Plank

Exercise overview

Primary muscle group: Core

Exercise type: Bodyweight

Exercise goal: Strength

Key metric: Duration

Average duration per set*: 0:01:22 (h:mm:ss)

Description: Rest your knees, feet and elbows on a gym mat. Extend your feet backward and straighten your whole body so that only your toes and your elbows touch the ground. Your feet should be close together and your elbows should be positioned directly under your shoulders. Make sure that your lower back sags or your butt rises. Instead, ensure that your body is straight and rigid. Your core muscles must be contracted during the whole exercise. Hold this position for the desired period of time. Then go back to the starting position to rest. You have completed your first repetition.

Exercise ID: 00442

Community rating:

*Remark: The average values are calculated based on exercise data from the Blaze community. For more statistics and analysis, please download the Blaze app.

Exercise tips and tricks

Maintain Proper Alignment: Make sure your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Avoid letting your hips sag or rise too high.
Engage Your Core: Tighten your abdominal muscles as if bracing for a punch. This helps to stabilize your spine and maintain proper form.
Avoid Neck Strain: Keep your neck in line with your spine by looking at a spot on the floor just a few inches in front of your hands.
Breathe Steadily: Instead of holding your breath, take slow, deep breaths. This helps to maintain oxygen flow to your muscles, aiding endurance and form.
Check Wrists and Elbows: Align your wrists directly under your shoulders, and ensure your elbows are not locked.
Too challenging? Drop to your knees but keep the straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Too easy? Try lifting one leg at a time or switch to a side plank for added difficulty.
Start by holding the plank for 20-30 seconds and gradually increase your time as your strength improves.
Focus on Quality over Quantity: It’s better to hold a proper plank for a shorter duration than to hold a poor form for longer. Quality trumps quantity.
Use a Mirror for Feedback: When possible, perform the plank in front of a mirror to ensure proper form. This can help you catch and correct misalignments.
Incorporate Planks into Your Routine: Use planks as part of your warm-up or cool-down routine to build core strength systematically.

Exercise overview

Exercise tips and tricks

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