How Many Calories Does Planking Burn? - Healthline

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How Many Calories Does Planking Burn?

Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS — Written by Corey Whelan on June 11, 2019

Calories burned
How to plank
Variations
Other benefits
High-calorie-burn exercises
When to talk with a pro
Takeaway

The plank is a highly effective isometric exercise that burns approximately two to five calories per minute, based on body weight. Isometric exercise involves contraction of a particular group of muscles in a static position.

What planks don’t provide through calorie burning they more than make up for by toning and strengthening your core, the area of the body which encompasses your:

abdominal muscles
lower back
glutes
pelvis
hips
diaphragm

Planks also target the muscles in your arms and legs.

Calories burned

The amount of calories you burn while planking depends on several factors. These include body weight, metabolism rate, and muscle-to-fat ratio.

The more repetitions you do, the more calories you will burn. If you have a high muscle-to-fat ratio, you will also burn more calories during rest periods between plank reps.

Weight	Calories burned
110 lbs.	2 calories per minute
150 lbs.	3 to 4 calories per minute
175 lbs. or more	4 to 5 calories per minute

Several plank variations are more challenging than the basic plank. These may burn more calories as well.

How to do a plank

When done properly, the plank will activate all of your abdominal muscles, including the following:

rectus abdominis
transverse abdominis
internal obliques
external obliques

It’s important to maintain good form while doing a plank not only to get maximum results, but also to protect your lower back. Doing a 20-second plank while maintaining proper form is more effective for building muscle than doing a one-minute plank if your body is in the wrong position.

No equipment is needed for a plank, although you may be more comfortable working out on a mat rather than carpet or hard flooring. Here is a video followed by instructions for how to do a basic plank and several variations:

To do:

Lie facedown on the mat.
Raise your torso up so that you’re resting on your forearms, keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders.
Squeeze your inner thighs and glutes together.
Curl your toes under.
Draw your belly button in and up to engage your core.
Raise your knees, keeping your back flat and straight.
Hold your entire body in a straight line, with your neck relaxed and the crown of your head stretching forward slightly, as if you’re pressing into an imaginary wall.
Keep your gaze on the floor.
Hold this position for as long as you can with a flat back for 20 to 30 seconds to start. Try to build up to holding this position for one minute or longer.

If you feel your form slipping at any time, lower your body down to rest. Don’t let your lower back sag or your hips rise up.

To continue oxygenating your muscles, remember to keep breathing while holding the plank position, as well as during rest periods.

Plank variations

To increase the plank’s difficulty, effectiveness, and calorie-burning potential, try these variations:

Leg-raise plank

To do:

Get into the basic plank position.
Alternate raising your legs without bending your knees for one minute.

Side plank

To do:

Lay on your right side in a straight line.
Keeping your right forearm on the floor, raise your entire body up, keeping your feet together.
Lift your left arm up over your head in a straight line.
Hold this position for 30 seconds to one minute.
Repeat on the left side of your body.

Resistance plank

To do:

Place the ends of a resistance band around your wrists.
Get into a basic plank position.
Stretch out one wrist at a time, holding the position for several seconds to increase the muscle burn in your biceps and upper body.
You can also do a resistance plank by placing the ends of a resistance band around your ankles and stretching out each ankle one at a time.

Other benefits

In addition to tightening your abdominals, the plank has multiple benefits, including the following:

Increases metabolism. Muscle ups your metabolism rate and burns more calories than fat while you’re at rest. Because the plank helps you build muscle, you can expect to burn more calories during downtime.
Improves muscle-to-fat ratio. The better your muscle-to-fat ratio, the more likely you are to avoid obesity-related illnesses, such as:
- high blood pressure
- high triglycerides
- high cholesterol
- heart disease
- diabetes
Improves posture. The plank strengthens your back and the muscles surrounding your spine, including the rhomboid and trapezius muscles. This helps improve your posture, which may keep you safe from back injury and strain.

Exercises that burn lots of calories

The plank is a good addition to an overall exercise regimen, which should also include cardio activities. Cardio exercise typically burns more calories during the activity than strength exercises.

Choose activities you enjoy so that you’ll stick with them. Things to try include:

running
power walking
swimming laps
water aerobics
zumba
cycling
rowing
cross-country skiing
jumping rope
kickboxing

When to talk with a pro

Consulting with a fitness coach or personal trainer can help ensure you do planks and other exercises the right way. A pro can also work with you on setting realistic goals. You may want to see a personal trainer if you:

are an older adult
are significantly overweight
have medical concerns, such as arthritis
have a disability

Working with a trainer can provide a layer of safety. You can look for a trainer by ZIP code online.

The bottom line

The plank is a highly effective abdominal-strengthening exercise. For most people, it burns between two and five calories per minute.

Planks increase muscle and boost metabolism, so they help to sustain higher levels of caloric burn during rest. They are an excellent addition to a well-rounded exercise routine, which also includes cardio workouts.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Calatayud J, et al. (2017). Progression of core stability exercises based on the extent of muscle activity. DOI:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28157133
Plank-ups. (n.d.).https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/exercise-library/320/plank-ups
Ramirez-Velez R, et al. (2018). Fat-to-muscle ratio: A new anthropometric indicator as a screening tool for metabolic syndrome in young Colombian people. DOI:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115891/
Ross J. (2017). Restoring sanity to planks.https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6880/restoring-sanity-to-planks
UW Medicine. (2018). Planking 101 [Video file].https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8qf61rCDo
Vargo K. (2017). Plank variations: 5 plank variations to strengthen your core.https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6327/plank-variations-5-plank-variations-to-strengthen-your-core

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Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS — Written by Corey Whelan on June 11, 2019

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Fitness

Calories burned

How to do a plank

To do:

Plank variations

Leg-raise plank

To do:

Side plank

To do:

Resistance plank

To do:

Other benefits

Exercises that burn lots of calories

When to talk with a pro

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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