plank form

[flaming]

How are planks performed correctly?

When i do them i use a dowel rod and maintain three points of contact with it, my head upper back and base of my spine; i keep my hips level with my shoulders and try to posteriorly tilt my pelvis.

On most exercises i hear the chest has to be kept up is this true with planks aswell?

[Cuong Nhu]

I've been trained to keep the chest and front of hips and legs straight when doing the front plank (ie, you are facing the ground). And to keep the down side of the plank in a line when doing a side plank (ie, if your left side is down you left side needs to be in line).

[Emil]

You want to be aiming to feel tension alll aroud you abs (lower in particular), and your aductors, abductors, and legs in general. When you can feel this, you are doing it right.

Em

[Socrastein]

You hit it right on the head with the 3 points of contact along the spine. So long as the neutral spine is maintained your form will be perfect.

[FirstAction]

planks are awesome

[slipthejab]

Once you get a solid plank down for a minute or two... go for raising one hand or one leg... alternating hands and legs every fifteen seconds for so. Good fun challenge.

[johnferrignon]

You hit it right on the head with the 3 points of contact along the spine. So long as the neutral spine is maintained your form will be perfect. - This is how you do it.

[APC]

My Krav instructor loves getting us to do plank for what seems like hours during the warmdown. I can't help but swear.

[SenseiMattKlein]

At the risk of sounding narcissistic, check yourself out in the mirror while doing the plank. Just make sure your a back and arms are straight. After a while you just get a feel for it.

[flaming]

YouTube - MVI 1463
Does that look alright? I dont start the timer till about 55 seconds.

[Fish Of Doom]

question: why all the movement? also, you might want to look into not flexing your hip as much. keeping a straight body from head to heels, IME, greatly increases the resistance you face during the plank. also, are you contracting your glutes there?

[flaming]

Thanks for comenting.
I move about cause it helps with my proprioception. Is it bad?
I tense my glutes at the begining.
Flexing my hips?

[Fish Of Doom]

i might be wrong but afaik yes, as you're supposed to keep your full body tight during the plank. moving around like that will inevitably lead to relaxing parts of your core. remember that the plank is an isometric exercise.

contract your glutes all throughout the plank, it helps extend the hips and applies more resistance to your abdominal wall, making you work it more. it's the same as when you do pushups. try doing them with your body relaxed, and then try doing them with your body as straight as possible from your head to your heels, you'll likely notice a big difference.

[Fish Of Doom]

gah, double post