Move of the week: The Plank!

Love them or hate them ( secretly we all love them) the plank carries a multitude of benefits.  A full body move proved to maximise strength, improve stability, reduce injury and maintaining mobility.  5 Key benefits below. 1. Strong Core Muscles — Planks not only work your transversus abdominis muscles, which are the deepest layer of abdominal muscles, and other primary core trunk muscles, they elicit the greatest activation compared to other exercises like a traditional trunk flexion and extension exercise.
2. Reduced Back Pain —Because planks build up your core, they're excellent for preventing back tenderness or pain.  The exercise requires minimal movement while contracting all layers of the abdominal fascia.
3. Increased Balance and Flexibility — Planks target the muscles needed for proper posture, stability and balance. Planks strengthen the muscles that make holding a neutral spinal posture possible, reducing the stress to your back even when sitting.
4. Improved Athletic Performance — planking and moves associated with planks builds endurance, raises the heart rate and burns some calories.
5. Better Posture — Planking requires engaging the muscles necessary to stay upright and maintain proper posture, including your back, chest, shoulders, abs, neck, gluteals, legs and ankles. Maintaining the stability of these associated muscles, supports proper posture by safeguarding an erect position and proper alignment of the spine.