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Plank Shoulder Taps being performed with proper form
Plank Shoulder Taps demonstration video — proper form for the full movement.

How to do Plank Shoulder Taps

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About this exercise

Sets Logged
115,168
Popularity Rank
501st
Difficulty
Intermediate
Abs Strength
65 mSCORE 110th
Equipment Required
Bodyweight-only

Workouts with Plank Shoulder Taps

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Abs
    Secondary Muscles
    Chest, Shoulders

    Instructions for Proper Form

    Plank Shoulder Taps is a variation on the standard Plank. Like Plank, this exercise primarily targets your core, but the movement itself adds a lot more instability to the exercise. By tapping each shoulder with the opposite hand, you force your core to stabilize even more. This is a great exercise for improving core stability and shoulder strength.

    1. Position your body on the ground in a pushup position. Engage your core to maintain stability throughout the exercise.
    2. Raise one hand to your opposite shoulder while balancing and maintaining a straight back.
    3. Return to the starting position while maintaining tension in your core.
    4. Alternate sides and repeat
    5. Maintain good posture by keeping you core engaged and your back straight.
    6. You should feel this exercise primarily in your core, but may feel some tension in your chest or shoulders from holding yourself in the pushup position.

    Sets & Reps Calculator

    Average Plank Shoulder Taps standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height

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      3
      sets
      6
      reps
      1 Set Max
      7
      reps
    • intermediate
      4
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      7
      reps
      9
      reps
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      4
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      7
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      9
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    Alternatives & Variations to Plank Shoulder Taps

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      92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 183 TIMES

      Planks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.

    2. 2. Ab Crunch Machine

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      Ab Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.

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    3. 3. Russian Twist

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      Russian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.

    4. 4. Crunches

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      94 mSCORESWAPPED 50 TIMES

      Crunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.

    5. 5. Plank With Dumbbell Pull Through

      Photo of Plank With Dumbbell Pull Through being performed
      36.9 mSCORESWAPPED 49 TIMES

      This exercise is a compound movement combining a plank with pulling a dumbbell beneath you. Primarily targeting the core, it also engages the shoulders and back. The added instability from moving the dumbbell challenges balance and improves core stabilization. This is an excellent variation for increasing the difficulty of standard planks and incorporating some functional strength.

    6. 6. Leg Raise

      Photo of Leg Raise being performed
      96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 49 TIMES

      Leg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.

    7. 7. Bicycle Crunch

      Photo of Bicycle Crunch being performed
      91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 37 TIMES

      Bicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.

    8. 8. Ab Rollout

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      70.3 mSCORESWAPPED 36 TIMES

      Ab Rollout is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core. Using an ab roller, this movement challenges your ability to maintain stability as you extend your body parallel to the ground. This exercise is great for developing core strength and stability, which can translate to better performance in other strength-training movements. The instability and range of motion make this a more challenging core exercise.

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