tricks to ensure good technique/posture for plank and push ups?

[ReduceRecycleRegift]

am doing shred DVD so don't have an instructor in the room to tell me when I'm doing weird things with my neck or sticking my bum up or my arms or legs are wrong

I don't wanna do myself an injury by doing it wrong, any tricks to ensure a good postition?

Have a mirror or window nearby so you can check your body is in a straight line.

I tried that but it gave me a stiff neck, it was counter productive cause looking made my posture worse!

plank and press-ups you need to ensure your body is in a straight line - start off on your knees, look ahead of your hands (but keep neck in straightline with body), pull in your abs (as if you're over a flame and are sucking in your belly to ensure that it doesnt get burnt) - for press up arms need to be slightly wider and ahead of your shoulders, for plank arms directly under shoulders. If you're feeling pain in your back you're not quite doing it right - and if it feels easy you're not challenging yourself enough so progress to doing press ups and planks on your toes.

thanks dinky! I always feel bain sort of between my shoulders, sort of around collar bone, feels as if my collar bone sinks lower than my shoulders if that makes sense?

Hmm, that doesnt sound good - normally pain comes in the arms, wrists and shoulders rather than the collarbone area.

Another way to try to perfect your press up technique is to do standing up press ups against the wall - feet hip width apart, body in straight line including neck and arms slightly wider than shoulder width in front of you. Bend elbows out and incline in towards wall, hold then slowly breathe out and push back to start off position. If you're still getting the pain in your collarbone area, please do go see GP and ask for physio referral.

i don't usually have pain there, it just feels like I slump between the shoulders when I am in press up position, like my neck ends up lower than my shoulders rather than straight across

Try pulling your shoulder blades back and down which should help hold the correct position

just did L2 again and it was much better, thank you Dinky, I think my problem was that I was unsure where to put my hands for them both so spend the exercise fidgeting between hand positions with caused the strain, this time I stuck to forward and apart for press ups and under shoulders for plank and didn't move them and it felt "right"

on shred they don't go into a completely straight line in plank, their backs are straight then theres a slight bend in the bum, in classes its get your pelvis as low as possible - like close to the ground, which is right?

Glad it felt right.

Straight line for plank is what I always do with trainers - low to the ground isnt right its going for pulling in your abs and keeping your body in a straight line which is the key thing.