You’ve seen it a thousand times. Someone at the gym is shivering like a leaf, butt high in the air or sagging toward the floor, staring at the clock as if it’s a ticking time bomb. They think they’re "crushing it." Honestly? They’re just practicing how to have chronic back pain.
Learning how to do a correct plank isn’t about how many minutes you can suffer through. It is about tension. Total body tension. Most people treat the plank like a passive waiting game, but if you do it right, sixty seconds should feel like an absolute eternity. If you can hold a plank for three minutes easily, you probably aren't doing a plank; you're just leaning on your joints.
The setup that actually works
Stop just dropping to the floor. Most of us fail before we even start because our alignment is off from the jump.
Start on your hands and knees. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders. This is non-negotiable. If your elbows are too far forward, you put massive shear stress on the shoulder capsule. If they’re too far back, you lose the leverage needed to engage your serratus anterior—that muscle that wraps around your ribs and keeps your shoulder blades from "winging" out.
Now, step your feet back one at a time. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. Some "gurus" say squeeze them together, which does increase internal hip tension, but for a standard, functional hold, a slight gap is better for balance and lower back safety. Look at the floor about six inches in front of your hands. Don't look at your toes, and definitely don't look at the mirror. Cranking your neck up (hyperextension) interrupts the neural drive to your core. Keep your neck "long."
Why your lower back hurts during a plank
If you feel a pinch in your lumbar spine, stop. Just stop.
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That sensation usually means your pelvis has tilted forward—what trainers call an anterior pelvic tilt. Your guts are basically hanging off your spine, and your hip flexors have taken over the job your abs were supposed to do. To fix this, you need a "posterior pelvic tilt." Think about tucking your tailbone between your legs like a scared dog.
Dr. Stuart McGill, a world-renowned expert in spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, has spent decades studying this. He argues that the goal of a plank is "spine stiffening." You aren't trying to move; you're trying to resist movement. When your back arches, you've lost that resistance. You’re no longer training your core; you’re just straining your ligaments.
The "secret" is in your glutes
Hardly anyone talks about the butt during a core workout. That’s a mistake.
To truly master how to do a correct plank, you have to squeeze your glutes like you’re trying to crack a walnut between your cheeks. Seriously. This stabilizes the pelvis from the bottom up. When the glutes are "on," it is anatomically much harder for your lower back to sag.
It’s a chain reaction.
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- Squeeze the glutes.
- The pelvis levels out.
- The lower abs (transverse abdominis) fire up to support the weight.
If you’re doing this right, your quads should also be tight. Your legs should be like iron pillars. A plank is a full-body lift, not just an ab exercise.
Forearms vs. Palms
Should you do a high plank (on your hands) or a low plank (on your elbows)?
It depends on your goal. Low planks generally recruit more of the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle) because the lever length is different and you're closer to the ground, which shifts the center of gravity. High planks are great for shoulder stability and are a prerequisite for push-ups. If you have wrist issues, stick to the elbows. If you want to build push-up strength, stay on the palms.
Common myths that keep you weak
- "Hold it for five minutes!" No. Don't. Research, including work by Dr. McGill, suggests that shorter, high-intensity "snapshots" of tension are better for back health and functional strength than long, sloppy holds. Try the "RKC Plank" style: 10 seconds of maximum, soul-crushing tension, followed by 5 seconds of rest. Repeat that five times. It’s significantly more effective than a soggy three-minute hold.
- "Interlock your fingers." Try to avoid this. When you clasp your hands together, you tend to cave your chest in and round your upper back. Keep your forearms parallel to each other, palms flat on the floor or in neutral fists. This encourages external rotation in the shoulders, which is a much safer position.
- "More is always better." If your form breaks at 45 seconds, the workout ended at 44 seconds. Anything after that is just "junk volume" that risks injury.
Breathing while under tension
This is the hardest part. How do you breathe when your entire midsection is clamped down?
You have to learn to "breathe behind the shield." Keep your abs tight, but take shallow, controlled breaths into your upper ribcage. If you hold your breath (the Valsalva maneuver), your blood pressure will spike. That’s fine for a one-rep max deadlift, but for a 30-second plank, it’ll just make you lightheaded. Practice "shushing" breaths—exhaling sharply through your teeth—to maintain core pressure while getting oxygen in.
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Variations that actually matter
Once you've nailed the basic form, don't just add time. Add complexity.
The Side Plank is arguably more important than the front plank for most people. It targets the quadratus lumborum and the obliques, which are crucial for spinal lateral stability. Lie on your side, elbow under shoulder, and lift your hips until you’re a straight line from head to heels. Don't let your top hip roll forward.
Then there’s the Body Saw. Get into a perfect forearm plank and slowly rock your body forward and backward by moving your ankles. This changes the lever length dynamically. It’s brutal. Your core has to work overtime to keep your spine from sagging as your weight shifts.
Actionable steps for your next workout
Stop chasing the clock. Start chasing tension. If you want to master how to do a correct plank today, follow this progression:
- The 30-Second Audit: Get into position. Squeeze your glutes. Pull your elbows toward your toes (without actually moving them) to engage your lats. Dig your toes into the floor. If you aren't shaking within 15 seconds, you aren't squeezing hard enough.
- Record yourself: Use your phone to film your profile. You’ll be shocked at how high your butt actually is or how much your back is dipping despite what you "feel."
- The 10x5 Protocol: Instead of one long hold, do ten seconds of "max effort" tension followed by three seconds of rest. Do this five times. It builds the neural pathways for stability without the fatigue-induced injury risk.
- Check your head: Ensure your ears are away from your shoulders. Don't "turtle" your neck.
The goal isn't to be the person who can plank for a whole movie. The goal is to build a midsection that can support your spine during heavy lifts, long runs, or just sitting at a desk all day. Quality over quantity. Always.