How to Plank Properly

If you have ever been in the gym or worked with a trainer, you’ve probably done a plank or two before. That’s because the plank is now considered the gold standard and the best way to strengthen your core.

Why? Because the core is generally a stabilizer against movement (or an anti-mover). The plank trains the core specifically in that way, to stabilize.

Here’s how to do the front plank properly:

Disclaimer: If unsure or in pain, please consult a professional before trying the plank

1) Equal weight distribution between legs and arms
Most people put too much weight on the arms and their shoulders get tired before their core. Try to keep the weight evenly distributed across the legs and arms.

2) Relax your neck
A lot of the time, we shrug our shoulders and use our neck during exercises without even knowing it. Try to keep the shoulders away from the ears and relax your neck during the plank to avoid developing neck pain

3) Lock the shoulder blades
The plank is also a shoulder exercise. Slightly push the shoulder blades wider and lock them in place to help activate the shoulder muscles.

4) Neutral back
This is where most people go wrong. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, sag your back during the plank. Keep the back flat or slightly higher. When you sag your back, you place the stress of the exercise onto your back muscles and ligaments which is not the where it should be. When you plank, you should not feel the back muscles working. Get someone to check if you are sagging your back. Sometimes we think we are not but we actually are.

5) Most importantly, engage the deep core and breathe
This is why most people sag their backs during the plank. It is very important to learn how to engage the deep core while doing the plank. Engaging the deep core helps develop a base of stability in your core required for all your movements. Go to our other blog post specifically regarding deep core activation to find out how to do it properly while breathing!

Plank Variations

Once you’ve mastered the standard front plank for 60 seconds without shaking, there are many other plank variations you can try to add variety and increase the difficulty. Take a look at our video of plank variations to give you some ideas.

Here are some of the variations in the video:
- Plank + Hip Movements
- High Plank
- High Low Plank
- Shuffling Plank
- Side Plank
- Planks on Exercise Ball


There are literally hundreds of ways to change the plank to add variety and difficulty!

If you have any questions about how to the plank or how to modify your planks to make it harder, please do not hesitate to contact us. Now Happy Planking!

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Physio,
Manni (@ptmanni)