Front Plank
The front plank holds a straight line from head to heels on your forearms and toes. It trains the abs and deep trunk muscles to resist your lower back sagging, the same stiffness that protects the spine in squats, deadlifts and presses.
- Targets
- Rectus Abdominis
- Also works
- Deltoid Anterior, Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Obliques
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Level
- Beginner
- Start with
- 3 × hold 30s, 30s rest
How to do it
- Place your forearms on the floor, elbows under your shoulders.
- Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Tuck your pelvis slightly, squeeze your glutes and pull your ribs down towards your hips.
- Hold the position, breathing steadily, for the set time.
Form cues
- Pull your elbows towards your toes to make it harder without moving.
- Glutes tight, ribs down.
- Look at the floor just in front of your hands.
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging, which puts the load on the lower back instead of the abs.
- Hips piked high to make it easier, which takes almost all the load off the abs. Line up heels, hips and shoulders.
- Holding for minutes with poor form. 20 to 45 hard seconds is better; add load or harder variations instead of time.
Where this fits in a week
Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your rectus abdominis is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.
More abs movements
Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.