Plank Hold

Beginnercore

Get on the floor, elbows under shoulders.

The ultimate core stability exercise. Hold a straight line from head to heels, engaging your entire midsection.

Key points

•Elbows under shoulders (or hands for high plank)
•Body forms one straight line
•Squeeze glutes and brace abs
•Breathe steadily — don't hold your breath

Practice with Coach Maya

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The plank is an isometric core exercise that trains your entire anterior chain — abs, obliques, hip flexors, and quads — without a single crunch. Position your elbows or hands directly beneath your shoulders, then lift your body so only your forearms (or hands) and toes touch the ground. Your body should form a perfectly straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Squeeze your glutes to prevent your hips from sagging, pull your belly button toward your spine, and breathe normally. The plank teaches your core to resist extension, which is exactly how it works in real life — stabilising your spine under load.

Fun Fact

The world record for the longest plank hold is over 9 hours and 30 minutes, set by Daniel Scali in 2021 — and he did it while managing a chronic pain condition!

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.