Should You Dome the Back in Yoga Plank?

Trish Corley Author

Why doming makes you feel stronger AND and causes you to lose stability!

I have taken yoga classes where the teacher encouraged me to dome my back and also experienced teachers being strict about not doming. Have you considered this debate that is common amongst yoga practitioners and teachers? In this article, we will explore what "doming of the back is", what happens anatomically when you dome the back, and what the implications are for your yoga practice and teaching.

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Understanding What It Means to Dome the Back in Yoga

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Let's start with what it means to "dome the back." A quick search on google of "dome the back yoga" came up a business called "The Yoga Dome." Since that didn't help this blog, I searched "dome the back in plank pose". That got me to some photos that look similar to the one of me below.

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Let's look at doming the back in terms of anatomy and biomechanics.

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Doming the back is synonymous with forward flexion of the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine has a natural kyphotic curve. To dome the back is to increase that curve. This is typically achieved by firmly pushing the ground with your hands. This action increases muscle activation, especially in the shoulder and "core" muscles. The increased muscle activation likely makes a person feel like they have more strength and power in their plank pose. After all, muscle contractions are a transfer of energy and that can feel really good!

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What else is happening anatomically when you dome the back in yoga plank?

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One of the key muscles that is used to dome the back is the serratus anterior. This muscle attaches from the shoulder blade to the ribs. When it contracts concentrically, it causes the shoulder blades to protract (to wrap around the outside of the rib cage). It is also likely that the abdominal muscles are activated to dome the back. They are attached from the ribs to the pelvis and are responsible for forward flexion of the spine. That is, they bring the ribs and pelvis closer to each other. This is what occurs with a “domed back" plank.

If the goal is to increase the strength of the serratus anterior and/or abdominal muscles, keep on doming. There is nothing innately wrong with this position.

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So why the debate then?

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Thoracic Kyphosis and Forward Shoulder Posture:

While doming the back may provide immediate muscle activation, doming contributes to an increased thoracic kyphosis and subsequent forward shoulder posture. The human body is capable of many positions. It is not a problem to move into increased thoracic kyphosis or to round the shoulders. The problems arise when this posture is held the majority of the time and a person is unable to get out of it. In our modern day society, many people are actually "stuck" in forward shoulder and increased thoracic kyphosis posture. This may even be why it seems easier for some people to plank with a dome than without.

One of the benefits of practicing yoga is improved posture. But if we, as yoga teachers, are reinforcing a default and less than optimal posture, is there really a benefit? That is certainly something to consider and is one of the reasons I do not typically encourage students to dome the back in plank while in a group yoga class.

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The other reason I don't typically encourage students to dome the back in plank, is that the next pose may be chaturanga.

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Implications of Doming the Back for Chaturanga:

Chaturanga is a common transition pose in yoga, especially in vinyasa style classes. It involves moving from plank to a "low push-up position". It requires controlled strength and stability throughout the body including the shoulder girdle. While doming the upper back can increase muscle activation in plank, it may not be the ideal alignment for Chaturanga.

Lowering into Chaturanga with the shoulders forward (as a result of doming the back) can lead to a loss of stability in the shoulders, and if repeated frequently an increased risk of overuse injury. The forward shoulder position pushes the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) forward in the joint. This alignment is less stable for the shoulder and places additional strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments involved. In other words, the pose becomes much more challenging! The forward shoulder position also increases the risk of impingement of the rotator cuff and biceps tendons. Impingement is what often leads to rotator cuff and biceps tendon tears.

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Finding the Balance:

I don't write this for you to freak out about students getting hurt in yoga. As mentioned in the article "Is Yoga Tearing Up Your Rotator Cuff?, we can't be sure yoga causes rotator cuff injuries. What we, as yoga teachers, can do, is keep learning! We can empower students to achieve optimal alignment and for them to discover what feels best in their body.

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From my own experience of practicing and teaching vinyasa yoga with the frequent transition from high plank to low plank (chaturganga) and based on a biomechanical analysis, my conclusion is this: Chaturanga is easier for the practitioner and better for their shoulders when the shoulders are aligned with the pelvis. In other words "Do Not Dome the Back." Instead, align the whole body like you would in Tadasana!

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Chaturanga is indeed a challenging transition. It requires activation of the whole body! If you are relying on your arms and shoulders to do the work they may overburdened and get upset!

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In the Yoga Anatomy School Foundations course, we emphasize Optimal Postural Alignment (OPA) in every pose. The essence of OPA is to actively align the whole body to distribute the workload, preventing excessive stress on any one area. Doming that back tends to emphasize the upper body. For both plank and chaturanga, I encourage a neutral spine in which all of the natural curves of the spine are present. We also know that diversity in movement is key. So there may be times to play around with doming of the back too!

Your yoga mat can be your yoga lab. Get on your mat and experience plank and chaturanga with a domed back and with a neutral spine (head, shoulders, and hips in one line with natural spinal curves). Observe what you feel and stay inquisitive!

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Conclusion:

The debate over doming the upper back in yoga poses highlights the importance of mindful alignment and understanding the implications of our movement choices. While doming the back can provide short-term benefits, such as increased muscle activation, it may not be what students need. Finding the balance between stability, muscle activation, and optimal alignment is key.

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The Foundations Course inside the Yoga Anatomy School will teach you the principles of Optimal Postural Alignment. Rather than learning the alignment of hundreds of postures, you learn one set of principles that can be applied to any posture including chaturanga!

After this 30 hour course, you will be able to teach any yoga posture with confidence in your anatomy and alignment knowledge!

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In Module 10 of The Foundations Course we continue to cover the anatomy of the shoulder so that teachers have a clear understanding of how this complex joint moves and how to best support students seeking a better practice. 

All 14 modules of the Foundations Course are available inside the Yoga Anatomy School Membership!

Categories: : Posture Alignment, Yoga Anatomy, Shoulders