In Pushgard the plank is timed by the camera and every second hits the monster. About three minutes of plank count the same as 30 push-ups.
How long should you hold a plank?
In a study of 471 college students, half the men held a forearm plank for 110 seconds or more, and half the women for 72 seconds or more. Time yours with the timer and see where it falls.
If you are just starting, any clean hold is a baseline. Beat it by a few seconds each week.
1:15 Your hold
About the 25th percentile
Data: Strand et al., 2014, 471 college students, average age about 20.
The result is a starting point, not medical advice. Adjust it to how you feel, and talk to a doctor first if you have an injury or a heart condition. Norms describe groups of people, not what is safe for you.
Forearms, toes, one straight line
The same position the study used.
- Elbows on the floor right under your shoulders, forearms parallel, hands in front of the elbows.
- Only your forearms and toes touch the floor. Legs straight, hips level, back neutral.
- Start the timer when you are in position and stop it when you can’t hold the line any more.
For a step-by-step guide to the position, see how to hold a plank.
Plank times by percentile
Forearm plank held to failure, in minutes and seconds.
| Percentile | 10th | 20th | 30th | 40th | 50th | 60th | 70th | 80th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 1:02 | 1:19 | 1:29 | 1:37 | 1:50 | 2:02 | 2:17 | 2:37 | 3:21 |
| Women | 0:35 | 0:48 | 0:58 | 1:03 | 1:12 | 1:24 | 1:35 | 1:48 | 2:22 |
Source: Strand SL et al. Norms for an Isometric Muscle Endurance Test. Journal of Human Kinetics, 2014 (table 2). Sample: 471 college students, average age about 20.
Plank time, answered
Age, when to stop and how the app times it.
Do these numbers apply to my age?
The study tested college students around 20 years old. For older or younger people there is no table from it, so treat your own first time as a baseline and retest in a few weeks.
When should I stop the timer?
When your hips sag or rise, your body shakes out of line, or you feel pain that isn’t ordinary muscle fatigue. In the study, the test also ended when form broke after two corrections.
How does Pushgard time a plank?
The phone stands to your side and the timer runs only while your shoulders, hips and knees stay in line. If your hips sag, you get 5 seconds to get back before the set ends.
Free on iPhone and Android
Hold it on camera
The timer runs only while your line holds.