Strengthen Your Entire Body With a Properly-Done Plank in Today’s Dryland Tip

Dryland Tip by Swimming World correspondent G. John Mullen of SwimmingScience.net and CenterofOptimalRestoration.com, Creator of Swimmer's Shoulder System

SANTA CLARA, California, January 3. THIS week's Dryland Tip from Dr. G. John Mullen is the standard plank. The plank, however, can be performance incorrectly. Today's tip explains how to do it properly for a full body exercise.

Purpose:

The plank is a common anterior saggital core strengthening exercise. Unfortunately, this exercise is commonly performed improperly and dangerously. This exercise provides applications for full body strengthening, improving streamlined positions, and finding the ability to create tension and relax.

Directions:

Lie on your stomach, then prop yourself on your forearms and toes. Keep your spine long, by tucking your pelvis and tightening your core musculature. Also, keep your chin tucked to further enhance the streamlined position. Once this is accomplished, the athlete can begin tightening their glutes, then their thighs, then attempting to squeeze their thighs together, and lastly attempt pulling their arms down. These adaptations should be added slowly without compromising the streamlined position.

Perform for approximately 20 seconds.

G. John Mullen is the owner of the Center of Optimal Restoration and creator of Swimming Science. He received his doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. G. John has been featured in Swimming World Magazine, Swimmer Magazine, and the International Society of Swim Coaches Journal.

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