Tag your #workout buddy.❤️Nearly every #health professional agrees that planks, not crunches, provide one of the best #workouts for your #body, especially your #abs. If you want a flat, #toned stomach this simple & sometimes intense #exercise is the best way to go. The #plank is one of the best exercises for core conditioning but it also works your glutes & hamstrings, supports proper #posture & improves #balance. #Tip: The most important element of a good plank is a neutral spine.
Benefits:
-Strengthens the #core, which, in turn, helps reduce lower-back pain
-Increases flexibility in posterior #muscle groups
-Stretches & ultimately relax muscles groups that often become stiff & tense from prolonged sitting
-Strengthens arms & wrists
How To:
1) Plant hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart) & ankles under heels like you’re about to do a push-up.
2) Engage your core & keep your back straight. Your head should be in line with your back.
3) Relax your neck & shoulders. Neutralize the neck & #spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond your hands.
4) Continue to #breathe deeply & smoothly while holding the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Advanced practitioners & those using the #pose to build stamina can hold for up to 5 minutes.
5) Repeat up to 10 times.
[References: yogajournal.com, fitness19.com, mindbodygreen.com, fitness.mercola.com] #Sunday #Stretch
