How many reps of the plank reach-out should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 sets of 6 to 8 reaches per arm, resetting a full brace between each one. Add a second set before you add reps, since quality per reach matters more than total volume here.

How do I make the plank reach-out easier or harder?

To make it easier, reach only a few inches instead of extending the whole arm, or do it from a shorter hold with your knees down. To make it harder, reach further out, pause for two seconds at full extension, or lift the opposite foot slightly off the floor as you reach.

What is the plank reach-out good for and when should you use a different core exercise?

It trains anti-extension and anti-rotation together, useful for anyone who has a solid basic plank and wants a next step before harder single-limb core work. Choose a plain plank instead if your hips already sag or twist in a standard hold, since the reach only adds difficulty to a base that is not solid yet.

Intermediate

Plank Reach-Out

Extending an arm past your head moves your center of mass forward and dramatically increases the anti-extension demand on the rectus abdominis, while the offset also asks the obliques to resist rotation. It bridges the gap between a standard plank and the brutal long-lever hold, and it teaches you to keep bracing as the leverage changes. Reach with intent and never let the low back cave.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals, Abdominal External Oblique
Browse by movement: Anti-Rotation, Core Brace

How to do it

1
Set up in a solid plank with elbows or hands under your shoulders.
2
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to fix the spine.
3
Reach one arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height.
4
Hold the reach briefly while keeping your hips square to the floor.
5
Return the hand under your shoulder with control.
6
Alternate arms, resetting your brace before each reach.

Tips

Reach forward, not up; a rising arm often drags the low back into extension.
Push the down forearm firmly into the floor to keep the shoulders stable.
Shorten the reach if your hips start to twist toward the working side.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hips sag toward the floor the instant the arm leaves the ground, since removing one point of contact sharply raises the anti-extension demand on the other three.
Snapping the arm back to the floor right after the reach skips the controlled return, which is where the shoulder and trunk stability actually gets trained.
The reaching hand drifts wide to the side instead of straight ahead, adding a rotational demand the exercise was not set up to test.
Resetting the brace only for the first few reps and then reaching straight from one arm to the next lets the midsection sag lower with every rep.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the plank reach-out should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 sets of 6 to 8 reaches per arm, resetting a full brace between each one. Add a second set before you add reps, since quality per reach matters more than total volume here.
How do I make the plank reach-out easier or harder?: To make it easier, reach only a few inches instead of extending the whole arm, or do it from a shorter hold with your knees down. To make it harder, reach further out, pause for two seconds at full extension, or lift the opposite foot slightly off the floor as you reach.
What is the plank reach-out good for and when should you use a different core exercise?: It trains anti-extension and anti-rotation together, useful for anyone who has a solid basic plank and wants a next step before harder single-limb core work. Choose a plain plank instead if your hips already sag or twist in a standard hold, since the reach only adds difficulty to a base that is not solid yet.

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