As your plank sessions get more demanding, you might notice your stomach or shoulders feeling a bit sore the next day. It’s a common experience at this stage, and it doesn’t mean you need to stop. Knowing what’s normal, and how to adjust on those days, helps you keep going.

Soreness is common and short-lived

Muscle soreness after exercise usually appears within a day and peaks between one and three days later. It tends to be most noticeable after a new or harder challenge, like a step up in time or a harder version.

The good news is that your muscles adapt quickly. Research has found that when people repeated the same challenging exercise, the soreness that followed was about a third lower the second time.

Adjusting on sore days

On a day when you feel sore, you don’t have to skip your session. You could try:

• Choosing the easier versions in the video.
• Taking slightly longer rests between holds.
• Picking a different video from your programme that focuses on other areas.

Gentle movement often helps sore muscles feel looser.

Sleep matters too

How you sleep affects how your body performs. A large review found that even one short night reduced exercise performance by around 7% on average, with the biggest effect later in the day. If your plank feels harder after a poor night, that’s a normal response, not lost progress.

When to take a full rest

If your lower back aches, or the soreness is sharp rather than a dull muscle ache, take a rest day or drop to your knees. A day off now and then is part of a good routine, not a break from it.

Something to try this week

Before each session, give your soreness a quick score out of 10. On days above a 5, you could choose the easier versions and see how you feel by the end.

What to take away

• Muscle soreness usually peaks one to three days after a harder session.
• Your muscles adapt, so soreness tends to be less next time.
• On sore days, easier versions and longer rests keep you going.
• A poor night’s sleep can make planks feel harder.

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