Duration exercise

Plank Jack form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The plank jack is a timed plank variation in which the feet jump out wide and back together, as in a horizontal jumping jack, combining isometric core work with hip abduction and a cardiovascular demand. Lifters use it in conditioning circuits when they want to raise the heart rate without leaving the plank position, training the abs and shoulders to hold a rigid line while the legs move explosively.

How to do Plank Jack

1Set up in a forearm or high plank with your hands or elbows under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
2Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to lock your hips in place before the feet start moving.
3Jump both feet out wide to the sides, landing softly on your toes, then immediately jump them back together.
4Do not let your hips pike toward the ceiling or sag toward the floor as your legs open and close.
5Breathe rhythmically, exhaling on each jump, and continue at a steady tempo for the prescribed time, shrinking the jump width before sacrificing plank position.