5-Minute Plank Workout
- Time
- 5:00
- Level
- Intermediate (easier options for every move)
- Equipment
- None. A mat helps your elbows.
Holding one plank for five minutes is boring and mostly tests your patience. Cycling through eight variations works more muscles and keeps your form honest.
Every move has a knees-down option. Use it the moment your hips start to sag.
Forearm plank
Elbows under shoulders. Squeeze glutes, push the floor away.
0:40
Next: High plank
The routine
- 40s
Forearm plank
Elbows under shoulders. Squeeze glutes, push the floor away.
Easier: Knees down.
- 30s
High plank
Arms straight, hands under shoulders.
Easier: Knees down.
- 30s
Shoulder taps
Feet wide. Hips don't rock.
Easier: Knees down.
- 20s
Rest
Breathe. Shake out whatever just worked.
- 30s
Side plank (left)
Stack the feet or stagger them. Hips high.
Easier: Bottom knee down.
- 30s
Side plank (right)
Same, other side.
Easier: Bottom knee down.
- 30s
Plank jacks
Jump the feet wide and back in, like a jumping jack.
Easier: Step one foot out at a time.
- 20s
Rest
Breathe. Shake out whatever just worked.
- 30s
Up-down plank
Forearm to high plank, one arm at a time. Switch the leading arm.
Easier: Knees down.
- 40s
Plank with leg lift
Lift one foot a few inches, hold 2 seconds, switch. Hips stay square.
Tips
- A plank is a squeeze, not a rest. Tense the glutes and thighs and it gets harder — in a good way.
Questions
Is a 5-minute plank good?
As one straight hold, it's more endurance test than workout. As a set of variations like this one, it is a solid core session.
How long should a beginner hold a plank?
Start with 20–30 seconds of good form. Stop when the hips sag or the low back aches.
Got another five minutes?
Why five minutes at a time works: movement snacks.