A planche is a straight-arm hold with the whole body off the floor and level with it, balanced only on the hands. It is one of the hardest bodyweight skills, and most people take years to reach the full version. This page shows you which step of the progression you are on, and the one thing to train next.
Looking for the push-up variation instead? See our planche push-up guide.
The planche progression, step by step
Pass each step before you spend time on the next. The pass mark is the number to hit with strict form.
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1
Push-up base and wrist prep
Pass: 20 strict push-ups
Lock the elbows and push the floor away at the top of every rep.
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2
Planche lean
Pass: 30 s planche lean, arms locked
Lean until the shoulders pass the wrists, then round the upper back slightly and push the floor away.
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3
Frog stand
Pass: 20 s frog stand (crow)
Rest the knees on the backs of the upper arms and shift forward until the feet float.
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4
Tuck planche
Pass: 30 s tuck planche, arms straight
Keep the arms locked. Bend them and the hold turns back into a frog stand.
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5
Advanced tuck planche
Pass: 10 s advanced tuck planche with a flat back
Flatten the back and open the hips so the thighs and torso form a right angle. You will need to lean further forward.
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6
Straddle planche
Pass: 5 s straddle planche
Spread the legs as wide as your hips allow. A wider straddle is easier.
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7
Full planche
Pass: 5 s full planche, legs together
Bring the legs together a little at a time from the straddle.
How long does it take to learn the planche?
For most people it takes years. The r/bodyweightfitness wiki says it takes most people a couple of years to reach a good planche, and GMB says most people never reach a full one. The tuck planche is a solid goal on its own.
Common planche mistakes
Bending the elbows
A planche is a straight-arm hold. Bent arms shift the work and do not count. Shorten the lean or step back.
Not leaning far enough
The shoulders must sit ahead of the hands. If the feet will not lift, lean more before you tuck harder.
Shoulders sinking
Let the shoulder blades collapse and the hold gets heavier on the joints. Push the floor away the whole time.
Training it every day
Straight-arm holds load the biceps tendon and wrists hard. GMB suggests three days a week at most.
Train the planche safely
- Warm up the wrists for about 5 minutes before every session.
- If the wrists hurt, use parallettes, turn the hands out, or shorten the lean. Do not train through pain.
- Straight-arm work stresses the elbows and biceps tendon. Add hold time slowly.
- Put a pillow or mat in front of you while learning frog stands and tuck holds.
Where the planche pass marks come from
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Planche
- GMB Fitness, How To Train For The Planche: Tuck To Straddle Progression
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Push-up Progression
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Recommended Routine
- Steven Low (author of Overcoming Gravity), The Fundamentals of Bodyweight Strength Training
Pass marks are FitnessVolt coaching standard v1, based on these sources. They show readiness to practise the next step, not a guarantee.
