Goal: Hold a steady plank
What your plank strength does for sport and exercise
Dr Nicola Tik
If you play a sport, run or go to the gym, you might wonder how much your plank is helping. It’s a fair question, and the honest answer is more interesting than “a strong core makes everything better”.
Large reviews of research show that core training can improve balance, and can help with jumping in healthy people. But when core training is done on its own, its effect on wider sports performance is often small. The biggest benefits tend to come when core work is combined with other training, like running, lifting or sport-specific practice.
So your plank is a useful building block, rather than a shortcut to better performance.
Your plank builds the ability to keep your trunk steady under load. That’s most useful in activities where your middle needs to stay firm while your arms and legs work, such as:
The steadiness you’ve learned in your plank carries over best when you use it on purpose. Before a heavy lift or a demanding move, you could try the same gentle brace you use on the floor. Over time, it becomes something you do without thinking.
If you enjoy other exercise, your plank fits alongside it rather than replacing it. A couple of plank sessions a week, mixed in with your other training, is plenty to keep your trunk strength while you build everything else.
During one workout or sport session this week, try a gentle brace before a demanding movement. Notice whether it helps you feel steadier.