full body focus
Forearm Plank
Total-body isometric core builder.
Key cue: Make one straight line from head to heels, and keep breathing.
Area
full body
Level
intermediate
Volume
3 × 30s
Goal
fitness
How to do it
- 1Lie face down, then prop yourself up on your forearms with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
- 2Tuck your toes under and lift your hips so your body makes one straight line from head to heels.
- 3Brace your tummy gently, squeeze your buttocks and tuck your pelvis very slightly so your lower back doesn't sag.
- 4Look at the floor, breathe steadily and hold for 30 seconds. Lower and rest.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Plank on your knees, or with your forearms on a sturdy table or kitchen worktop.
- Harder
- Hold for 45 seconds, or lift one foot a few centimetres off the floor for 3 seconds at a time.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Trunk enduranceLower back supportCore without spinal movement
Benefits
- Builds full-body stability
- Protects the low back
- No equipment required
Muscles worked
Strengthening. Strengthens your core, shoulders, glutes and quadriceps.
CoreShouldersGlutesQuadriceps
Form tips
- Push the floor away through your forearms.
- Stop the set when your hips start to sag, instead of pushing through it.
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips sag or pike up.
- Holding your breath.
When to avoid or modify
- Lower back pain as you hold: shorten the hold, or do it on your knees
- Shoulder or wrist pain when loaded: skip it
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure: avoid long holds and check with your GP first
- A ridge or bulge down the middle of your tummy as you hold, for example after pregnancy: stop and ask a pelvic health physiotherapist
- Pregnancy: skip front planks once your bump is growing, or do them with your hands on a worktop
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder