For the month of November, Empower Yoga students and friends have been participating in a Planksgiving Challenge. It is 30 days of giving thanks and planks.  No prizes are awarded, it’s more about having fun, creating community, challenging ourselves and of course giving thanks! Each day our plank holds get a little bit longer. We started with a 20 second plank and are working our way to a 3 minute hold on November 30th.

Planksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! Planking is not only a really great way to activate and strengthen your core, but a great way to work your whole body!

Are you ready to jump into our #Planksgiving Challenge? Don’t worry if you find it too difficult to hold, you can plank as long as you can and break it up into smaller parts. Try to hold a few more seconds each day! Remember to stay aware of your form- it’s quality, not quantity that counts. Challenge yourself, but not to the point of injury.

Why you should be thankful for the plank:

• No equipment needed
• Improves your posture
• Promotes a flat belly
• Works more than just your core
• Reduces back pain
• Burns calories
• Builds strength
• You can do them anywhere

How to safely do a plank:

• Start out lying on your stomach with your hands flat on the floor, directly below your shoulders
• Have your legs out straight and toes curled under
• Press your hands into the floor, squeeze your core, and come up into a straight arm plank position
• Don’t allow your hips to sag or your butt to come up
• Think about squeezing your core and drawing your belly button in towards your spine, and pressing your hands into the floor the entire time
• Try to keep your head and neck in line with the rest of your spine
• You can do most of these on your forearms, too, just place your elbows directly underneath your shoulders!

Click for 35 fun plank variations!

Happy Planking 😉