Plank pose, known as kumbhakasana in Sanskrit, is one of the basic poses or asanas in yoga. This pose is usually done as one of the poses in a series of movements to pay homage to the sun (Surya Namaskara) or as part of a series of vinyasa yoga movements. There are two ways to do the plank pose: the full plank pose while facing down (kumbhakasana) and the side plank pose which is also known as the side plank pose (vasisthasana). You can practice simply doing this plank pose to strengthen your core, arms, and back muscles and improve your posture.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Doing Full Plank Pose
Step 1. Know the meaning of plank pose (kumbhakasana)
Plank pose is the most important basic pose in yoga because it will help you move smoothly as you perform various asanas while strengthening your arms, shoulders, back and core muscles. In addition, regular plank pose exercises will also improve your posture.
- Consult a doctor before you start practicing yoga to ensure that your health condition allows you to start practicing.
- Plank pose exercises should be performed with caution if you have or are currently experiencing an injury to your back, stomach, or shoulders.
Step 2. Start with the pose resting on the four points
If you're just starting to practice yoga or your body isn't flexible enough, start this plank pose with a four-point resting pose. Everyone can do this starting pose.
- Place your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders (with your elbows straight) and your knees under your hips.
- You can let the backs of your feet touch the floor or you can pull your toes toward your ankles. Choose the one that is most comfortable for you.
- Inhale and exhale regularly through your nose. You can try to breathe while making sounds like the sound of sea water. This breathing technique called ujayyi breathing can help you do hill poses better.
Step 3. Inhale while bringing your buttocks to your heels
Do not move your palms, inhale in an ujayyi technique while pressing your buttocks toward your heels. You will be in child pose which is also known as reply.
- If you're not ready, pull in your toes and press the balls of your feet into the floor.
- Bring your chest close to your knees while focusing your gaze forward.
Step 4. Exhale while pressing the soles of the feet to do the hill pose
From child's pose, exhale while trying to straighten your knees and direct your sitting bones toward the ceiling. Your body will form an inverted V which is called hill pose or adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit.
- Firmly press your palms into the floor while activating your abdominal muscles.
- Relax your shoulders by turning them back and pointing your elbows out so that the insides of your arms are facing each other.
- Your heels should not touch the floor, depending on the flexibility of your back, hamstrings, and calf muscles. The more you practice, the easier your heels will touch the floor.
- Try to keep your sitting bones pointing toward the ceiling.
- You may look towards your belly button, but allow your neck to relax and your head to hang comfortably.
- Inhale and exhale regularly for several breaths until you are ready to swing your body forward into plank pose.
Step 5. Inhale and then swing your body forward into plank pose
From hill pose, inhale and rock your body by moving from your hips to do plank pose. Your shoulders should be directly above your palms with your elbows straight and your heels back so that your body is in a push-up position.
- You should keep your abdominal muscles active and lengthen your spine. Don't let your glutes stick out.
- Spread your feet hip-width apart while bringing the backs of your feet closer to your shins.
- Bring your elbows close to your ribs, lower your shoulders and away from your head to keep your neck long.
- Keep your chest straight by pulling your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Push your heels back for more stability.
- You should keep your thigh muscles tight by pulling your kneecap up. This will make it easier for you to remember how to activate your thigh muscles.
- The palms of the hands and toes should press against the mat evenly.
- You don't need to adjust your body position as you swing forward from hill pose to plank pose. Your body will be in a perfectly straight position by the time you get to the correct plank position.
Step 6. Exhale and then return to the hill position
Once you've held the plank position for 3-5 breaths, exhale and then swing your body back to return to hill pose. Let your body rest in the hill pose before doing another asana.
- Press your palms into the floor, engage your abdominal muscles, and point your sitting bones toward the ceiling.
- Roll your shoulders back by turning your elbows out so that your inner arms are facing each other.
- Inhale and exhale regularly a few breaths as you wish.
Step 7. Do the plank pose again
If you want to enjoy the plank pose or simply want to increase your strength, repeat the combination of plank pose and hill pose as described above. You can do as many of these exercises as you want as long as the technique is done correctly.
Do 3-5 breaths each time you do hill pose after practicing plank pose
Step 8. Try the more difficult plank poses
Once you've mastered the full plank pose, challenge yourself to more difficult variations. Don't do variations until your body is strong enough to do a straight, steady plank pose after the move.
- Slowly lift one leg off the floor to do plank pose with one leg and then return your foot to the floor again.
- Lift one arm forward to do plank pose with one arm and then lower it again. Repeat this movement by alternately lifting the other arm. Make sure your hips stay steady and don't move left and right as you do this variation.
