§ 01
Strength
Clinical fitness assessment

Plank Hold

Measure core stability and isometric endurance of the trunk muscles.

Equipment

Stopwatch, exercise mat.

The protocol
  1. 01Client assumes a forearm plank position: elbows directly under shoulders, forearms on the floor, body in a straight line from head to heels.
  2. 02Feet can be together or hip-width apart.
  3. 03Start the timer when the client is in the correct position.
  4. 04Stop the timer when form breaks: hips drop toward the floor, hips rise excessively, excessive trembling affecting position, or the client voluntarily stops.
  5. 05Record time in seconds.
What to watch for
  • Hips dropping (lordosis) — this is the most common form break.
  • Hips piking up to reduce difficulty.
  • Elbows too far forward (not under shoulders).
  • Holding the breath — encourage steady breathing.
How to read the result

There is no published normative standard for Plank Hold that we would stand behind, so we do not publish one. Read it against the same client’s own earlier results instead: the direction and size of their change over time is the result.

Run it with GainPT

Run this test with branded client reports.

GainPT scores Plank Hold against published normative data and turns it into a clean, GainPT-branded PDF your client keeps. All 47 clinical tests, unlimited retests — free to start, no card required.