Hand Plank
A high plank on straight arms — the foundational isometric for the abs, shoulders and full-body tension.
How to do it
- Get on all fours with your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders.
- Step both feet back one at a time until your legs are straight and your body stretches into a long line.
- Push the floor away to spread your shoulder blades and keep your upper back flat.
- Squeeze your glutes and abs so your hips neither sag nor pike up.
- Hold the position with steady breathing, eyes down between your hands for a neutral neck.
- Lower your knees back to the floor under control when the time is up and rest before the next set.
Key technique cue
Push the floor away, don't lock the elbows; hips in line with the body.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which loads the lower back instead of the abs.
- ✕ Piking the hips high, which turns the plank into a partial downward dog and takes the load off the core.
- ✕ Dropping the head or jutting it forward, which strains the neck and breaks the straight body line.
- ✕ Locking the elbows and sinking into the shoulders instead of pushing the floor away.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds full-core endurance and anti-extension strength.
- ✓ Stabilizes the shoulders for pressing and overhead work.
- ✓ Reinforces full-body tension under bodyweight.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Hand Plank
- Front Plank on Elbows
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Step 2
About the exercise
The Hand Plank is the most common isometric core hold in fitness. Held on straight arms with the body forming a long line from heels to head, it trains the abs to resist sagging while the shoulders and serratus stabilize the upper body. It is deceptively simple, which is exactly why it shows up in almost every program. It fits beginner training, warm-ups, core circuits and HIIT. The hand plank position is the start of push-ups, mountain climbers and burpees, so it serves as the foundation for a whole range of bodyweight progressions.
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