arms and around your back. The inside links to the inside arm and across the chest. Push down evenly and press your chest away from the floor. Place your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Have your elbows creases facing towards each other instead of facing forward. Elbow creases looking in instead of forwards avoids putting to much pressure on your elbow joints (locking/hyper-extending) and wrists.
3. In the plank position, imagine that you are squeezing lemons under your arm pits to engage this area. This will take the tops of shoulders away from your ears. Make sure your shoulders are over your wrist.
Experiment with planking in different places such as: a chair, your desk, a table or even a wall. The higher the surface the less pressure on the front of the body.