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How to Do a Plank: Form and Building Up to 60 Seconds

How to Do a Plank: Form and Building Up to 60 Seconds — video by Children's Hospital Colorado Play · 1:06

Video by Children's Hospital Colorado on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A children's hospital spine team shows the forearm plank: elbows under shoulders, a straight line from shoulders to heels, short holds that add up to 60 seconds, and a knees-down version if the full plank is too hard.

  • 1 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
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Step by step 4

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  1. Forearm plank: elbows under your shoulders, palms down, up on your toes in one line from shoulders to heels. 0:01
  2. Hold for about 10 seconds; stop as soon as your hips dip or you start rolling side to side. 0:11
  3. Add short holds together to reach 60 seconds, such as four sets of 15, three of 20 or six of 10. 0:32
  4. Too hard? Do the same plank with your knees on the floor, again building to 60 seconds in total. 0:44

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep one straight line from your shoulders to your heels
  • End the hold as soon as your hips dip or you start rolling side to side
  • Add short holds together, such as four sets of 15 seconds, to reach 60 seconds

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Shoulders takes loadforearm plank holds
  • Elbows movesforearms on the floor
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Plank with the knees down, in short holds that add up to 60 seconds

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Children's Hospital Colorado; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety