January Yoga Pose of the month- Plank Pose
Pose of the month
Plank Pose
Kumbhakasana (koom-bahk-AHS-uh-nuh)
Plank is an abdominal exercise and arm balance pose the tones the core and strengthens the arms and back
How to get into Plank:
- Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your fingers spread wide with middle fingers pointing forward
- Press hand down into the floor
- Lengthen through the spine as you tuck your toes under and step your feet back one at a time
- Reach the crown of the head forward
- Press back through the heels as if you are pushing them into a wall
- Draw the belly up towards the spine, keeping the head and body in one straight line
- Take your gaze to the floor just in front of you
- Stay for 5 breaths or longer
- To release, slowly lower back down to your knees
Modifications and Variations:
- Keep both knees on the floor to help support the body
- Loop and secure a strap around your arms, just above the elbows and then push the arms out against the strap to feel the arms activate
- Squeeze a block between your thighs to feel the action of the legs drawing together
- If wrists are sore, roll up your mat or a towel and place it under the heel of your hand to decrease the angle of the bend in the wrists
- For more stability, you can take your feet wider than your hips and alternatively to make the pose more challenging bring the feet together
- To deepen the pose and build core strength, lift one foot parallel to the floor and hold. Release the foot back down and repeat on the other side
Benefits of Plank:
- Tones core muscles
- Strengthens wrists, arms and shoulders
- Strengthens the muscles around the spine
- Build endurance and stamina