Core · None
How to do
Plank Hold
An isometric hold rather than a rep count, and the first timed exercise in the Alea pool. When this comes up, the second die draws a duration in seconds instead of a number of reps.
| Movement pattern | Core |
| Measured in | seconds |
| Equipment | None |
| Effort weight in Alea | 0.8 per rep |
| Appears from | D8 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Lie face down, then prop yourself on your forearms with elbows directly beneath your shoulders and hands forward. Tuck your toes under and lift your hips so the body forms one straight line from heels to head.
The movement
Hold. Squeeze your glutes, brace your midsection as if bracing for impact, and press the forearms into the floor. Breathe normally throughout, which is the part most people abandon. The moment your hips drop or pike, the set is effectively over regardless of the clock.
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging toward the floor, which loads the lower back instead of the core
- Hips piked up into an inverted V, which makes it easy and pointless
- Holding the breath, which raises perceived effort enormously
- Chasing time with a broken position rather than stopping when the line goes
Too hard? Scale it down
Plank from your knees, or with your forearms elevated on a bench. Both keep the position honest while reducing the load. A shorter hold with a perfect line beats a long one with a sagging back.
Too easy? Scale it up
Lift one foot, reach one arm forward, or elevate your feet. Alea will also draw holds up to three minutes on a large rep die, which is challenging enough for most people without variation.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Plank Hold is number 8 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D8. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 0.8 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing plank hold carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws plank hold at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Plank Hold FAQ
How long should I hold a plank?
Alea draws between 20 seconds and 3 minutes. Sixty seconds with a genuinely straight line is a solid general standard. Beyond about two minutes you are mostly training endurance rather than core strength.
Why does my lower back hurt during planks?
Almost always sagging hips. Squeeze the glutes hard, tuck the pelvis slightly, and shorten the hold. If it persists with a good position, have it looked at.
Forearms or hands?
Alea means the forearm version. The straight-arm variation is a valid exercise but easier for most people and closer to a push-up hold.