Mobility and stretches
Plank to downward dog
- Kit
- No kit
- Works
- shoulders · hamstrings · calves
- Also
- abs · lats · wrists
Plank to downward dog is a slow shuttle between two familiar positions: a straight-line high plank and an inverted V with the hips lifted high. Moving between them opens the shoulders, calves and hamstrings while asking the trunk to hold a line, so it works well at either end of a session. Suits anyone comfortable taking weight on their hands.
Form
How to do plank to downward dog
- 1Start in a high plank: hands under your shoulders, fingers spread, legs straight, body in one line from heels to head.
- 2Press the floor away and lift your hips up and back, pushing your chest toward your thighs until you reach an inverted V. Let your head hang between your arms and keep your knees soft.
- 3Breathe out as you settle into the top position, gently pressing your heels down toward the floor.
- 4Breathe in and lower your hips forward and down, returning to the plank without letting your lower back sag.
- 5Keep the pace slow and even throughout the effort, spending a moment in each end position rather than bouncing between them.
Watch for
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back and dropping the hips on the way back to plank.
Fix: Squeeze your glutes and brace your middle as your hips travel forward so you arrive in a straight line.
Forcing the heels flat and locking the knees in downward dog.
Fix: Bend the knees as much as you need and focus on lengthening your spine instead of reaching the floor.
Rushing so the movement becomes a bounce.
Fix: Slow each transition down and use your breath to set the tempo, one breath per position.
Variations
Easier and harder
Sessions