If you have ever been to the gym, a workout class, or a boot camp, you’ve likely tried the plank. Many use it to tighten and strengthen the core, but it is a versatile exercise that can be included in almost any workout.

But are planks good for abs, or are they just workout fillers?

Today, we answer the question — do planks give you abs? We cover the research, anatomy, tips, and variations to help you improve your core training.

Are Planks Good For Abs?

Yes, planks are good for abs. The plank is a core exercise that requires full-body engagement. The muscles worked are the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae. The secondary muscles worked are gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and serratus anterior.  

During the exercise, these muscles contract isometrically, which means they contract without changing length. When our abdominal muscles contract, they increase the pressure within our abdominal cavity, known as intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure improves torso rigidity.

The plank is a great core exercise because it engages the whole body. It forces the core to become a functional hub, creating a cohesive link between the upper and lower limbs.

 This creates functional stability, enabling activation of our core during daily movements.

Furthermore, better core strength can increase stability and stiffness, enhancing core control. This can improve posture, lifting capacity, and power transfer efficiency, leading to greater performance.

Based on the findings, we recommend adding the plank to your warm-up to activate your core before your workout. This will increase torso rigidity and stability while reducing unwanted movement, improving your lifting capacity and performance. 

Anatomy Of The Core

Our core consists of four major muscles: the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and internal and external obliques. These muscles occupy different core areas and provide movements such as bending, straightening, rotation, and spine stabilization. 

Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis occupies the front of the trunk below our chest. It arises from the pubic symphysis, a joint that links the left and right pelvis. It attaches to the sternum and fifth and seventh rib cartilage. Its purpose is to curl the spine and stabilize the core.

During the plank, the rectus abdominis isometrically contracts, increasing intra-abdominal pressure. The rectus abdominis muscle activation rate is approximately 48% of a maximum contraction. This indicates its significant role in keeping the core rigid and increasing core stability. 

External Obliques

Our external obliques are located on the front and sides of the abdomen. They attach from the fifth and twelfth ribs and run diagonally downward to the pelvis. Their main functions are to rotate and laterally bend the trunk.

During the plank, the external oblique isometrically contracts, helping to reduce rotation and maintain a neutral spine. The external oblique muscle activation rate is approximately 77% of the maximum contraction during the plank.

Internal Obliques

Your internal obliques are located under the external obliques. They arise from the thick fibrous connective tissue of the lower back and pelvis fascia. These muscle fibers run diagonally upward and insert into the midline of the body. Their purpose is to rotate and bend the torso to the side.

When we perform the plank, these muscles isometrically contract alongside our other abdominal muscles, keeping our torso rigid.

Transverse Abdominis

The transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle. Like a corset, this muscle wraps around our trunk. It attaches from the cartilage of the fifth through tenth rib, lower back fascia, and pelvis. 

From there, it wraps around the abdomen, joining into the thick connective tissue beside the rectus abdominis. It functions to increase torso stability and intra-abdominal pressure.

When we perform the plank, this muscle tightens like a corset, stabilizing our spine.

Erector Spinae

Our erector spinae consists of three muscle groups: the iliocostalis, spinalis, and longissimus. These muscles run the length of the spine, attaching to the vertebrae, ribs, and sacrum. Their purpose is to rotate, straighten, side bend, and stabilize the spine.

When we perform the plank, these groups of muscles help us maintain a neutral spine.

Plank Training Tips For The Abs

• Maintain a neutral spine for the duration of the set. Aim to keep your hips down and torso parallel to the floor. This will require greater core muscle engagement and improved results.
• Concentrate on correct breathing for the duration of the set. Inhale, engage your core muscles, and exhale as you set up in the plank position. Continue controlled breathing for the duration of the set. This will improve your core contraction and abdominal fitness.   
• Beginners should start with a shorter duration and focus on the correct technique. We recommend performing 20-second sets with the correct technique. Once you can maintain that, consider increasing your time.
• Perform the plank before your workout to activate your core muscles. This will make them easier to engage for your major lifts, enhancing stability, and improving performance.  
• Focus on engaging your core muscles for the duration of the set. This will help you establish a strong mind-muscle connection, improving results.

Additional Benefits Of Planks

The plank is excellent for engaging the core and tightening our abs. But the benefits of planks go beyond just a great set of abs. Below, we list various benefits of the plank and reasons why you should consider making it a part of your workout. 

Reduces Low Back Pain

The plank’s ability to engage our core muscles makes it great for reducing lower back pain. Lower back pain is a major health problem. Up to 84% of the general population will experience lower back pain during their lifetime, and it has a high rate of recurrence.

Exercise has been identified as an excellent tool for reducing lower back pain. The plank uses isometric contractions, which have been shown to improve muscle mass and tendon health.

The plank offers a gentle solution that requires little resistance. It enables us to safely improve body alignment, flexibility, core strength, balance, and coordination. 

Moreover, we can overload our core muscles by increasing duration, which improves core endurance.  

Can Be Done Anywhere

The reason many people use the plank in their workouts is because it can be done anywhere. Requiring nothing more than our body weight, it enables us to load our core muscles, increasing mass and endurance.

Moreover, when we need to increase intensity, we perform additional sets, extend the duration, or experiment with different plank variations. This allows us to progressively overload the abs, increasing muscle mass, and endurance. These factors make the plank perfect for ab workouts at home.

Improves Performance

The plank’s ability to increase core stability and reduce unwanted movement makes it great for improving performance. A strong core can improve balance, coordination, and proprioception, which is our body’s awareness of itself in space. These elements are essential for physical activity and sports performance.

As mentioned, the plank engages the entire body, activating the core in relation to the upper and lower limbs. This enhances function and movement efficiency.

We recommend adding planks to your workout and sports warm-up. This will activate your core muscles, improving balance, function, and performance.

Plank Variations To Work The Abs

The plank is a versatile exercise that can be modified to target different parts of our core and scale difficulty. Below is a list of variations and their benefits.

Kneeling Plank

The kneeling plank is a regression of the plank. This variation allows us to place our weight on the knees instead of the balls of our feet. When we kneel, it reduces the weight we must support, making the plank easier.

Kneeling planks are excellent for beginners and those returning from injury. They improve core strength and endurance and enable us to build up to a plank. 

Side Plank

The side plank changes the position of the body, placing a greater emphasis on the internal and external obliques. During the side plank, we rotate our body so that our weight rests on one elbow and the side of our foot. This engages the obliques of the side closest to the floor. Like the plank, this can be regressed by placing our weight on the knees.

Furthermore, we recommend pairing these with planks to increase oblique training volume and improve results. If you are interested in adding this exercise to your workout, check out these additional side plank benefits.

Single-Leg Plank

The single-leg plank is a progression of the plank. Removing one leg from the floor increases difficulty by decreasing stability. This requires our core muscles to engage to maintain a neutral posture and limit rotation.

When performing this version, we recommend alternating legs for each set. This will ensure that each leg and side of the body improves strength, stability, and balance.

To progress to this version, we suggest adding one or two sets to your existing plank routine. This will allow you to build up your core strength and endurance.

Conclusion

When performed correctly, the plank can target the abs and engage the entire body. This makes it one of the most complete exercises, helping us develop strength, stability, balance, and coordination.

Because of this, it is easy to see why so many use it during their workouts. 

Just be sure to focus on maintaining a neutral spine, correct breathing, and engage your core muscles. By following these tips, you will get the most out of each repetition to achieve incredible results.

Frequently Asked Questions