Supercharge your plank & tone your core, arms, shoulders, & more with Suspended Plank Pose…

Aerial yoga opens up a whole new world of pose variations, and although these poses have some similarities to their grounded counterparts, there can also be some significant differences. Many aerial yoga poses require additional strength in the core muscles to assist with balance and stabilization while you’re in the air.

For example, Suspended Plank Pose – also known as Aerial Plank Hold – is a more challenging version of regular Plank Pose. In this variation, you balance your weight on your hands or forearms, while your feet are suspended in a yoga hammock or swing. This pose strengthens the core, legs, shoulders, glutes, wrists, back, and back. It increases balance and stability, improves posture, and may help to relieve lower back pain.

This suspended version requires greater control and awareness, balance and stability than a regular floor plank, thus increasing its core strengthening and toning benefits, and also creating more of a challenge for the rotator and stabilizer muscles in the arms, back, and shoulders.

You can vary the pose by resting your weight on your hand with your arms straight, or by bending your arms and resting your weight on your forearms, with your hands clasped. (Keep in mind that you want your body to form one straight line, so you may need to lower your sling a bit if you choose the forearm version.) Those with shoulder injuries or high blood pressure, or who have a hernia or recent abdominal surgery should avoid this pose. If you have wrist problems, stick with the forearm version.

How to Do Suspended Plank Pose:

• Position yourself comfortably on your belly, with your feet below your aerial hammock or yoga swing saddle.

• Support your weight and place one foot at a time into the sling and face the floor.

• Place your palms on the floor under your shoulders. (For the forearm version, place your elbows directly under your shoulders and clasp your hands together in front of your chest.)

• Brace yourself and raise yourself off the floor into a strong plank position.

• In this position, contract your abdominal, glute and quad muscles simultaneously while continuing to breathe normally.

• Push your body up into your upper back and hold your chin close to your neck.

• Hold a plank at least 20 to 30 seconds.

• Rest for approximately one minute and repeat three to five more times.

Read more at Gravotonics.com…