How much weight should you add to the plank when you are new to the exercise?

Start with a 5 to 10 pound plate for 2 to 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds. Only add weight once the unweighted plank feels easy past a minute, since more time isn't the goal here, added resistance is.

What can you use instead of a plate to load the plank?

A weighted vest, a backpack loaded with books, or a partner pressing down gently on the upper back all work as substitutes.

What is the weighted plank good for?

It keeps the anti-extension core stimulus high without needing a longer hold, and it carries over to squats, deadlifts, and carries for lifters who've outgrown long bodyweight plank holds. It's a poor choice for a beginner who can't yet hold an unweighted plank for a full minute with clean form; build that first.

Intermediate

Weighted Plank

Once a bodyweight plank stretches past a minute, adding load beats simply adding time. The weighted plank sets a plate across your upper back so the core resists extension against real, scalable resistance. It keeps the anti-extension stimulus high in a short hold and builds the bracing strength that supports squats, deadlifts, and carries.

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

How to do it

1
Set up in a solid forearm plank with a straight line from head to heels.
2
Have a partner place a weight plate flat across your upper back, above the hips.
3
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to lock the torso rigid.
4
Hold the position while breathing steadily, keeping the hips level.
5
Do not let the low back sag or the hips pike up under the load.
6
Have the plate removed before you come out of the plank.

Tips

Position the plate over the upper back, not the low back, so the load stays safe.
Add weight only when your form stays crisp for the full hold.
Keep the pelvis slightly tucked so the abs, not the spine, carry the load.

Variations

Common mistakes

The plate slides down toward the low back mid-hold as the torso shifts, moving the load exactly where the setup is meant to keep it away from.
The hips pike upward to shrink the lever under a heavy plate instead of holding the same straight line as the unweighted plank.
Standing up out of the plank with the plate still balanced on the back risks it sliding off awkwardly instead of having it lifted away first.
Jumping to a much heavier plate than the last clean hold lets the low back sag under weight the abs aren't ready to control yet.

Frequently asked

How much weight should you add to the plank when you are new to the exercise?: Start with a 5 to 10 pound plate for 2 to 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds. Only add weight once the unweighted plank feels easy past a minute, since more time isn't the goal here, added resistance is.
What can you use instead of a plate to load the plank?: A weighted vest, a backpack loaded with books, or a partner pressing down gently on the upper back all work as substitutes.
What is the weighted plank good for?: It keeps the anti-extension core stimulus high without needing a longer hold, and it carries over to squats, deadlifts, and carries for lifters who've outgrown long bodyweight plank holds. It's a poor choice for a beginner who can't yet hold an unweighted plank for a full minute with clean form; build that first.

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