Kneeling Plank Tap Shoulder
Strengthen your core, shoulders, and arms with this dynamic kneeling plank variation.
Description
A kneeling plank shoulder tap is a bodyweight exercise that strengthens your core, shoulder, and arm muscles. It involves being in a kneeling plank position and alternating each hand to tap the opposite shoulder.
How to Do Kneeling Plank Tap Shoulder
- 1Setup
Begin on your hands and knees, positioning your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- 2Setup
Extend your feet straight back, keeping your knees on the floor. Engage your core to form a straight line from your head through your hips to your knees.
- 3
While keeping your hips as still as possible, lift one hand and lightly tap your opposite shoulder. Exhale as you tap.
- 4
Slowly return your hand to the starting position on the floor, maintaining stability through your core and shoulders. Inhale as you return.
- 5
Alternate hands, tapping the other shoulder, ensuring your torso remains stable and your hips don't rotate or sag.
Tips
- Focus on actively bracing your abdominal muscles throughout the entire movement, as if preparing for a punch, to prevent hip sway.
- Perform the taps slowly and deliberately. Rushing the movement often leads to loss of stability and compensatory movements.
- Keep your gaze slightly forward or down towards the floor to maintain a neutral cervical spine and avoid neck strain.
- Ensure your supporting hand is firmly planted on the floor with fingers spread wide to maximize your base of support.
Common Mistakes
- ×Many people allow their hips to rock side to side when tapping, which can be fixed by actively engaging the core and glutes to keep the pelvis stable and square to the floor.
- ×Letting the hips sag towards the floor compromises core engagement and spinal alignment; fix this by drawing your navel towards your spine and maintaining a straight line from head to knees.
- ×Elevating the hips too much reduces the core challenge; correct this by lowering your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to knees.
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