Are Planks Good For Abs? The Truth About This Popular Workout

Are planks good for abs? When it comes to listing ab exercises, planks are often mentioned and recommended alongside classic core workouts such as crunches and sit-ups. Despite their popularity as a core workout, how good are planks for abs and can they give you that enviable six-pack you’ve always dreamed of? Let’s find out.

Are Planks Good for Abs Bodybuilding?

First thing first, what is bodybuilding? According to Britannica, bodybuilding is the use of a regimen of exercises to enhance the human body’s muscular development and promote general health and fitness (3). 

In addition to rigorous training (through body weight exercises and weightlifting) that helps build and grow muscles, proper nutrition and cardio are also required for proper bodybuilding (8).

So are planks any good for this? Yes, they are. In fact, Harvard Health Publishing refers to this exercise as ‘the gold standard to working your core’ – placing it above classic ab exercises such as crunches and sit-ups (18).

Research has also shown that these exercises are great for bodybuilding:

• A comparative study published in 2019 in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation found that planks are fantastic at activating the internal obliques, while leg raises are great for strengthening the rectus abdominis (19). Therefore, a combination of both these exercises in core strengthening routines will lead to incredible results.
• In another study published in the Medicina (Kaunas) journal, researchers found that doing high plank exercises for 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks led to an increase in physical fitness factors such as muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and cardiopulmonary fitness. 

Body weight, skeletal muscle mass, and the basal metabolic rate were also increased, while body fat mass and fat percentage saw a decrease (7).

• In a paper that was published in late 2023, researchers found that doing a number of plank exercises – the basic plank, elbow plank, single leg plank, plank arm reach, side plank, elevated side plank, and archer plank – helped increase the strength and endurance of the arm muscles and the archery accuracy of the athletes (11).
• Research findings published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found that when older adults did plank exercises 3 days a week for 12 weeks, their respiratory capacity increased and their immunocyte function was enhanced. 

These older adults also recorded increases in their physical fitness, with their grip strength and their ability to do sit-ups smoothly also increasing(8).

From these studies, it can be seen that planks are good for abs/core bodybuilding, they build the endurance and strength of other muscles in the body, and they improve BMI and other health factors.

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Why Are Planks Good for Your Abs?

Here’s a further breakdown on why this exercise is good for your abs:

They Workout Your Whole Core

When people think about the core, they mostly imagine the front area of the stomach where the abs are located. While this is indeed the core, it’s only just a small part of it. The core is actually made up of several different muscles namely:

1. Transverse Abdominis. This is the deepest layer of muscle that extends from your torso to your pelvis. It works as a compression to the abdomen and all the internal organs in this area and also helps stabilize your spine.
2. Erector Spinae. Found on each side of your spine, they work to help with side-to-side movement and extending and rotating the back.
3. Obliques (External and Internal). The external obliques lie on either side of your body right where the love handles can sometimes be found. The internal obliques are located right under the external obliques, just inside the hip bones. 

These 4 muscles (two on either side) work together to help you bend sideways and twist your body from side to side.

1. Latissimus Dorsi. These are found behind you, just below the shoulder blades along the sides of your spinal cord. Like the obliques, they help you twist from side to side and also stabilize your back.
2. Rectus Abdominis. Commonly known as abs, they are located between your ribs and pubic bone at the front of the pelvis and their main function is to help you bend forward.

Unlike some other core workouts, planks exercise all these muscles at once.

They Are Safer for Your Spine and Lower Back

According to Harvard Health, traditional ab workouts such as sit-ups require a curling motion that can stress to your spine and lower back, particularly if your hip flexors are too tight, which can lead to discomfort (18). If this discomfort is left unchecked, it can further lead to chronic pain and injury. 

Unlike sit-ups and crunches, planks often require you to remain in one position with your back raised and spine aligned, which decreases the chance of back injury. If you already suffer from back pain but you’d like to strengthen the core, this workout is the better option.

In a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found that planks – specifically the front plank with brace – were the best-tolerated core exercise among patients with chronic lower-back pain. It’s worth noting that the lateral plank was not well tolerated and patients with this condition should be wary of this one (16).

In another study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers stated that plank exercises were good as a fitness program for increasing core strength and that the exercises could also be done as a rehabilitation program to help patients with decreased core stability and chronic lower-back pain increase the stability and strength of these muscles (4).

