AIReal Yoga™ Forearm Planks: Teaching & Alignment Discussion
In AIReal Yoga™, the aerial hammock becomes more than a fun prop—it’s a tool for deepening your practice. By suspending your forearm plank in the hammock, you’ll discover new challenges and alignment nuances that fire up your entire body while keeping your spine safe.
If you’re new to AIReal Yoga™, check out our Introduction to AIReal Yoga™.
What Are Forearm Planks in AIReal Yoga™?
Unlike a traditional plank on the mat, the hammock-supported forearm plank lifts your legs off the ground. This extra instability demands heightened core engagement and total-body stabilization. As you float just off the floor, every muscle—from your shoulders to your toes—works harder to maintain a strong, straight line. Learn more about the benefits of planks on Yoga Journal.
Key Alignment Cues
- Hollow the Belly: Draw your navel toward your spine to create a stable core “brace.”
- Scoop the Pelvis: Tilt your tailbone under slightly to avoid arching in the lower back.
- Active Press: Press firmly through your forearms and feet in the hammock to engage shoulders, arms, hips, and legs.
Why This Variation Elevates Your Strength
This suspended version intensifies the standard plank by:
- Recruiting more stabilizer muscles throughout your torso
- Building extra shoulder and arm strength as you fight the pull of the hammock
- Challenging leg engagement to keep your hips level and lifted
Mobility Considerations: Tight Shoulders
Students with limited shoulder openness often struggle to stack shoulders over elbows—a must for safe forearm planks on and off the mat. In the hammock, this can lead to:
- Shoulders drifting forward past the elbows
- Hips hiking too high or sagging low in tucks and pikes
- Lower back arching as they chase proper stacking
Common Misalignments & How to Guide Your Students
1. Shoulder Drift
Fix: Cue them to press into the forearms and palms, broadening across the upper back. Encourage a gentle “pull” of the shoulders back until they’re stacked over the elbows. For more cueing tips, see our Alignment Cues for Yoga post.
2. Hip Height Issues
Fix: Remind students it’s better to keep hips slightly lower with a strong hollow body than to hike too high and arch the spine.
3. Hollow Body vs. Hip Stack
Note: Full hip stacking (hips over shoulders) is a long-term goal. Until shoulder mobility improves, prioritize a protected spine by maintaining a scoop in the pelvis and a hollow torso over perfect stacking.
Modifications & Progressions
Modify: Have hands placed at the very front of the mat to reduce the hammock’s leverage, making planks more accessible.
Progress: As mobility and core strength grow, gradually move the hands back toward the mid-mat. This increases the hammock’s pull and intensifies the challenge—especially in taller ceilings with longer hammocks. For advanced progressions, explore our Advanced AIReal Plank Variations.
Understanding Hammock Dynamics
The momentum you feel depends on hammock length, harness height, and ceiling height:
- Shorter Hammock + Lower Ceiling: Even a small shift off center creates a dynamic “bounce” to engage more strength.
- Longer Hammock + Higher Ceiling: You must move farther from the plumb line to feel the pull, making subtle adjustments key.
Invite your students to experiment: a few inches forward eases the plank, a few inches back ramps up the intensity. Encourage patience—mastering alignment, strength, and mobility is a gradual journey.
Final Teaching Tips
- Emphasize core activation over hip height—protect the spine first.
- Reinforce that shoulder-over-elbow stacking takes consistent mobility work.
- Use the hammock’s pull as feedback: where you feel the challenge is where growth happens.
Ready to deepen your AIReal Yoga™ practice? Contact us to schedule a workshop or teacher training!