How Do You Do a Plank? Try These 19 Variations

To do a plank correctly, lie face down with your forearms on the ground, elbows under your shoulders, and legs extended behind you. Make sure to keep a straight line from your head to your heels and engage your core.

Planks, which have elements of Pilates, yoga, and stretching, require little space. They are an isometric exercise that strengthens your core. You can burn a lot of calories by doing planks without taking up too much time in your day. There are also several variations you can try, including a side plank and a one-legged plank.

How To Do a Plank

Take note of the following steps when you perform variations of the plank:

1. Start laying face-down on the floor.
2. Keep your elbows under your shoulders and near your sides. Place your palms on the floor with your hands turned forward.
3. Extend your legs and squeeze your thigh muscles at the same time. Pull your toes inward toward your shins. 
4. Engage your core to stabilize your upper body as you lift it off the floor. 
5. Make sure your back stays in a straight line. Keep your hips square to the ground and your knees straight. Keep your shoulders tucked under your elbows.
6. Slowly breathe in and out with control while holding the plank for about 30-60 seconds.
7. Return to the ground while keeping your knees straight and engaging your abs. Relax your muscles once you return to the floor.

Benefits

Planks are a core-strengthening exercise. A strong core has multiple benefits, including:

• Builds muscle, which burn more calories than fat when you are at rest
• Decreases stress on your joints
• Helps you perform powerful movements
• Improves balance and posture
• Stabilizes your body

1. Forearm Plank

A forearm plank is what many people consider the standard plank position:

1. Lie face down with your legs extended, elbows bent directly under your shoulders, and your palms flat on the floor. 
2. Place your feet hip-width apart and elbows shoulder-width apart. 
3. Engage your abs, then tuck your toes to lift your body. Keep your forearms on the ground, and press the floor away from yourself with your forearms. You should form a straight line from shoulders to heels.
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

2. Straight-Arm Plank

A straight-arm plank looks like the top of a push-up and requires shoulder stabilization:

1. Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your toes on the floor. 
2. Step one foot back, then the other, as you engage your abs and straighten your legs. 
3. Press the floor away from you with your hands. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to heels.
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

3. Side Plank

A side plank is a variation of the typical plank exercise that works your obliques while still engaging your deep core muscles. Your obliques are the muscles on the sides of your midsection.

Here's how to do a side plank:

1. Start by lying on your right side with your hips, knees, and feet stacked. 
2. Place your right hand on the floor, pressing it away from yourself, as you engage your right obliques and lift your hips toward the ceiling. 
3. Lift your left arm toward the ceiling, forming a T-shape with your arms and a straight, diagonal line from shoulders to heels. 
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then switch sides.

4. Dolphin Plank

The dolphin plank is easier than a traditional plank. You can use your forearms for balance, which takes the pressure off your wrist joints:

1. Begin in a forearm plank position.
2. Shift your hips toward the ceiling to create an inverted V-shape. 
3. Lower your hips to return to the forearm plank position. 
4. Repeat for three sets of 15 reps.

5. Side Plank Crunch

A side plank crunch is not your usual crunch or side plank. This exercise is a blend of two exercises:

1. Begin in a straight arm side plank on your right side, with your hips, knees, and feet stacked. Keep your right shoulder stacked directly over your right wrist. 
2. Place your left hand behind your head.
3. Bend through your left side to crunch up and over to the left, driving your left knee toward your elbow. 
4. Slowly return to the side plank, keeping your left hand behind your head. 
5. Go for 30 seconds or 10 reps, then switch sides.

6. Plank Knee Tap

A plank knee tap works the rectus abdominus (your "six-pack") and transverse abdominus (the muscles that wrap around your torso like a corset). Here's how to do the move:

1. Start in a forearm plank, your feet hip-width apart and elbows shoulder-width apart directly under your shoulders. 
2. Form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
3. Tilt your pelvis forward, keeping your hips steady, and bend both knees toward the floor. 
4. Pause for a few seconds, then straighten your legs to return to your forearm plank. 
5. Repeat for 30-60 seconds or 10-12 reps.

7. Caterpillar Plank

A caterpillar plank will make the exercise more dynamic as you start standing and working your way down to the floor:

1. Start by standing with your feet slightly less than hip-width apart.
2. Bend forward at your waist and place your hands on the floor. 
3. Walk your hands out to a plank position with your shoulders directly over your wrists. You should form a straight line from shoulders to heels. 
4. Keep your hips aligned with your shoulders, and draw your right knee toward your chest. 
5. Pause, then step back to the plank position. Repeat on the left side. 
6. Walk your hands back toward your feet and roll up to stand. Repeat from the top. 
7. Go for 30-60 seconds or about 10 reps.
   

8. Twisting Knee Plank

Consider the twisting knee plank to be a slow mountain climber with a few extra twists:

1. Start in a straight-arm plank, shoulders directly over your wrists. Form a straight line from your shoulders to heels. 
2. Keep your shoulders steady, then twist your lower body to the left.
3. Bring your right hip toward the floor, then return to the center.
4. Twist your lower body to the right, bringing your left hip toward the floor. Return to the center. 
5. Pull your left knee toward your right elbow. Pause, then step back to a plank. Bring your right knee toward your left elbow. Pause, then step back to the plank. 
6. Continue alternating hip twists and diagonal knee pulls.
7. Go for 30-60 seconds or 10-12 reps.

9. Resistance Band Plank

Add a resistance band to your plank to work your shoulders as well. You'll target the stability of your upper body along with your core.

Here's how to do the move:

1. Place a mini looped band around your forearms, just above your wrists. 
2. Get into a straight-arm plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. You should form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. 
3. Step your left hand out to the left as far as you can. Pause, then bring it back to shoulder-width distance.
4. Step your right hand out to the right as far as you can. Pause, then bring it back to shoulder-width distance. Continue alternating.
5. Go for 30-60 seconds or 10 reps per side.

