DOLPHIN PLANK | MAKARA ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Warm up this winter with Dolphin Plank our Pose of the Month. It's a sweet combo of Dolphin Pose & Plank Pose which strengthens and tones the core, thighs & arms. Teachers love to do that super slow count down for this one. You know the one where they repeat a number a couple of times and you're there shaking and thinking get on with it!
To get into Dolphin Plank you can start on your hands and knees then bring your forearms down to the floor, tuck your toes and extend one leg back at a time. Make sure your fingers are facing forward and your shoulders are directly over your elbows. Press your forearms down, broaden your collarbones and draw your shoulder blades down the back. You want to feel like the front of your thighs are reaching the ceiling and lengthening your sitting bones towards your feet and your inner heels to the back of the room. You shouldn't be like the Sydney Harbour Bridge so check your torso is parallel to the floor. Make sure to not drop your head either otherwise gravity will take over, so find that length out through your crown and most importantly keep those face muscles soft. It's a strong pose so remember to lower your knees if you need to modify but keep that feeling of cinching around the waist and pressing the floor away.
You can do lots of fun things in Dolphin Plank besides holding it still. Play with dipping your hips side to side, walking the feet in for Dolphin Pose, drawing your knees one at a time in towards your chest, lift a leg, go into side forearm plank - whatever you do, do it with a purpoise (that's a dolphin joke).