Plank Pose high variation of Chaturanga Dandasana, in Sanskrit, is great for when you don’t have a lot of time and you want to challenge yourself physically. This pose develops a strong foundation just like a wooden plank. Because you have to hold up your entire body in this pose, it helps develop your sense of power. At the same time, as you coordinate your whole body and transition in and out of this pose, you also develop a graceful quality.
Chaturanga Dandasana, in Sanskrit, means four-limbed staff pose. The staff refers to your central support system, your spine. In this pose you press the floor away with all of your limbs and create a parallel position to the floor. This pose is performed two ways:
1.In the Sun Salutation A and B, Yoga Vinyasa Sequences
2. It can be held for a period of time, 30 seconds for example, with deep breathing staying constant.
Plank pose works your whole body.
The beauty of yoga poses is that they build strength using your own body weight and plank pose is a perfect example of this component. Plank pose strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles while increasing flexibility in the feet. As you bear your weight it builds arm and wrist strength.
Integrates your body
As you begin to integrate your whole body, keeping your body straight, this integration sets you up for vinyasa flow jumps. When you incorporate Vinyasa flow transition jumps, you begin at your core and dramatically move your energy upward through your chakras!
In addition to body integration, you improve your circulatory and respiratory benefits. It also develops a more stable spinal posture. It seems to build a very balanced and strong foundation for your body to thrive and prepare for more yoga benefits.
It builds self-confidence and sense of stability.
As you feel your weight evenly distributed, hold yourself through the sheer strength of your muscles, you instantly remember that you are innately strong and powerful. As you continue to increase the amount of time you spend in this pose (anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 minutes) you build self confidence and perseverance.
Plank Pose is a good foundation for wrist-bearing poses, including inversions.
By engaging these upper body muscles, you are preparing yourself for intermediate yoga poses. You will be able to hold side plank, jump through transitions using your wrists and lift into handstands. Slowly work up to these poses, however, because it is easy to develop wrist injuries if you haven’t built up enough strength. That is why plank pose is a great foundational skill!
It is perfect for morning yoga routines.
Get your plank practice in by doing sun salutations, which are found in Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga flows. In this sequence, you will exhale as you jump into plank and lower down into upperward facing dog pose. Focus your gaze, or drishti, on the tip of your nose with your face looking forward.
Due to plank pose’s ability to create true strength, coordination, and self-confidence, I rely on this pose to prepare me to handle anything that will come my way during the day!
