Adding time isn’t the only way to make your plank more challenging. Small changes to your position can make the same hold much harder for your muscles. That can be a welcome change when long holds start to feel like they drag on.

Moving your elbows forward

One of the simplest changes is in your usual forearm plank. Instead of having your elbows directly under your shoulders, you place them a little further forward, just in front of your shoulders. This lengthens the lever your trunk has to hold. In one study, a forearm plank with the elbows further forward and a strong squeeze of the bottom more than tripled activity in some of the stomach muscles compared with a standard forearm plank. The longer lever made the biggest difference. 

Lifting an arm or a leg

Lifting one foot or one arm takes away a point of support. Your trunk then has to work harder to stop your body twisting or tipping towards the lifted side. It’s a different kind of challenge, combining the front plank with some of the work a side plank does.

Using harder versions well

Harder versions work best when your form is fresh. A good time to try one is before your session, when your muscles haven’t tired yet. A shorter hold in a harder version can give your muscles as much work as a longer hold in the standard one. 

Something to try this week

Before you press play, you could try one harder plank on its own. Set up as usual, then walk your elbows a few centimetres further forward, so they sit just in front of your shoulders. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds with a steady shape and even breathing, then rest and start the video. If your hips drop or your lower back starts to ache, bring your elbows back under your shoulders. 

What to take away

• Small position changes can make a plank much harder without adding time.
• Moving your elbows forward lengthens the lever and makes your muscles work harder.
• Lifting an arm or leg adds a twist your trunk has to resist.
• Try harder versions early, while your form is fresh.

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