Part I: The Plank

Wow!  I knew the plank was one of the latest abdominal super exercises, but just typing the plank into google brought up a plethora of websites that explain the plank.  The plank has become a staple in any exercise class; Yoga and Pilates classes are no exception.  These websites do a pretty good job, but most of them also do the thing that drives me bananas…They all spout that the Plank is the best thing to hit the fitness field since well, since the beginning of time because it is clearly the most amazing abdominal exercise EVER!!!!! Hopefully the sarcasm is clear.  If it isn’t, I should warn that there is an obstinate side to my personality.   Whenever anybody or anything is portrayed as the new miracle, I become instantaneously skeptical…

This is not to say that I think everybody is wrong, and the plank is a bad exercise.  I think it serves a great service of integrating the abdominals with shoulder girdle stability.  I think that when it is done correctly that it is a fabulous way to stabilize the low spine and it is an effective way to teach the body how to engage the transverse abdominals.  My problem with the fad power of the plank is that it makes the plank the next "miracle exercise."  Clearly, when one is planking (not be confused with the internet craze of lying on your stomach in weird places and taking pictures), and she has the belief that it is the best exercise in the world; she may skip the exercises that balance the body.  The body needs to move and find strength in all planes of motion, and part of this is realizing that movement must happen in all directions, and that every exercise no matter how valuable has many opposing exercises that are equal in value.

Now that I am off of my soapbox, I want to write us through a plank sequence. 

To prepare for the plank, spend some time in the quadruped position.  Once the quadruped position is found, the awareness of the breath should be strong.  With each inhale the torso should expand in three dimensions and with each exhale the torso should cinch itself towards the centerline.  Let’s remember the Eric Franklin image from the previous movement post.  In the quadruped position, imagine that there is a magnet in front of your head and behind your tail, and as you breath this magnet is increasing the distance between your head and tail.  It is elongating your axis and increasing your core control (Thank you Brent Anderson and Polestar Pilates for that fabulous principle!) 

Now the preparation is complete, so from the quadruped position reach one foot long behind the pelvis and curl the toes underneath; take a moment here. In this moment ask questions like:  Has the alignment of the spine changed?  Is the head still in line with the spine or has it dropped towards the floor?  Is there still length throughout the entire axis of the body?  Then inhale for preparation and on the exhale extend the other leg to meet the first.  Now Eric Franklin’s image changes slightly because the two imaginary magnets are at the top of the head and behind the heels.  They are still lengthening the spine and with the aid of the breath, they are elongating your axis with core control.  Continue breathing in the plank position and when ready place one knee on the ground.  Press back into a rest position and send your breath to lengthen the low back muscles.     

Repeating this sequence three to four times should leave the body with a feeling of full body expenditure.  On the second try as the breath is flowing through the body, imagine where in the body the most muscular work is happening.  Are the arms shaking, or is the base of the neck getting sore?  Is the work in front of the spine or in the back?  The answer to these questions may require a reinvestment in the axial elongation and core control, or it may mean that it is time to rest.  

Once the plank has been finished it is imperative to recuperate.  The child's pose or rest position is one way to release the low back and stretch the sides.

Ok that’s the plank.  On Thursday visit us again for Part II: More than just the Plank!  It will outline a twenty minute workout that incorporates the plank and moves the plank through different planes of motion, and around different myofascial connections

Katrina Hawley C.M.A, R.S.M.E

Here are some of the google descriptions I found: 

http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/470

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/470

http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/ab-exercises/the-plank

http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/plank.html

http://www.popeater.com/2011/07/06/celebrities-planking-rosario-dawson-chris-brown-justin-bieber-usher-photos-video/

 And this is a lovely article about the Polestar Pilates Principles

http://new-twinspace.etwinning.net/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=972427&folderId=1387302&name=DLFE-31233.pdf