In addition to strengthening your core, planks work muscles in your arms, shoulders, back, and glutes — all of which are beneficial to runners.
- Get into a plank position, lowering yourself down onto your forearms and straightening your legs so your shoulders, hips, and heels form one long line. If you feel like your lower back is arching, you can always begin by lowering your knees to the floor.
- Activate the muscles in your glutes and your core, and make sure you feel stable across your shoulder blades. Keep your head lifted and your neck and spine long.
- Start to focus on your breath. As you inhale, slowly expand your belly (imagine lowering your belly button toward the floor), then as you exhale, engage your core muscles (lifting your belly button up toward your spine). Start by holding your plank for five to 10 inhales and exhales, and as you continue to practice, you can increase the time you hold the plank.
- For more of a challenge, create a soft bend in your knees, which will slightly switch off the quadriceps and require you to use your core and glutes more to hold the plank. Inhale and exhale for five breaths with your knees bent, then straighten your legs for five inhales and exhales.
