How to do a Plank
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Plank
Workouts with Plank
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
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.
- Lie on your stomach with your elbows flexed to 90 degrees and positioned directly under your shoulders.
- Your palms should face down as your forearms run parallel to each other and your toes should be tucked under your feet to support your weight.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing the abdominal muscles before elevating your hips and knees off the ground.
- Remain rigid throughout the body to maintain a straight alignment from your heels to your shoulders.
- Hold for an allotted time.
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Raised or Sagging Hips
Make sure you’re keeping your hips level, and a straight line from your shoulders, through you hips, to your heels. Raising, or allowing your hips to dip will make this exercise less effective. Focus on keeping your core engaged, and maintaining that straight back throughout the exercise.
Alternative Exercises to Plank
1. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 7,867 TIMESCrunches 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.
- Beginner
- Abs
2. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 7,497 TIMESAb 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.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
3. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 6,263 TIMESRussian 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.
- Beginner
- Abs
4. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 5,606 TIMESLeg 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.
- Beginner
- Abs
5. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 5,218 TIMESBicycle 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.
- Beginner
- Abs
6. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 4,507 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.
- Beginner
- Abs
7. Sit Up
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 4,418 TIMESSit Up is one of the most common exercises out there. It’s a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. Sit Ups are very similar to Crunches, however, rather than raising just your shoulder blades off the ground, you raise your entire upper body. This gives you a bit more range of motion than Crunches, however you’ll start to lose some tension in your core at the top of the movement.
- Beginner
- Abs
8. Leg Pull-In
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 4,154 TIMESLeg Pull in is a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already engaging your core. Additionally your core helps to pull your legs in towards your chest.
- Beginner
- Abs
9. Vertical Knee Raise
92 mSCORESWAPPED 3,362 TIMESVertical Knee Raise is a bodyweight core exercise that involves suspending yourself, and then engaging your core to raise your knees towards your chest. By keeping your torso upright, and raising your knees, this exercise is a bit better for building functional, real world strength.
- Beginner
- Abs
- Vertical Bench (Vertical Knee Raise)
10. Cable Crunch
88.8 mSCORESWAPPED 3,275 TIMESCable Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Unlike Crunches, this is a weighted exercise that does not have you laying on your back. Instead of using your bodyweight for resistance, you use a cable machine. This gives you more control over your resistance, as well as more control over the direction that resistance is coming from.
- Beginner
- Abs
- Rope Cable
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable