How to Perform a Great Pilates Side Plank Exercise

3 BENEFITS OF THE PILATES LATERAL PLANK EXERCISE:

The Pilates Side Plank exercise is great for helping to improve balance to support the body, strengthen the shoulders, and improve lateral core control.

Tuning up your mind and body during exercise is essential for better health. Paying attention to your technique to correctly execute the exercise is key to obtaining optimal benefits. Side bending helps improve shoulder strength, but it can also cause shoulder pain or injury if not performed correctly. The functional mechanics of the shoulders during the transition to rising to the side plank and lowering the body towards the mat to avoid unnecessary injury is just as important as the actual exercise.

The Side Plank exercise is one of the original Pilates Matwork exercises that Joseph Pilates describes in his book Return to Life. In Return to Life, the exercise is also known as The Side Bend.

HOW TO RUN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SIDE PLANK

Initial position:

• Begin sitting on your right hip with your knees slightly bent. The legs are stacked on top of each other, but to help with balance, place your feet hip-width apart. If the top leg is forward it will help keep the hips stacked.
• The weight is on the right arm with the fingers pointing away from the body.
• Make sure the elbow is bent and the shoulder is pulling down away from the ear, resting under the arm.
• The left arm rests along the left side of the body.
• The eyes look forward.

The side plank exercise:

• Inhale and pull down under your shoulder to begin lifting your ribcage, hips, and thighs off the mat to support your hand and the side of your right foot.
• The non-supporting arm can help by reaching up to the ceiling to create a T-shape. Having both arms away from center helps separate the shoulder blades and activates the serratus and dorsi muscles to support the raised body position.
• Along with the outer muscles of the hip, core, and upper body strength, the pelvic floor is important in aiding core stability.
• Hold on and breathe.
• To lower body, BEND ELBOW and PULL SHOULDER DOWN first, then begin lowering hips toward mat. If the arm stays straight and the shoulder goes up while the hip goes down, you are creating the possibility of a serious shoulder injury!

SOME MORE OPINIONS ON THE PRACTICE OF THE PILATES SIDE FLEXION EXERCISE

Following Joseph Pilates’ Return to Life, the Side Bend exercise is traditionally exercise number 28 out of 34 exercises featured. This means that the body must be warmed up well before doing the side plank exercise. Doing abdominal work, arm and shoulder exercises, and hip and leg work is essential before doing the Side Plank exercise.

Also, there can be a lot of stress on the hands, wrists, and shoulders when balancing on one arm. By doing push-ups first, or some regular front planks, along with other exercises to warm up your entire body, you ensure that you and your body are already prepared to take on the challenge of performing a great and effective side bend.

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Return to Life is the original Mat Pilates exercise book written by Joseph H. Pilates. This book contains the concepts and philosophies of the Pilates Method or “Contrology” and the original Matwork exercises. The model that appears in this book is Joseph Pilates himself at the age of 60. This book was originally released in 1945. Reprinted in 2003, with high-quality photos. Return to Life is a must read book for all Pilates enthusiasts. http://www.centerworks.com/store/pilates-return-to-life-through-controlology/