All exercises
Strength·Core

Plank

PlankPlank
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At a glance

Equipment
None — bodyweight
Suggested hold
Hold 30–60s × 3 sets

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Common mistakes

  • You let the hips sag toward the floor or pike them up to make the hold easier.

  • You hold your breath instead of breathing steadily behind the brace.

  • You chase long hold times with sloppy form instead of shorter holds done perfectly.

What to focus on

  • Squeeze the glutes and tuck the pelvis slightly so the lower back stays out of the exercise.

  • Actively push the floor away through the forearms rather than hanging on the shoulders.

  • Treat the plank as a full-body squeeze; the harder you brace, the more you get from it.

Related strength moves

Sources & further reading

  1. 1.EMG during the prone plank confirms coordinated bracing of the rectus abdominis, both obliques, and the lumbar erector spinae Int. J. Environmental Research and Public Health (2020), EMG study