These 2 poses, modified forearm plank and forearm plank will help
you learn how to engage your deep abdominal muscles and strengthen
and stabilize the shoulder girdle.
If you find when you move into plank you sink into your shoulders,neck, chest and lower back these poses are a great addition
to your yoga practice.
To stabilize the shoulder girdle you must engage your Serratus Anterior ( muscles that connect the ribcage to shoulder blades
and protract the shoulder blades as if you were throwing a punch)
and the Rhomboids ( muscles that lie between the shoulder blades
and retract the shoulder blades).
To build abdominal strength you will learn how to engage the
Transversus Abdominis the deepest of the 6 abdominal muscles
that support breath, posture, back and your internal organs.
When all of these muscles are working effectively the pose will have a feeling of lightness and ease as opposed to tension and grip.

 

Forearm Plank & Modified Forearm Plank from stephanie berto on Vimeo.