The Benefits of Forearm Plank

By Taylor Borman

There is a good reason why Forearm Plank is incorporated in every Yoga Pod class — it fires you up!

Benefits

One of the beautiful things about yoga is the opportunity to allow your body to discover. When choosing an ab exercise, you really can’t go wrong with Forearm Planks. They are a functional movement that trains the abs to support the spine in day-to-day activities. If you are looking for a pose that soothes the chaos, brings a greater sense of concentration, and pushes you to live your intentions off the mat, then Forearm Plank is just what you need.

Let’s talk about the physical benefits of this pose. After all, a sustainable yoga practice should have a healthy balance of mindfulness and physical activity. Although it’s tough, when done correctly, the Forearm Plank strengthens the abs, legs and core. It is also good for stretching the arches of your feet as well as your calves, shoulders and hamstrings.

Making this pose a regular part of your practice will pay off, as it is great for preparing the body for arm balances and inversions such as Dolphin Pose and Forearm Stand.

Steps

• Start lying face down on the floor with your forearms flat on the ground. Make sure that your elbows are directly under the shoulders.
• Fire up the core and raise your body up off the ground.
• Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line- avoid letting your hips rise or drop.
• Breathe and hold.

Tips

Remember to Breathe: Due to the intense demand on your abdominal muscles, it can be easy to forget to breathe. According to Yoga Pod Physical Therapy Ambassador, Jim Heafner, “Breathing and transversus abdominus activation should be the first priorities of every movement. Proper breathing activates the core and brings awareness to the practice.”

Go Slow, Get it Right: “For many, yoga’s key components of safe alignment, transitions, and traditional class length have taken a backseat to faster-paced practices with greater ambition for impressive postures. This lack of attention to detail leads to flawed movement patterns, and

when done repetitively, can do more harm than good,” says Yoga Pod Teacher, Keith Allen. Forearm Plank is no exception to the rule. If you go too fast with improper alignment and transition, you can do damage to a number or areas including your back and wrists.

The benefits of Forearm Planks are endless. Did we miss something? Share with us your favorite benefit of Forearm Plank below!

*Quotes are from The Yoga Fix, written by Jim Heafner DPT and Keith Allen, Yoga Teacher. Visit http://www.theyogafixbook.com/ for more tips!