Reverse Plank, also known as Purvottanasana in Sanskrit, emphasizes strength, openness, and balance. This yoga pose engages the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles, while also providing a deep stretch across the chest, shoulders, and front body. This is another pose that counteracts the effects of prolonged sitting or hunching over a desk. It can help improve posture through spinal extension and heart opening.
How do you do Reverse Plank?
Step 1.
Begin seated in dandasana with legs together extended out in front of you.
Step 2.
Place your hands behind your hips with your fingertips pointing forward toward your toes. Press into your palms to extend your chest and lift your sternum.
Step 3.
Keeping your inner thighs squeezing together and torso engaged, press into your palms and feet to lift your hips up off the mat.
Step 4.
The bottoms of your feet should come down to the mat, inner arches of your feet together. Let your head fall back, gazing up or slightly back behind you.
Step 5.
Be mindful not to sink into your shoulder or elbow joints. Keep a soft bend in your elbows and engage your back muscles.
Step 6.
Engage your core to avoid sinking your hips or putting pressure on your lower back.
Benefits of Reverse Plank
Strengthens the back body and core muscles, from glutes up to shoulders
Opens up the chest and strengthens arms
The pose stretches the chest, shoulders, and front of the ankles, improving flexibility in these areas.
The reverse plank may aid in muscle recovery and reduce soreness after workouts.
Variations of Reverse Plank
Reverse tabletop: bend your knees, feet stacked under knees to take pressure off your back, shoulders, and arms
Lift one leg while maintaining the core engagement and stability of the basic pose.
Engage your core and lower back by lifting one arm and the opposite leg while maintaining the reverse plank position.
Other Yoga Poses to Try
- 05Sep
Reverse Warrior
Reverse Warrior, or Viparita Virabhadrasana, is a powerful yoga pose that blends strength and grace, offering a deep lateral stretch while enhancing stability and balance. This pose is particularly effective at opening the side body, stretching the intercostal muscles, obliques,
- 03Oct
Hero’s Pose
Hero’s Pose, or Virasana in Sanskrit, is a seated yoga posture that promotes stillness and grounding. It stretches the quadriceps, knees, and ankles while promoting an upright and open posture through the spine and chest. While simple in nature, this
- 01May
Wide Straddle Seated Forward Fold
Wide Straddle Seated Forward Fold, or Upavistha Konasana in Sanskrit, is a grounding, introspective yoga pose that emphasizes deep stretching. This posture targets the inner thighs, hamstrings, and lower back, promoting flexibility and releasing physical tension in the hips and
- 18Jan
Downward Facing Dog
The Downward Facing Dog yoga pose, known as Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit, is considered one of the most fundamental yoga poses. This pose can be used throughout the practice, whether in a Sun Salutation sequence or as a transition
- 30Apr
Low Crescent Lunge
The Low Crescent Lunge, also known as Anjaneyasana in Sanskrit, is a yoga pose that embodies a graceful balance between strength and surrender. The practitioner sinks into a deep lunge, with one knee bent and the other extended behind. This
- 14Nov
High Prayer
High Prayer Pose, often referred to as Urdhva Namaskarasana, is a grounding and centering yoga posture that emphasizes alignment and mindfulness. It is typically performed at the beginning or end of a yoga practice to cultivate intention, focus, and gratitude.
