Plank
39
/100
Best when...
- Your energy is dipping and you want a more activating break.
- You only have about a minute between tasks or meetings.
Not ideal when...
- You cannot leave your desk area or need something very office-subtle.
- You want a nearly effortless reset that will not elevate breathing much.
- You are in a crowded office or tight workspace.
Pairs well with...
a desk-friendly posture reset to round out the break
Better than X when...
Longer break routines when you only have 60 seconds and need immediate value.
Office-clothes alternative
Sit-to-Stand or Seated March are easier alternatives when office clothes or limited space make this awkward.
Compound movement primarily engaging gluteals, erector spinae, rectus abdominis
MET 3.8 (derived), 1.1x walking
Joint ROM: 10%, posture benefit: 50%
Requires open floor space
rectus abdominis
obliques
erector spinae
deltoids
gluteals
for 1 reps · roughly 0.5 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg person
39
5 reps
39
10 reps
39
15 reps
39
20 reps
39
30 reps
“Plank scores 39/100, strongest in metabolic cost. Needs open space.”
- Metabolic cost varies with body weight and fitness level
- mobility value, desk practicality are estimated, not directly measured
Measured (2)
- rectus abdominis activation
- obliques activation
Derived (5)
- MET value
- erector spinae activation
- deltoids activation
- gluteals activation
- caloric expenditure
Modeled (3)
- joint ROM
- posture correction
- desk practicality
Estimating energy expenditure during bodyweight resistance exercise
Journal of Sports Sciences (2019)
MET values specific to bodyweight resistance exercises at various intensities