Plank Pose
PhalakasanaA straight-arm hold from hands to heels. Builds shoulder stability, serratus control and trunk bracing, and underpins every vinyasa transition.
- 01From hands and knees, place the hands directly under the shoulders with the fingers spread wide.
- 02Step both feet back until the body forms one line from head to heels.
- 03Press the floor away so the space between the shoulder blades broadens.
- 04Draw the front ribs in, firm the glutes and quads, and lengthen the tailbone toward the heels.
- 05Hold twenty to sixty seconds with steady breathing, then lower the knees.
- 01Push the floor away — do not sink between the shoulders.
- 02Heels driving back, crown reaching forward.
- 03Ribs knitted down so the low back stays long.
- 01Letting the hips sag, which hands the load to the lumbar spine instead of the trunk.
- 02Piking the hips up, which shortens the lever and takes the abdominals out of the work.
- 03Collapsing between the shoulder blades, which loses serratus engagement and stresses the shoulder joint.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.