Tired of planks?

I do love my planks, but anything can get monotonous.

If you are looking for something else to spice up those daily planks, this might just do the trick.

A bit less challenging than a plank, this move works with the core muscles and challenges maintaining stability in a different way.

Get on all fours with palms under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend one arm and the opposite leg at the same time for a count of eight. Bring the arm and leg back to the floor and repeat for the opposite arm and leg.

It can give you a bit of a challenge steadying everything, but that’s why this move is so good at strengthening the core. Plus, it can be humorous watching yourself finding opposite arms and legs!

Called the “bird dog,” this exercise helps stretch the length of the body and helps activate shoulders that might have been hunching while you sit.

I like to couple this with, “flying like an eagle,” I will be teaching in a presentation, “Mindfulness and Relaxation at Your Fingertips,” later this month for caregivers.

Here’s a great, easy exercise that effectively opens the upper chest:

            Fly like an eagle –

Sand with feet shoulder width apart, arms out straight to the side, palms always facing up, do not drop arms. Stop if you encounter pain.

“Flap” by lowering and raising your outstretched arms 4 to 8 times each: one third/two thirds/all the way to your side.

Followed by arm circles forward/backward 4 to 8 times in each direction: small/medium/large circles

The trick is in keeping your palms facing the ceiling. In doing so, you feel a stretch and an opening of your upper chest, resulting in your shoulders being less rounded.

Top this off with a power pose for two minutes, and you will be ready to conquer the world!

In health –

Deidre