Plank

How to do the Plank

The plank is a hold on your forearms and toes with your body in a straight line. It trains your trunk to resist sagging, which is the same bracing skill you use under a barbell.

Set up

1. 1Place your forearms on the floor with your elbows under your shoulders.
2. 2Extend your legs behind you with your feet about hip width apart.

The movement

1. 1Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
2. 2Brace your abs as if preparing for a light punch and squeeze your glutes and thighs.
3. 3Press your forearms into the floor to spread your upper back.
4. 4Hold while breathing steadily, and end the set when the position starts to slip.

Cues

• Ribs toward your hips
• Squeeze your glutes
• Push the floor away
• Breathe behind the brace

Common mistakes

Hips sagging toward the floor.

Tighten your glutes and pull your ribs down; shorten the hold if it keeps happening.

Hips piked high.

Lower your hips until they line up with your shoulders and heels.

Holding your breath.

Take short, steady breaths while keeping the brace.

Chasing long holds with poor form.

Several 20 to 30 second holds with good tension beat one sagging two-minute hold.

Also works: Obliques, Transverse abdominis, Glutes, Quads, Serratus anterior

Sets and reps

• 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps, or holds of 20 to 60 seconds.
• Rest 30 to 90 seconds. Progress by slowing the reps, lengthening the hold or adding load, not by rushing.

General ranges, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts.

In our free programs

• Baseline Assessment: Week 1 · Session 1 · Movement screen + upper baselineBASELINE — seconds. Hold until the hips drop, capped at 60s. Record the time.1×60 @ BW
• Beginner Full-Body · Full Body ASeconds, not reps.3×30 @ BW
• Core & Conditioning Add-On · CoreSeconds.3×45 @ BW
• Dumbbell Only · Full Body + CoreSeconds.3×60 @ BW
• Fat-Loss Conditioning · Circuit BSeconds.4×45 @ BW
• Glutes & Posterior Chain · Deadlift FocusSeconds.3×45 @ BW
• Home Bodyweight · Lower + CoreSeconds.3×45 @ BW
• Upper / Lower Strength · Lower (heavy)Seconds.3×45 @ BW

Variations

The same movement with other equipment or a different angle.

• Weighted PlankPlate

Alternatives

Other exercises for the abs, for when the bodyweight is taken or you want a change.

• Barbell RolloutBarbell
• Bear Hug CarryPlate
• Cable CrunchCable
• Double Kettlebell Front Rack CarryKettlebell
• GHD Sit-UpMachine
• Half Turkish Get-UpKettlebell
• Kneeling Cable CrunchCable
• Machine Ab CrunchMachine

Questions

What muscles does the Plank work?

The Plank mainly works the abs.

What equipment do you need for the Plank?

None: it is a bodyweight exercise.

How many sets and reps of the Plank?

2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps, or holds of 20 to 60 seconds. Rest 30 to 90 seconds. Progress by slowing the reps, lengthening the hold or adding load, not by rushing.

What can I do instead of the Plank?

Barbell Rollout, Bear Hug Carry, Cable Crunch and Double Kettlebell Front Rack Carry work the same main muscle.