Plank | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Abs
Secondary muscles: Lower back
Equipment: No equipment

Plank Instructions

1. Get into a push up position, with your elbows under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms and on your toes, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Hold for as long as possible.

Proper Form And Breathing Pattern

Keep your core engaged, your abs tight, and breathe slowly and deeply. Maintain your body in a straight line, from your head down to your feet.

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Exercise Benefits

Adding the plank to your workout routine helps you develop core strength and flexibility. This exercise tones the abs, trims down the waist and, since the plank engages and strengthens your entire core, it also improves your posture and helps to reduce back pain.

Plank Demonstration

Sets And Reps

If regular planks are too difficult for you, lower your knees and keep your core engaged at all times. Hold in plank position for as long as you can without losing form. Increase the time slowly, until you’re able to hold this position for 2 minutes. You can eventually increase the challenge by lifting one arm or one leg.

Calories Burned

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the plank exercise, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

Related Core Exercises

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Crunches
Straight leg raise
Alternating superman
Flutter kicks

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