How many sets and reps of the plank-to-pike should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 slow reps, pausing briefly at the top of each pike. Once you can keep the legs straight and the hips square for the full set, add a slow 3-second lower on each rep before increasing reps further.

How do I make the plank-to-pike easier or harder?

To make it easier, pike from a plank on your forearms or bend the knees slightly so the hamstrings and low back demand less. To make it harder, elevate your feet on a bench or slide them on discs so the hips travel through a longer, less stable arc.

What does the plank-to-pike train, and who should avoid it?

It trains dynamic trunk flexion and shoulder stability together, which makes it a good bodyweight bridge toward hanging leg raises or ab-wheel work. Avoid it if your wrists or shoulders are irritated by sustained loading, since the whole set is spent supporting weight through a locked arm.

Intermediate

Plank-to-Pike

The plank-to-pike turns the static plank into a moving abdominal exercise by driving the hips up into an inverted V and lowering back to a flat plank. The rectus abdominis pulls the pelvis toward the ribs on the way up, and the shoulders stabilize the whole path. It is an accessible bodyweight way to train dynamic trunk flexion when you have no bar or ab wheel.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Lower Rectus Abdominals, Upper Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Start in a tall plank with hands under the shoulders and body in a straight line.
2
Brace the abs and set the shoulders over the wrists.
3
Exhale and pike the hips up toward the ceiling, rounding the low back slightly.
4
Draw the belly in as the hips reach their highest point.
5
Inhale and lower the hips back to a flat, braced plank.
6
Keep the legs straight and the movement smooth throughout.

Tips

Think about lifting the hips with the abs, not just walking the shoulders back.
Keep the arms locked and stable so the shoulders share the load safely.
Slow the descent so you finish in a clean plank rather than a sagging one.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees bend as the hips rise, turning the pike into a bent-leg fold instead of a straight-leg contraction through the abs.
Walking the feet forward instead of driving the hips up shortens the pike angle and turns the rep into a shuffle rather than a lift.
The hands creep forward past the wrists as the hips climb, putting the shoulders in an unstable position at the top of the pike.
Once the hips reach the peak, the head drops and the neck relaxes, which loses the brace right when the abs should be working hardest.
The hips sway side to side at the top of the pike instead of staying square, a sign the obliques are compensating for a weak straight-line brace.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the plank-to-pike should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 slow reps, pausing briefly at the top of each pike. Once you can keep the legs straight and the hips square for the full set, add a slow 3-second lower on each rep before increasing reps further.
How do I make the plank-to-pike easier or harder?: To make it easier, pike from a plank on your forearms or bend the knees slightly so the hamstrings and low back demand less. To make it harder, elevate your feet on a bench or slide them on discs so the hips travel through a longer, less stable arc.
What does the plank-to-pike train, and who should avoid it?: It trains dynamic trunk flexion and shoulder stability together, which makes it a good bodyweight bridge toward hanging leg raises or ab-wheel work. Avoid it if your wrists or shoulders are irritated by sustained loading, since the whole set is spent supporting weight through a locked arm.

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