The Dolphin Plank Exercise (known as Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana in yoga) is a great exercise for increasing and maintaining mobility in your shoulders and back while working your abs.
The Dolphin Plank Exercise forms part of the Golf Mobility series of innovative and dynamic exercises that will help to improve your joint and muscle mobility, improving your range of motion while increasing functional strength within the entire range of that motion – thus helping to prevent injuries and building the foundation for a consistent, accurate, and powerful golf swing.
Steps
- Start in a plank position – with your forearms and toes on the ground, your legs straight and your torso parallel to the ground. Your shoulders should be above your elbows.
- Push your hips up into the air while pulling your tailbone under your pelvis, towards your heels.
- Hold for 5 to 10 deep breaths, in and out.
- Exhale as you return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Keep your back straight throughout, if you need to bend your knees slightly to do so, that’s fine.
Keep your shoulder blades pulled down throughout – keep them away from your ears. As you lift your hips, draw your shoulder blades away from your spine while still maintaining length across the front of your chest.
Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, press your elbows and inner forearms firmly into the floor.
Keep your head in a neutral position, with your eyes looking at a point on the floor under you.
You should feel it working your abdominal muscles, shoulders and back.
Variation
To make this exercise easier, perform it with your knees on the ground.
For a more challenging version, try the Downward Dog Exercise.
There are a number of other variations on the classic plank exercise in the Golf Loopy Train like a Champion System, which you can view by clicking here.
There are a number of other shoulder blade mobility and stability exercises in the Golf Loopy Train like a Champion System, you can see them all by clicking here.
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There are a number of other golf-specific mobility exercises in the Golf Loopy Train like a Champion System.
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