This question is probably gonna sound full retard, but I’ve been trying to do planks for awhile, and I can never tell if I’m doing them right. I posted in this section because I think people would understand core unawareness better here.
I have been trying to use a broomstick to get the feeling, but I feel like I can still be doing it wrong. Even if I am maintaining 3 points of contact with the back of my head, my upper back, and my tailbone, it seems like I can still get into that position and be doing it wrong. It doesn’t help that placing a dowel rod on your own back is a pain in the ass, but I can’t have someone constantly helping me figure this out, so that’s my only option.
My proprioception kinda sucks, and sometimes it feels like i’m squeezing my glutes and abs, but sometimes it feels like I’m only squeezing my abs and lower back. Sometimes I can breathe easily, sometimes I’m so tense I can’t. I’ve read that when you do them you should instantly start shaking, which I’ve had happen before, but again it’s not consistent. Does anyone have any more tips on failproof way of putting the damn rod on your back and doing a plank? Any extra information or cues would help. Thanks!
[quote]Bud Diesel wrote:
This question is probably gonna sound full retard, but I’ve been trying to do planks for awhile, and I can never tell if I’m doing them right. I posted in this section because I think people would understand core unawareness better here.
I have been trying to use a broomstick to get the feeling, but I feel like I can still be doing it wrong. Even if I am maintaining 3 points of contact with the back of my head, my upper back, and my tailbone, it seems like I can still get into that position and be doing it wrong. It doesn’t help that placing a dowel rod on your own back is a pain in the ass, but I can’t have someone constantly helping me figure this out, so that’s my only option.
My proprioception kinda sucks, and sometimes it feels like i’m squeezing my glutes and abs, but sometimes it feels like I’m only squeezing my abs and lower back. Sometimes I can breathe easily, sometimes I’m so tense I can’t. I’ve read that when you do them you should instantly start shaking, which I’ve had happen before, but again it’s not consistent. Does anyone have any more tips on failproof way of putting the damn rod on your back and doing a plank? Any extra information or cues would help. Thanks![/quote]
you only shake if your core is not accustomed to the cocontraction
I don’t really think the broomstick/dowel is all that practical of a tool unless you have someone there to place it for you. But if you do, then you don’t really even need the broomstick/dowel as your training partner can just tell you whether or not you are in the correct shape.
It also depends what you are performing planks for. If you are trying to develop real core strength, then look at the way that gymnasts do planks and other more difficult straight body exercises (since they far, far, exceed what pretty much any population achieves in this area). Basically with a “hollow body”/Posterior Pelvic Tilt, and protracted (and ideally depressed) scapulae.
Here is a video detailing some good exercises (including core exercises) for developing a solid handstand. Several of them involve planks or more advanced plank variations.
If you ever want to develop the type of core strength to perform exercises like the ones in the video above or the ones below, you can’t listen to the “neutral spine” crowd in this regard.