Step 9. Finish this plank pose exercise
End this exercise after you've done a few rounds of plank pose. From hill pose, slowly lower your knees to the floor. Your body will return to the pose you did at the beginning of this exercise with your palms and knees on the floor or the pose resting on four points.
If you still want to rest, do the child pose for a few breaths until you feel comfortable again
Method 2 of 2: Doing the Side Plank Pose Exercise
Step 1. Start by doing the pose resting on the four points
If you're just starting to practice yoga and your body isn't flexible enough, start doing the side plank pose (vasisthasana) from the four-point resting pose. This pose can be done by anyone and will feel comfortable.
- Place your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders (with your elbows straight) and your knees under your hips.
- You can let the backs of your feet touch the floor or you can pull your toes toward your ankles. Choose the one that is most comfortable for you.
- Inhale and exhale regularly through your nose. You can try to breathe while making sounds like the sound of sea water. This breathing technique called ujayyi breathing can help you do hill poses better.
Step 2. Inhale while bringing your buttocks close to your heels
Do not move your palms, inhale in an ujayyi technique while pressing your buttocks toward your heels. You will be in child pose which is also known as reply.
- If you're not ready, pull in your toes and press the balls of your feet into the floor.
- Bring your chest to your knees while focusing your gaze forward.
Step 3. Exhale while pressing the soles of the feet to do the hill pose
From child's pose, exhale while trying to straighten your knees and direct your sitting bones toward the ceiling. Your body will form an inverted V which is called hill pose or adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit.
- Firmly press your palms into the floor while activating your abdominal muscles.
- Relax your shoulders by turning them back and pointing your elbows out so that the insides of your arms are facing each other.
- Your heels should not touch the floor, depending on the flexibility of your back, hamstrings, and calf muscles. The more you practice, the easier your heels will touch the floor.
- Try to keep your sitting bones pointing toward the ceiling.
- You may look towards your belly button, but allow your neck to relax and your head to hang comfortably.
- Inhale and exhale regularly for several breaths until you are ready to swing your body forward into plank pose.
Step 4. Inhale and then swing your body forward into plank pose
From hill pose, inhale and rock your body by moving from your hips to do plank pose. Your shoulders should be directly above your palms with your elbows straight and your heels back so that your body is in a push-up position.
- You should keep your abdominal muscles active and lengthen your spine. Don't let your glutes stick out.
- Spread your feet hip-width apart while bringing the backs of your feet closer to your shins.
- Bring your elbows close to your ribs, lower your shoulders and away from your head to keep your neck long.
- Keep your chest straight by pulling your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Push your heels back for more stability.
- You should keep your thigh muscles tight by pulling your kneecap up. This will make it easier for you to remember how to activate your thigh muscles.
- The palms of the hands and toes should press against the mat evenly.
- You don't need to adjust your body position as you swing forward from hill pose to plank pose. Your body will be in a perfectly straight position by the time you get to the correct plank position.
Step 5. Exhale and roll to the right while resting on your right arm to perform the side plank pose (vasistasana)
In this sideways plank pose, your body will be supported by your right arm. Stay in this pose for 3-5 breaths and maintain the correct pose to strengthen muscles and reduce the risk of injury.
- Your hips should be perpendicular to the floor. Same thing with your feet, the sole of your left foot should be piled on top of the sole of your right foot.
- The hand supporting your body should be straight and place your palm slightly forward than your shoulder. Press your right palm firmly into the floor while activating the triceps to keep your body stable.
- Point your left arm, left palm, and fingers straight up toward the ceiling.
- You need to keep your core and back muscles active.
- Try to imagine there is a wall behind you so you can straighten your body while doing this side plank pose.
Step 6. Inhale and exhale then return to full plank pose
After you've stayed in side plank pose for 3-5 breaths, inhale and then return to full plank pose again. Hold this position for a breath or two so you can rest before doing the side plank pose while resting on your left arm.
Step 7. Exhale and roll to the left while resting on the left arm to perform the side plank pose (vasistasana)
In this sideways plank pose, your body will be supported by your left arm. Follow the same procedure as you did on the right side while holding for 3-5 breaths before ending this side plank pose.
Step 8. Try different variations of the side plank pose
Once you've mastered this pose well, try a more difficult variation. Perform variations of the side plank pose only if you have mastered this pose well to reduce the risk of injury or mistakes when you do it.
- In regular plank pose, you can tighten your hip muscles to activate the oblique muscles in your waist. This exercise will also strengthen the wing muscles on the sides of your body.
- You can also try the side plank pose while lifting one leg away from the foot resting on the floor. Do this pose for 1-2 seconds then lower your legs again.
Step 9. Complete this side plank pose exercise
After you've alternated a few of these side plank poses, end the exercise by returning to full plank pose and hill pose. You can also end this exercise by doing the hill pose or the four-point resting pose as you started this exercise.
