Five Steps For the Perfect Plank

There's very little education when it comes to coaching a plank. The typical approach is to have the patient move into the plank position and simply "hold." As a result, compensation usually occurs from the onset of the exercise or undue hold time. Instead of telling your patient to plank, get intentional and coach them how to plank. This article will discuss plank considerations and five coaching cues for a successful plank.

In this article, I'll discuss the following topics:

• Structural Influence
• Step 1: Head Down
• Step 2: Neutral Shoulders
• Step 3: Chest Up
• Step 4: Belly Button Up
• Step 5: Belt Buckle

If you're a visual learner, click the video below to watch these concepts:

Structural Inluence:

Ultimately, your patients' structure is what determines their plank success. In other words, certain patients will benefit more than others from a traditional plank setup. I discuss this concept in much more detail in the Performance Redefined Course, but I'll provide the general outline below.

Every patient is biased towards different compression and expansion patterns. You will see this throughout the entire body; however, we're just considering the rib cage for this article's purpose. Here are the two categories:

1) A Wide Infrasternal Angle (ISA) represents compression of the pump handle and expansion of the bucket handle. In other words, they're biased towards anterior-posterior compression and lateral expansion. The traditional plank creates anterior-posterior compression, making this not the best starting exercise for these individuals. It tends to create more stiffness because it strengthens their already over-dominant pattern. They may benefit more from a side plank, which you can learn to properly coach Here

2) A Narrow ISA represents expansion of the pump handle and compression of the bucket-handle. In other words, they're biased towards lateral compression and anterior-posterior expansion. Following the above-mentioned principles, the traditional plank is typically more successful for these individuals. It helps to create movement variability by increasing compression and expansion where the body needs it.

Overall, programming a traditional plank isn't necessarily wrong with a wide ISA and correct with a narrow ISA. The key point is being aware of your patients' dominant patterns and the response the exercise will produce. If your intent aligns with your execution, then you're correct! With that being said, let's move to our five simple coaching cues to create the perfect plank.

Step #1: Head Down

 Mistake: Excessive cervical extension

Complaint: Neck Pain

Solution: Head down

Everyone loves to look up while they are performing a plank. However, looking up increases cervical extension, which biases extension throughout the entire spine. Remember, the plank is an anti-extension exercise, so avoiding extension is best. Instead, let the chin drop, and relax the head as if it's a "bobblehead."

Step #2: Neutral Shoulders

 Mistake: Prayer Hands

Complaint: Shoulder pain

Solution: Place Dumbbell between hands

Most patients consciously or subconsciously clasp their hands into a praying position during a plank. However, this movement internally rotates that shoulder causing unnecessary shoulder stress and premature fatigue. Instead, place a dumbbell between your patient's hands to maintain a more neutral shoulder-friendly position.

Step #3: Chest Up

 Mistake: Scapular Retraction

Complaint: Shoulder blade pain

Solution: Scapular protraction

Scapular retraction is an easy compensation point to find stability during a plank. The problem is, it's not the correct or ideal location! So instead, we should strive to see scapular protraction from our patients. We can cue this by coaching them to gently press through their elbows and lift their chest up towards the ceiling. This will result in the ribcage moving back towards the scapulas to improve the congruency of the scapulothoracic joint.

Step #4: Belly Button Up

 Mistake: Lumbar lordosis

Complaint: Low back pain

Solution: Belly Button Up

An increase in lumbar lordosis is the most common compensation during a plank. If you struggle to see this mistake, watch when/if the belly button drops below the line of the pelvis. If this happens, cue the patient to lift their belly button up without their hips moving. This cue will bias a slight posterior pelvic tilt, and they should feel their abs engage. Also, a good principle to remember is the more significant lumbar lordosis during their standing posture, the greater the amount of knee flexion you'll need to use during a plank

Step #5: Belt Buckle

 Mistake: Anterior pelvic tilt

Complaint: Low back pain

Solution: Tuck or slight posterior pelvic tilt

If the "belly button up" cue does not achieve the desired posterior pelvic tilt then we use the belt buckle! Tell your patient to imagine that they have a belt buckle on and to tilt it towards their chin. This usually helps them visualize how to tilt their pelvis posteriorly. If that doesn't work, cue them to tuck their tailbone under their hips gently. This motion is crucial for them to perform a plank without low back pain.

BONUS! Step #6: Breathe!

If you're patient makes it through these steps, but can't breathe, then you need to start over! These individuals force their way through a plank by using intra-abdominal pressure to hold them and not the desired muscles. If they continue to struggle to breathe in this position, then regress the exercise to a quadruped position to ensure they can adequately breathe.