Point blank: There’s a reason why planks make an appearance in everything from boxing warmups to megaformer sequences.

“From sculpting to improving your posture, the plank is widely considered one of the best core exercises,” says certified personal trainer Kate Ligler, CPT.

She notes that the plank builds isometric strength from front to back across your core. So if you’re wondering how to hold a plank for longer, we don’t blame you.

Planks also strengthen engagement in your upper back, glutes, shoulders, arms, and hamstrings, making them “a game-changer for those building functional strength.”

So obviously, if you’re looking to get stronger in your plank position so you’re able to hold it for longer (or you’re a beginner looking to perfect your planks), Ligler and other well-respected trainers share their top tips ahead.

How to do a plank with proper form

But before we dive any deeper, here’s the right way to hold a plank once and for all.

1. 1.
   Lie face down on a mat with your palms on the floor underneath your shoulders and your feet flexed with the bottoms of your toes on the floor.
2. 2.
   Press through your palms to lift yourself up into the top of a push-up position. Your entire body should be in a straight line.
3. 3.
   Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, keeping your head and neck in a neutral position.
4. 4.
   Hold for the allotted amount of time, then lower yourself back to the floor.

Pro tips for longer planks

1. Consider a high plank instead of a forearm plank

According to Ligler, the traditional high plank—with arms fully extended with bodyweight propped up on hands and toes—is the best version of the plank if you are looking to build time. As it turns out, dropping down to your elbows is far more challenging on your core due to the angle of your bodyweight (who would’ve thought?).

To hold your plank for as long as possible, Ligler says to “engage the quads and glutes, rotate those elbow creases forward to strengthen your posture, and finally, find a rhythm to your breathing.”

2. Perfect your form

“I see this exercise performed wrong quite often,” says Nicholas Poulin, founder of Poulin Health & Wellness. “Many people think the core as a whole is your abdominal muscles, but you have so many others that need to focus on to make a great plank—and a long one at that.”

The major core muscles you work during a plank include: the pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae (especially the longissimus thoracis), and the diaphragm—which might explain why you feel your whole body shaking during a plank.

While that might seem like a nice lesson in Anatomy and Physiology, making note of these muscles and understanding how they play a role in your plank can really help perfect your form.

“In every exercise, you should start from the floor up, meaning your feet shoulder-width apart, legs contracted, and hips lifted into a neutral position—not elevated,” Poulin says. “Keep your core tight and engaged throughout the entire plank, your arms or elbows shoulder-width apart, and keep your spine in a neutral position.”

To top it off, he says to avoid straining your neck (a common mistake in classic planks). Instead, aim your chin about six inches in front of your body and look ahead.

“I’ll take good form and less time than lousy form and more time,” he says. “Be consistent, and you will get better.”

3. Be hyper-aware of your ribcage

While the core muscles are the first thing to come to mind when thinking of plank sequences, certified personal trainer Andrea Dusel-Foil, CPT, says to not forget about your ribcage.

“If the ribs start to splay and sink, it is much more challenging to keep the core engaged and the arms will take all of the work,” she explains. “To keep the ribs closed, imagine you have shoelaces that lace from the top of your ribs down to the bottom, then feel those laces being pulled tight so that the ribs can knit together.”

4. Don’t be afraid of variations

If holding a traditional plank is super challenging for your body, don’t stress. Ligler says if you struggle with classic planks or have wrist sensitivities, there are several plank variations you can that help build strength and add variety to your core routine.

1. Knee plank

1. 1.
   Lie face down on a mat with your palms on the floor underneath your shoulders.
2. 2.
   Bend your knees so your feet are up in the air.
3. 3.
   Press into your hands and rise up on your knees.
4. 4.
   Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, keeping your head and neck in a neutral position.
5. 5.
   Hold for the allotted amount of time, then lower yourself back to the floor.

2. Forearm plank

1. 1.
   Lie face down on a mat with your forearms on the floor and your feet flexed with the bottoms of your toes on the floor.
2. 2.
   Press into your forearms and rise up on your toes. Your entire body should be in a straight line.
3. 3.
   Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, keeping your head and neck in a neutral position.
4. 4.
   Hold for the allotted amount of time, then lower yourself back to the floor.

3. Plank to pike

1. 1.
   Lie face down on a mat with your palms on the floor underneath your shoulders and your feet flexed with the bottoms of your toes on the floor.
2. 2.
   Press through your palms to lift yourself up into the top of a push-up position. Your entire body should be in a straight line.
3. 3.
   Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, keeping your head and neck in a neutral position.
4. 4.
   Shift your weight toward your hands and shoulders.
5. 5.
   Keeping your legs straight, use your abs to pull your hips up toward the ceiling
6. 6.
   Return back to plank position, then repeat.

Note: While the plank to pike might seem much more challenging, it actually helps to give your joints a bit of a break while piking so that you don’t feel stagnant and sore in one position, according to Ligler.

5. Press away from the floor

When in a plank position, it might feel like your arms and feet are there to hold you up. In reality, they’re there to support you, but you need to actively press up away from the floor to reap the rewards of planks.

“As we fatigue, we start to sink into the joints and towards the floor,” Dusel-Foil says. “Whether you are on your hands or forearms, you want to think about actively pressing the floor away from you. This will also keep your serratus anterior more engaged, which will help to keep the shoulder blades from winging off the back.”

6. Make small adjustments

At the end of the day, two seemingly-small tweaks will make a world of difference for your planks, according to Jackie Vick, CSCS. First, focus on not looking down at your toes while planking.

“Keep your head up and look down at the ground,” she instructs, noting that it will lead to better alignment overall.

Second, don’t forget to breathe through it.

“Sometimes when we concentrate, we hold our breath, which will actually make everything harder,” Dusel-Foil explains. “You want to keep oxygen flowing into all of the muscles that are working so hard for you. In order to breathe while also keeping the core engaged (really pull that belly button towards your spine), think of breathing into the back and sides of the ribcage (like an accordion).”

Benefits of planks

Adding planks into your core workouts come with a whole list of perks. These include the following, per the Cleveland Clinic:

1. 1.
   They help improve your posture.
2. 2.
   You can do them anywhere.
3. 3.
   They help prevent injury when doing other exercises and activities involving your core (doing a deadlift at the gym, picking up your child, etc.)

“From sculpting to improving your posture, the plank is widely considered one of the best core exercises.” —Kate Ligler, CPT

FAQ

1. How long should you hold a plank?

Holding a plank anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds is sufficient, according to Harvard Health Publishing. As you get stronger, you can increase your plank duration time, but you don’t need to hold a plank for longer than 2 minutes. While it may seem impressive to hold a 3-minute plank, prolonging your plank time doesn’t add any extra benefits.

2. How can I increase my plank time?

Tips for building plank endurance include perfecting your form, doing easier variations, keeping your core engaged, and pressing your hands away from the floor. Learn more about how to do each above!

3. Is a high plank or low plank harder?

A high plank—where you fully extend your arms with your bodyweight propped up on your hands and toes—is easier than a low plank (aka forearm plank). That’s because a forearm plank demands more core engagement.

4. Is it normal to shake while planking?

Yes! Especially if you’re new to the movement or pushing your body to plank for longer than you have before, Well+Good previously reported.