Why I don’t give my clients Planks…

If you’ve been following me for a while you know I love a good plank. Even more, I love exercises where you have to move in a plank - stability in motion is so essential, not only for dance but for all our daily activities.

However, I now never assign Planks to clients in their bespoke weekly practice.

Why? 

Because I want to ensure they have a true connection with their “core” musculature before progressing to something as challenging as a Plank, which can place unnecessary strain on the back and tension in the neck and shoulders if the core is not fully firing.

BTW: “The Core” is not just your abs… Think Diaphragm, Pelvic Floor, Spinal Muscles, Lats and Glutes! Some practitioners even consider the Jaw to be part of the core system.

When working with clients on a 1:1 basis, and also in my I Move Freely classes - we always start with an exercise called “Deadbug” (not a fan of the name BTW… I need to come up with a better one!) You start by lying on your back, engage all the way around your trunk to maintain a neutral spine and then start by lifting one leg at a time off the floor. With the legs moving, it’s surprising how challenging it can be to keep the torso stable, and it can easily be progressed by starting the legs in a tabletop position, adding opposing arm movements and even moving both legs (and arms) at the same time! There’s plenty to play with here, and the floor provides great feedback as to whether you are losing the natural curves of the spine and you need to rest or regress the exercise to keep your back safe.

I guarantee this will give you a variety of options to keep you entertained and build stability in motion and gradually be working towards doing a strong solid Plank!

Watch the video for a demo and a bit more info.