Power Up With Plank

The best exercise for core strength isn’t sit ups, it’s Plank Pose. In Sanskrit, Plank Pose is called Adho Mukha Dandasana which means “Downward Facing Stick.” In Plank, the entire body is strong and straight like a stick. To keep it that way, you’ve got to seriously engage your abdominal muscles.

To power up with Plank Pose, begin on all fours. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders.  Stretch your legs out behind you tucking your toes. Flex your tummy and make your whole back straight and long like a plank of wood. Keep on breathing!

The key is to keep your hips slightly raised, but just enough so that your belly isn’t sagging toward the ground. How long can you hold Plank? 30 seconds? One minute? Four minutes? Way to go!

Image from Yoga Teddy Bear A-B-C for the letter “P.” This full color, hardcover book is a great way to introduce kids learning the alphabet to yoga at the same time. Photo of Yoga Teddy Bear creator K. Mae Copham by Robert Oakley, Central Park, NYC.