They’re Easy to Modify

The standard plank is not the only variation there is. This simple, seemingly boring workout has many variations that still work out your core and prevent the boredom of repeating the same thing over and over.

Please note that you must learn how to brace your core before doing any ab or strength training exercise. Abdominal bracing helps activate the core muscles (17) and stabilize the spine, which prevents injury when working out.

How Long Should I Hold a Plank?

Despite this exercise being among the workouts for abs, you’re not supposed to spend too long doing it. Beginners are often advised to hold a plank for just 10 to 30 seconds, while more advanced exercisers are urged to push up to the 1-minute mark (12). 

If you want to push your limits on this exercise, you can try to hold a plank for 2 minutes, but no more than this. It’s said that after 2 minutes, you’re just tiring yourself out and not getting any benefits from the exercise (12).

If you’re doing a split 3-day push-pull workout routine, adding a 30-second or 1-minute plank hold at the end of each session could be a good idea. 

Remember that the core is used in all exercises, even when you’re not working the core muscles directly. Therefore, adding a plank at the end of a routine is a good way to strengthen the core muscles, which will help you perform all other exercises better with a reduced risk of injury.

Read more: Does Planking Burn Fat? Unveiling the Truth of the Famous Plank vs. Fat Debate

Side Plank Exercise Variations for a Stronger Core

A variation of the original plank workout, side planks are a great workout to add to your routine, particularly if you’re looking to strengthen your core. Like the original exercise, this variation works almost as a full-body workout. Side planks muscles worked include those in your arms, obliques, shoulders,  butt, and legs.

Some benefits of doing side plank exercises and their variations include:

1. May Help with Lower-Back Pain Management and Rehabilitation 

Chronic lower-back pain is one of the most common ailments in adults. In 2019 in North America alone, approximately 75 million people reported suffering from chronic lower-back pain (10). Over the years, researchers have found that adding core workouts to a routine works well for alleviating chronic lower-back pain, in addition to improving functionality that may have been lost (5, 1, 9).

Side planks may be one such exercise that could offer relief to someone who is suffering from this condition. A study published in the International Journal of Science and Research revealed that lumbar stabilization exercises, including side planks and bridge exercises, can help with the treatment and therapy of lower-back pain (14).

However, it should be noted that another study published in 2019 stated that lateral planks (aka. side planks) are not well tolerated by patients with chronic lower-back pain (16). Due to this discrepancy, we would ask you to proceed with caution or better yet, speak to a professional before you attempt this workout.

2. They Are a Full-Body Workout

Side planks can be classified as compound exercises – workouts that exercise multiple muscle groups at the same time. Therefore, depending on your side plank variations and combinations, you can end up working out your whole body with one simple exercise.

3. Help Improve Balance and Coordination 

Research has shown that doing simpler plank variations such as the elbow plank, high plank, body saw plank, and elbow plank with legs open can help increase core strength and endurance, in addition to balance in both average people and athletes (6, 13). 

From this, we can simply assume that side planks, which require you to balance your body and its weight on one side, can work even better for better balance and coordination.

4. Reduces the Risk of Back Injury and Protects Your Spine

Many common and even easy-to-do workouts can be quite dangerous for you, especially if you don’t use the correct form. To prevent such injury, strengthening your core and the muscles that surround the spine can help keep you safe.

One study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy showed that a weak core increases your risk of injury and plank exercises such as side planks can help reduce this risk (15). A study published in 2019 showed that strengthening the quadratus lumborum, which is located in your lower back on either side of the lumbar spine, through workouts such as these helps reduce the risk of back injury (16).

Side Plank Challenge to Try at Home

Doing a plank challenge is an excellent way to slowly strengthen your spine and back muscles, improve your posture and balance, and get some abs. If you want to try the side planks challenge, here are some side planks for abs exercise variations:

Side Plank

• Start by lying on your right side with your legs extended and stacked from hip to feet.
• Place your right elbow directly under your shoulder and ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Keep your left arm aligned along the left side of your body.
• Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine, and keep breathing.
• On an exhale, slowly and steadily lift your hips and knees from the mat. Stop once your torso is in a straight line with no sagging or bending.
• Hold this position for 10, 20, or 30 seconds, or as long as you can, before returning to the start position on the mat.
• Change sides and do the same on the other side.

