So you think you can plank (part 3)
If you had a chance to realize how hard going from quad plank to triped with the upper body was last week, this week we will work the other half of the body. I will forewarn you with this exercise, while the movement may seem easier at first, keeping your pelvis from shifting off to the side, twisting, or dropping back into an anterior tilt as you life your leg is significantly more challenging than you think.
This exercise starts by initiating your quad plank.
Once established, you will then maintain that plank as you slide your foot away from your body until the knee reaches a full extension position. For some of you, this will be as far as you can go without losing your core engagement.
If you can keep a strong engagement, then start to lift the extended leg off the floor but only as high as you can keep your neutral spine position.
Lower your leg back to the ground and return your knee to the quad position before reseting and repeating. (The reset each time is important because if you feel a stronger engagement after the reset, you more than likely lost your engagement somewhere during the movement.)
My strongest suggestion is to film your attempts and watch your hips as you slide to extension, then lift your leg.
In your video review look for the following common faults:
The loss of the neutral spine position you established during the quad plank (seeing a sag in the low back with the leg lift is usually the most common). If you cannot watch, then pay very close attention how your deep core engagement feels in additon to the feeling in the leg working. You SHOULD feel not only an increase in the engagement of your core trying to keep the neutral position as you extend and lift your leg but you should also feel a strong engagement in the butt cheek of the leg being lifted as well as the back side of the upper leg (your hamstring)
The loss of the hips remaining parallel to the floor. If you cannot watch, put a block or book on your back. Often times when you initiate the lift, you will do one of two things, hike the hip on the side the leg is being lifted (a block on your back would fall off the stabilizing side) or drop the hip on the side being lifted (a block on your back would fall off the lifting side). Either rotation in your pelvis represents a loss of core stability.
A twist of the torso causing one hip to hike up towards the same side shoulder. If you cannot watch feel for the movement in the side of your body. This usually happens on the side that is supporting and you will feel space between your hip and your rib cage on the side not moving narrow. This can also be seen from behind, your lifting leg will cross over towards your supporting side instead of extending straight out from your hip.
