Plank
CoreBodyweightBeginner
Not a test of how long you can hold on, but how hard you can brace. Quality over time.
Muscle worked
Core, Abs
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Time per set
20-60s
How to perform
Step by step, every rep
01
Set up on forearms
Elbows directly under shoulders. Forearms flat on the floor, hands in fists or flat. Feet hip width apart.
02
Lift into position
Push up onto your toes. Body in a straight line from head to heels. No arch, no sag.
03
Brace hard
Squeeze your glutes. Tuck your ribs down toward your hips. Core tight like you're about to take a punch.
04
Breathe
Breathe through your nose. Keep the brace. Don't hold your breath.
05
Stop when form breaks
The moment your hips sag, the set is over. Doesn't matter if it was 20 seconds or 60. Quality beats duration.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✕
Sagging hips
Turns a core exercise into a lower back stress test. Fix: Squeeze glutes and tuck ribs down. Imagine pulling your belly button up toward your spine.
✕
Hips too high (pike)
Rest position. Core barely works. Fix: Straight line from head to heel. Check yourself in a mirror or video.
✕
Holding too long with bad form
The last 30 seconds of a 2 minute plank with sagging hips teach you nothing except how to hurt your lower back. Fix: Short, hard planks with a real brace. 30 seconds of perfect is worth 2 minutes of sloppy.
✕
Looking up
Stresses the neck. Fix: Eyes at the floor, a foot in front of your hands. Neck long.
Progressions
Scale it up or down
Make it easier
- Knee plank: drop to the knees
- Incline plank: forearms on a bench
- Wall plank: stand and press forearms into a wall
Make it harder
- RKC plank: maximum tension, 10 second holds
- Plank with shoulder tap: tap opposite shoulder
- Weighted plank with a plate on the back
How to program it
Sets, reps, rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Strength | 3-4 | 20-45 second hold | 60s | Weighted vest or plate on back. |
| Build Muscle | 3 | 30-60 second hold | 45-60s | Bodyweight, maximal brace. |
| Build Endurance | 3 | 60-90 seconds | 60s | Bodyweight. Stop the instant form breaks. |
Want this exercise programmed into a full plan?
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