10. One-Legged Plank

The one-legged plank takes added core strength:

• Start in a straight-arm plank, with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider. 
• Form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels, then lift your right leg. Hold for a few seconds.
• Place your right leg back down, then repeat with your left leg. 
• Continue alternating for 30-60 seconds or 10 reps per side.

11. Plank With Elbow Lift

Get your back involved in the plank action while building your stability:

1. Start in a straight arm plank position, shoulders directly over your wrists and feet hip-width apart or slightly wider. Form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. 
2. Engage your abs, then squeeze your upper back muscles while drawing your left elbow back and up. 
3. Keep your arm close to your body and bring your palm to your rib cage.
4. Slowly straighten your arm back down to the floor. 
5. Repeat with your right arm, then continue alternating. Lift your opposite leg simultaneously to test your core strength even more.
6. Go for 30-60 seconds or eight to 10 reps per side.

12. Plank With Opposite Limb Extension

This variation works on your balance and core strength:

1. Begin in a straight-arm plank position. 
2. Keep your spine straight and engage your abs as you draw your opposite arm and leg together (e.g., right arm and left leg), then extend back out.
3. Do 12-15 reps on each side.

13. Push-Up Side Plank

A push-up is ultimately a moving plank. This move helps you strengthen your chest while working your abs:

1. Get in a push-up position or straight arm plank, with your shoulders right over your wrists and feet hip-width apart. 
2. Form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the ground, maintaining that straight line. 
3. Press back up, then pivot your feet and rotate to the right.
4. Lift your right arm toward the ceiling to form a side plank on your left side. 
5. Place your hand back down to return to the plank position. Repeat the push-up.
6. Do a side plank on your right side. Repeat the push-up, and continue alternating side planks. 
7. Go for 30-60 seconds or 10-12 reps total.

14. Side Plank With Inner Thigh Raise

Work your inner thighs and obliques with the side plank with an inner thigh raise:

1. Start in a side plank on the right side, with your shoulders and hips stacked. Stagger your feet right in front of your left. You should form a straight diagonal line from shoulders to heels. 
2. Lift your left arm straight up toward the ceiling. 
3. Raise your right leg as high as possible while lifting through your heel, then return to the floor. 
4. Go for 30 seconds or eight to 10 reps, then switch sides.

15. Side Plank With Twist

This variation of the side plank exercise requires extra rotation from your upper body:

1. Start in a side plank on your right forearm, with your shoulder directly over your elbow and your shoulders, hips, and feet stacked. 
2. Press through your right forearm to lift your hips.
3. Extend your left arm toward the ceiling. 
4. Scoop your left arm underneath your body and rotate your shoulders toward the floor. 
5. Extend your left arm back up, re-stacking your shoulders, then repeat.
6. Go for 30 seconds or eight to 10 reps, then switch sides.

16. Plank With Side Snatch

Adding a dumbbell to your plank will engage your abs while strengthening your back:

1. Start in a straight-arm plank, with each hand holding a dumbbell. Your shoulders still go directly over your wrists, with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. 
2. Pivot on your feet as you pull your right arm up and overhead.
3. Bend your elbow and rotate to the right. The dumbbell should align with your shoulder at the top and form a T-shape with your arms. 
4. Pause, then slowly rotate back toward the floor. Return onto your toes and place the dumbbell back on the ground with your shoulders over your wrists.
5. Repeat on the left side, then continue alternating. 
6. Go for 30-60 seconds or eight to 10 reps per side.

17. Plank Jacks

Adding a jump to the standard plank adds an extra challenge to your core stability:

1. Begin with a straight-arm or forearm plank. 
2. Gently jump your feet in and out as you would with standing jumping jacks.
3. Land softly, and keep your pelvis steady and your back straight.
4. Repeat for one minute, eventually building up to five minutes as you get stronger.

18. On-the-Ball Plank

Adding a ball to your plank means your core works hard to keep you steady on an unsteady surface:

1. Place your shins and tops of your feet on a stability ball with your hands on the ground in plank position, your shoulders directly over your wrists. 
2. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and tuck your pelvis forward to maintain a straight line from shoulders to heels. 
3. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

19. Stir-the-Pot Plank

Maintaining strong posture is the key to keeping your abs working during this move. Press into the ball with your forearms, squeeze your glutes, and engage your legs:

1. Kneel in front of a stability ball with your forearms and elbows on the ball, your hands clasped. 
2. Roll the ball forward to extend your legs and form a forearm plank position on the ball, toes tucked. Your shoulders should stack directly over your elbows, with your chest lifted off the ball and your neck in line with your spine. 
3. Brace your abs and slightly tuck your pelvis forward.
4. Keep your hips steady, and make small circles to the right with your forearms as if stirring a pot. 
5. Go for 20-30 seconds in each direction.

Who Should Avoid Planks

Planks are generally a safe exercise to perform. Speak with a healthcare provider to help determine if planks are suitable or appropriate for you if you have preexisting medical conditions, including but not limited to if you:

• Are recovering from abdominal surgery
• Develop a shoulder injury or pain
• Have a high-risk pregnancy, which includes heart or lung disease, preeclampsia (high blood pressure), or severe anemia
• Have wrist issues, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which can cause painful symptoms

A Quick Review

Planks help strengthen your core while working on other body parts, like your arms and glutes. You can modify the plank in several ways, all of which you can do in the comfort of your home. Variations range from straight-arm, side, and one-legged planks to plank knee taps and jacks. Stop and consult a healthcare provider if you have any lower back pain while doing planks.