Plank Pose

Instructions

1. 1Begin on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and fingers spread wide.
2. 2Step both feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. 3Press the floor away firmly through your palms to lift your chest slightly and prevent the shoulders from rounding.
4. 4Engage your abdominals by drawing your navel gently toward your spine without holding your breath.
5. 5Squeeze your thighs and press back through your heels to activate the entire posterior chain.
6. 6Keep your gaze slightly forward on the floor to maintain a neutral neck in line with your spine.
7. 7Hold for 5 to 30 breaths, then lower your knees to the floor or shift into a rest pose.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome — bearing full body weight through extended wrists can compress the median nerve and increase pain.
• ⚠Lower back pain or lumbar disc herniation — if core strength is insufficient, the lumbar spine may hyperextend under load and aggravate the condition.
• ⚠Shoulder injuries or recent surgery — the sustained isometric demand on the shoulder joint is contraindicated during active recovery.