Plank

beginner · anti_extension

Setup

Lie face down on a mat and set both elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders with the forearms parallel. Put your feet hip-width apart, up on the balls of the feet.

Execution

Squeeze your glutes and belly and lift into one straight line from head to heels.
Push the floor away with your forearms so the space between your shoulder blades does not sink.
Look at the floor just ahead of your hands so your neck stays in line with your back.
Hold for 20-40 seconds on the first set, breathing steadily, with the hips neither sagging nor riding high.
End the set the moment the hips start to drop rather than grinding out extra time.
Put your knees down first and then sit up, instead of collapsing straight onto the mat.

Breathing

Breathe slowly and steadily through the hold, counting breaths rather than seconds. Do not hold your breath: it raises blood pressure and makes you fail sooner.

Quick cues

Squeeze glutes, lift the hips slightly.
Drop shoulders, push the floor away.
Look at the floor ahead.
Stack shoulders over your elbows.
Hips drop, set over.

Common faults

Fault: Hips sagging and the lower back taking the load
Fix: Squeeze the glutes before you rise and cut the hold to a time where the line survives.
Fault: Hips riding high to take the pressure off
Fix: Bring the hips down level with shoulders and knees, and have someone look from the side or film a short clip.
Fault: Lifting the head to look forward, which strains the neck
Fix: Put a water bottle on the floor one hand-span ahead of your hands and look at that the whole time.
Fault: The shoulders creeping to the ears while the upper back sinks
Fix: Press both forearms hard into the mat, lift the space between your blades and lengthen your neck.
Fault: Holding for 3 minutes just to chase a number
Fix: Hold 30-40 seconds really tight and then make it harder by lifting one foot, rather than adding time.

Equipment

bodyweight, mat

Muscle groups

core