Side Plank Kick

• Start in the standard side plank position with your right elbow on the floor, your hips lifted, and your legs extended out and stacked on top of each other from hip to feet.
• Place your left hand on your left hip and slowly kick your right leg out and forward in front of you.
• Remember to breathe while keeping your core and obliques engaged.
• Kick up as high as you can – as high as your waist if possible – while maintaining your balance.
• Perform 10 to 12 kicks before switching sides and repeating the same on the left side.

Side Plank Crunch

• Start in the side plank position with your hips to knees raised, your legs stacked on top of each other, and your elbow on the floor.
• Reach up with the arm that isn’t balancing your body on the floor and stretch it above and behind your head.
• Lift and stretch out the top leg.
• Bring in your outstretched arm and lifted leg toward each other as you would while performing a normal crunch.
• Do this for 20 seconds before dropping down, switching to the other side, and repeating the same.

Side Plank with Oblique Twist

• Start in a side plank position.
• Lift your free hand and place it behind your head.
• Twist your body as if doing a Russian twist and bring your elbow all the way to the floor before lifting back up.
• Remember to keep your movements controlled, so you can engage all your muscles, core, and obliques, and breathe all through the workout.

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Which Planks Are Good for Abs?

All variations of this exercise are good for your abs area and your whole core. As long as you maintain the correct form, you’ll reap the intended benefits. If you’re wondering ‘what planks are good for abs and back?’ the answer remains the same. 

However, if you’re using this workout as therapy for an injured back or spine, please consult your doctor or therapist to better understand which variations are okay and which may cause more harm than good.

Can You Get Abs Just from Doing Planks?

While planks are a fantastic core workout, they’re not enough to help you get abs. If you’d like to get abs, here are some things we suggest you do in addition to doing planks:

1. Fix your diet – There’s no one diet that is best for cultivating abs. However, regardless of which diet you choose, make sure it’s healthy and that you’re eating at a calorie deficit.
2. Do some full-body cardio and weight training – These two types of exercise are essential for getting abs. Cardio burns a lot of calories during a workout and weight training helps with calorie burning long after the workout is finished. The more calories you burn, the more weight and fat you lose, which can make the midsection flat and allow the ab muscles to show better.
3. Do more core exercises – Core exercises alone won’t help with belly fat loss, but they’re great for growing the core muscles, and if you have less fat in this area, your abs will be more visible. In addition to planks, other core workouts you can do include dead bug, leg raises, mountain climbers, flutter kicks, bear crawls, and heel taps.

How Long Until Planks Show Results?

This is difficult to predict as all bodies are different and training intensities differ from person to person. However, results from strength training generally start to show from anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks. Just be patient and consistent and the results will come.

Why Do I Shake When Planking?

When you’re holding any plank variation position, your muscles contract, and the longer you hold, the more you continue to push the contraction to its limits, which leads to shaking. Don’t worry if you notice shaking – it’s absolutely normal and everyone, from beginners to experts, shakes when doing planks.

Doing planks consistently can help increase endurance, which can help reduce the time between the start of the plank and the start of the shaking.

Read more: Maximize Your Home Workout: 5 Plank Wall Exercises for a Powerful Core

FAQs

• Do planks help you lose belly fat?

Not quite. Planks largely target the muscle under the belly fat and not the fat itself. If you want to lose belly fat, cardio combined with a full-body weight training workout is your best bet.

• Is a one-minute plank every day enough?

Yes, a one-minute plank a day is enough. Make sure to also do other workouts so you can reach your goals.

• Are planks better than crunches?

Yes, planks are considered to be better than crunches for core strengthening (18). However, for the best results, an ab routine that includes planks, crunches, and a number of other core exercises is best. If you have lower-back pain, crunches shouldn’t be on the list of workouts to do.

• What are the benefits of push-ups every day?

Push-ups are a great workout for building upper-body strength and endurance. However, as with any other workout, push-ups shouldn’t be done every day without a break. Training a muscle group every day can lead to overtraining, which is symptomized by excess soreness and pain in the muscles, weakness, and more undesirable side effects.

The Bottom Line

Yes, they are. This simple and often disregarded workout works incredibly well for the core area and is recommended by many for this exact benefit.