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Reverse Leg Lift Plank Back Exercises

Jul 21, 2011 | By Erin Whitney-Chavez
Reverse Leg Lift Plank Back Exercises
Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images

Yoga is an Eastern spiritual practice that combines physical exercise with relaxation and spiritual techniques. By practicing certain poses in yoga, you can improve your strength and flexibility. Yoga incorporates many positions that target your core muscles in your abdomen and back. The plank pose is a position that strengthens your abdominal muscles and has numerous variations.

Benefits of Yoga on Back Pain

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2005 found that yoga helps to improve back function in patients with lower back pain. Individuals who practice yoga once a week were less likely to use pain relievers for their back pain that people who did not practice yoga. Many yoga poses are designed to strengthen and improve the muscles in your back. The plank pose and all of its variations can help to improve back pain.

Plank Pose

The traditional plank pose strengthens your core muscles, lower back and arms. Plank pose also helps improve your posture. Plank is part of the sun salutation series, but can also be done alone. To get into a plank position, begin by standing with your feet together. Stretch your arms overhead and bend forward, touching your toes. Press your hands into the floor and kick your feet behind you. Your body should be straight as a plank and your toes curled under, almost as though you are getting ready to do pushups.

Reverse Leg Lift Plank Back Exercises

Plank has many variations. One such adaptation is a reverse plank. Start in a seated position with your legs together and extended in front. Place your hands under your shoulders with your fingertips pointing away from your buttocks. Lift your hips off the ground until your body is straight. Add leg lifts for more of a challenge. Extend your right leg off the ground and hold for a breath. Lower your leg and repeat the leg lift on the other side. Repeat five to 10 times with each leg.

Variations

Other variations of plank and reverse plank are helpful for strengthening your core. If you have sore wrists, you can do traditional planks on your elbows instead of your hands. Add a hip lift to your basic plank to stretch out your hips and buttocks. Raise your hips into a downward-facing dog position and slowly lower the hips back down. Another variation is a leg lift in a regular plank pose and is designed to work out your buttocks and legs. After establishing your plank pose, raise your right leg off the floor and hold for a few breaths. Lower your leg and repeat with the other side.

References

Article reviewed by Kirk Ericson Last updated on: Jul 21, 2011

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