Front plank on elbows with alternating leg lifts
Category: Strength
Level: 2
Carla van den Berg
- Lift one leg at a time so that the toes are at similar height as the heel of the lower leg
- Lift low, slow and under control
- Leg should remain straight during lift
- Straight line from head to ankles
- Shoulders engaged; flat t-shirt sitting across the shoulder blades
- Elbows directly under shoulders
- Hands can be clasped together in the centre, set straight in front of elbows
- Fast leg raises, or lifting too high
- Cue “Low, slow and controlled”
- Hips dipping side-to-side during leg lifts
- Cue “Hips square towards floor”
- Cue “Squeeze glutes”
- Hips too high ('tenting' shape)
- Cue "Lower hips so they are closer to the ground"
- Hips too low ('sagging')
- Cue "Raise hips slightly towards the ceiling"
- Rounded lower back ('sagging')
- Cue "Pull belly-button up towards ribs"
- Rounded shoulders
- Cue "Pinch shoulders back towards spine"
- Activates trunk muscles
- Challenges trunk stability
- Reinforces proper trunk and pelvis positioning needed for a safe spine position in rugby
- Activates shoulder muscles