Strength

Forearm Plank

Place your forearms on the floor with elbows under your shoulders, support yourself on your knees or toes, and keep your head, trunk, and hips in a stable line while continuing to breathe.

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Train the trunk to resist lower-back sagging or hip lifting while the limbs support the body, and maintain whole-body stability.

Get ready

  1. From standing, hold a stable bench and lower through half kneeling onto both knees. Place the hands on the floor one at a time, then lower onto the forearms with elbows under shoulders. Keep forearms parallel or hands naturally close.
  2. Choose knee support or toe support, with your feet about hip-width apart.

How to do it

  1. Press gently through your forearms, brace your abdomen and tighten your glutes, keeping your head, back and hips in line with your supporting knees or heels.
  2. Look at the floor just ahead of your hands with your neck relaxed. Hold this position only while you remain steady.

Finish the movement

  1. At the end of the hold, or when position begins to break down, lower both knees first. Push through the hands to raise the torso, then use both hands on the stable bench and rise through half kneeling by pressing through the front foot.

Breathing

Breathe naturally throughout the hold. Do not hold your breath in an attempt to brace harder.

Rest

Rest about 60 seconds between sets; take longer as needed for breathing and movement control.

Make it easier

  • Use knee support; move your knees a small distance toward your elbows to shorten the supported body length while keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders and a straight line from your head through your trunk and hips to your knees.
  • Place both hands on a wall and step slightly back, holding a straight body line while breathing. Stand closer to reduce difficulty; finish by stepping forward to stand upright.

Make it harder

  • Optional: Use toe support instead of knee support.
  • Optional: Move your elbows slightly forward while keeping normal breathing and a steady body position.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag or lifting the hips too high; shrugging and dropping the chest toward the floor; lifting the head to look forward; holding the breath.

When to stop or adjust

  • Sharp or worsening pain in the shoulders, neck, or lower back; numbness or tingling in the arms; inability to continue breathing normally or maintain stable alignment.