What you'll gain

Builds isometric trunk endurance without loading the spine into flexion.
Trains the glutes and quadriceps to hold a neutral pelvis under fatigue.
Needs no equipment, so it scales to home, hotel and rehab settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1
Lie face down on a mat with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your palms flat on the floor.
2
Tuck your toes under and set your feet about hip width apart.
3
Brace your abdominals and squeeze your glutes so the trunk becomes one rigid segment.
4
Push through the forearms and toes to lift your hips and knees clear of the floor.
5
Hold the straight head-to-heel line while breathing steadily, keeping the neck long and the ribs down.
6
Lower your knees and hips back to the mat under control to finish the set.

Common Mistakes

Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which loads the lumbar spine instead of the abdominals.
Piking the hips up into an inverted V, which shortens the lever and removes the anti-extension demand.
Drifting the elbows forward of the shoulders, which shifts load onto the shoulder joint and shortens the hold.
Holding your breath to stay rigid, which raises intrathoracic pressure and ends the set early.

About This Exercise

The front plank on elbows is an anti-extension hold rather than a crunch. You carry your bodyweight on the forearms and toes with the elbows stacked under the shoulders, and the rectus abdominis, obliques and spinal erectors work isometrically to stop the pelvis dropping into the floor. Extending the legs and pulling the toes toward the shins keeps the whole chain stiff, and the serratus anterior and shoulder stabilizers provide the secondary support. In a product this is the highest-traffic core clip you can ship. It anchors beginner onboarding flows, gives timed-hold widgets something to render, and pairs with side plank in an anti-movement block. The side view reads clearly at small sizes, so it works as a workout-list thumbnail and as a full-screen demo.

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