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