Phalakasana, Kumbhakasana or Dandasana are the names of the Plank Pose, which has grow to be extremely popular amongst health freaks lately. It’s a yoga pose that targets the core muscle mass and strengthens the shoulders, arms and again. It’s carried out to strengthen the physique and tone the muscle mass.

It’s also one of many asanas that steadiness the arms and is a part of the solar salutation sequence.

The time period phalakasana consists of the 2 Sanskrit phrases phalaka and asana. Phalaka means “plank,” “broad,” or “bench,” and asana means “pose” or “posture.” Because the posture on this asana resembles a plank, it’s referred to as Plank Pose in English.

Holding Plank Pose for a protracted time period can enhance your stamina and muscle tone, construct the energy wanted for more difficult poses, generate warmth, and activate the navel chakra.

Kumbhakasana is one other title for this pose the place Kumbhaka means breath retention. It’s named so as a result of earlier than taking place for a push, it’s best to maintain your breath for a number of counts.

Plank pose is a versatile stance that’s typically used within the gymnasium, pilates, and different forms of bodily exercise.

Follow Information for Plank Pose(Phalakasana)

Preparatory Poses

Bharmanasana (Desk Prime Pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Going through Canine)

Uttanasana (Standing Ahead Fold)

Warrior Pose Sequence

Navasana (Boat Pose)

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Easy methods to Do Plank Pose(Phalakasana)

• Begin with a desk posture.
• The legs ought to be positioned underneath the hips and the arms underneath the shoulders. Press down together with your arms and forearms, spreading your fingers.
• Take a deep breath whereas lifting your knees off the ground and retaining your again straight. Place your toes firmly on the mat together with your toes curled inward. Solely the toes and palms ought to contact the ground.
• To realize a slight backward tilt of the pelvis and agency your core, elevate the highest of your thighs towards the ceiling whereas reducing your tailbone to the ground.
• It ought to really feel like your decrease stomach is a plate supporting your decrease again.
• Maintain your belly muscle mass tense as you push your heels again and prolong your sternum ahead.
• Initially, attempt to maintain this posture for 30 seconds. Step by step, you’ll be able to enhance the length of the train from 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Newbie’s Suggestions

• There’s a tendency for the hips to sag down or elevate. Attempt to keep a straight line between the shoulder and heels. You possibly can initially follow this pose in entrance of the mirror or take the assistance of somebody to right your alignment.
• Even when the arms are straight, the elbows shouldn’t be locked because the palms can get strained. Take note of how a lot of your weight is on the palms of your arms.
• Don’t put all of the stress not solely on the wrist or fingers. Steadiness the physique weight evenly on the hand otherwise you may find yourself hurting your wrist.
• Keep away from hanging your head right down to preserve the alignment. Solely your gaze ought to be pointed down not your head.
• Make it possible for your higher again isn’t hunched. Maintain the shoulders away from the ears and pull down your shoulder blades.
• For those who can’t keep the pose in your toes, take the assistance of the wall and place the soles flat towards the wall. It will enable you in a greater alignment and take away the stress off the legs.
• Despite the fact that it’s a beginner-level pose, you may face difficulties in sustaining the pose for an extended interval, begin by holding it for 10-15 seconds and enhance the time steadily.

Precautions & Contraindication

• If you’re affected by any harm or have had current surgical procedure in your arms, legs, hips, again, or shoulders, don’t carry out this pose in any respect.
• This pose ought to be prevented by those that endure from vertigo, hypertension, or migraines.
• Sufferers with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and osteoporosis shouldn’t carry out Plank Pose.
• It must also be prevented by pregnant girls, senior residents, and folks with usually weak our bodies.

Plank Pose Variations

Forearm Plank Pose – For folks with weak wrists or wrists issues, they’ll follow this pose by putting their forearms on the bottom. If you end up within the tabletop place, place the forearms on the bottom as an alternative of your arms. The elbows shall be instantly underneath the shoulders. This fashion, it will likely be simpler to unfold the load of the higher physique.

Plank Pose Knee to Elbow – You need to solely carry out this pose when you’ve got gained enough energy in your legs and arms with stability. On this model, bend your proper knee and convey the knee in direction of the appropriate elbow as a lot as potential. Then do the identical with the left leg as properly. This fashion, you might be engaged on the flexion of the knee joint and stretching the muscle mass of the calves and thighs.

Low Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana): Start in Excessive Plank Pose and slowly decrease your physique down, retaining your elbows near your ribs. Your arms ought to kind a 90-degree angle at your elbows, and your physique ought to be parallel to the bottom. Low Plank Pose challenges your arm and shoulder energy whereas additionally participating the core and constructing higher physique stability.

Observe-up Poses

Chaturanga Dandasana (4-Limbed Employees Pose)

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward dealing with Canine Pose)

Vasisthasana (Facet Plank Pose)

Advantages of Plank Pose( Phalakasana)

Like some other pose, the Plank Pose will increase flexibility within the physique. Furthermore, it focuses on strengthening the physique greater than stretching it. It strengthens the decrease and higher physique on the identical time. Let’s focus on its advantages intimately.

• Strengthens and tones the physique

Plank pose tones and strengthens the muscle mass across the shoulders, higher arms, forearms and wrists. It addition, the hamstrings, quadriceps and calves, making them extra versatile. This pose primarily strengthens the core and belly muscle mass, which ends up in a toned and symmetrical look and builds core energy for extra superior and tough poses

• Improves posture and spinal alignment

Since you must align the physique in a straight line, each vertebra of the backbone is pressured. This promotes spinal decompression and permits the backbone to imagine its pure form. Correct alignment of the backbone, particularly the decrease again, and strengthening of the hip and leg muscle mass additionally improves posture. A wholesome basis for good posture consists of robust arms, legs, glutes and hips, and a impartial backbone.

• Will increase focus and focus

To keep up the pose, one should take note of the alignment of the backbone, which is simply potential with out elevating the hips. To steadiness the physique weight, the arms should be supported with out locking the elbows, and the toes should be supported with the toes curled. The small belly press supplies a acutely aware core pressure that helps our physique kind a straight line. So you must be continuously conscious of the refined nuances of this pose to attain each psychological and bodily stability.

• Diminished Threat of Again Ache

Strengthening the core and again muscle mass in Plank Pose can contribute to lowered danger of decrease again ache.

Partaking a number of muscle teams concurrently in Plank Pose can increase metabolism and assist weight administration efforts.

Conclusion

The Plank Pose requires constant follow to expertise its full advantages. It’s a difficult pose that targets a number of muscle teams, together with the core, legs and arms, making it an ideal whole physique exercise.

It’s completely regular to begin with only a few seconds within the pose, and it’s vital to hearken to your physique and never push your self too laborious at first. By steadily rising the length of the Plank Pose over time, you’ll be able to construct energy and endurance.

With dedication and persistence, you’ll seemingly discover that Phalakasana turns into extra accessible and cozy, and you’ll reap the advantages of improved energy and stability in your follow and each day life.