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An advanced bodyweight hold in which the body is supported parallel to the ground by the hands only.
Primary Muscle | Abdominals |
---|---|
Secondary Muscle(s) | Arms, Shoulders, Back, Chest |
Difficulty | Elite |
Optional | Rings, Parallel Bars, Parallettes |
View Planche guide
The planche is a fundamental gymnastics skill in which the body is held parallel to the ground, supported only by the hands and arms (with the feet raised). This requires an incredible amount of strength and balance.
You will regularly see the planche featured in competitive gymnastics but it's also a popular exercise for recreational athletes in bodyweight and calisthenics movements.
The body positioning for the planche is outlined in the table below -
Hands | Hand position is down to personal preference. Here are the common variations:
Experiment with your hand positioning and find the grip that works best for you.
Note: The planche can be taxing on the wrist. When learning the progression exercises you may prefer to use parallettes or push-up bars (see our guide on home made parallettes).
|
Arms | Arms should be straight, with the elbows locked out. |
Torso | Muscles engaged forming a straight line down the body, parallel to the ground. |
Hips and legs | Hold the hips level with the shoulders (practice this throughout the progression training). Bring the legs close togeher for a full planche. |
Unless you're a trained gymnast or have been training dedicatedly for the planche skills it's unlikely that you're going to be able to perform the hold straight away. You need to work through the planche progressions to build up the required strength and skills.
It's important that you approach planche training with the correct mind set else you're bound for frustration. Learning the planche is typically not a quick process and in most cases you're looking at a minimum of 6 months training, but this varies considerably depending on the person in question and their current abilities, and can often take longer.
As with most advanced bodyweight exercises the two most important facets of your training are patience and dedication. Improvements will come consistently, but incrementally.
There are four main progression exercises recommended for the planche, these are; the frog stand, tuck planche, advanced tuck planche, straddle planche and finally onto the full planche.
The progressions below are assuming a base level of fitness and you should have a solid physical foundation through planks, push-ups, pull-ups and dips before moving into the progressions.
Frog Stand - This is the starting point of planche training. Assume a full squat position and place your hands on the ground, in front of the feet. The knees should be resting against the elbows for support. Lean forward, taking weight onto the hands. With training you will be able to remove the feet entirely from the ground. Practice this position until you hit your 60 second hold time before moving to the next progressing as described in the training notes above.
Always consult your GP before undertaking any form of weight loss, fitness or exercise.