10 Best Straddle Planche Alternatives for Building Planche Strength
The Straddle Planche is done lying face down. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Full Planche, the Frog Planche and the Lean Planche.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Straddle Planche
- Primary muscle
- Abs
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Shoulders, Triceps, Chest
How to perform Straddle Planche
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet spread wide apart.
- Engage your core and slowly shift your weight forward, bringing your shoulders over your hands.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Straddle Planche Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Straddle Planche on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.
Best match 1. Full Planche
99% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
It uses the same equipment and still works the abs.
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your fingers pointing forward.
- Engage your core and slowly shift your weight forward, lifting your feet off the ground.
- Continue shifting your weight forward until your body is parallel to the ground, balancing on your hands.
- Hold this position for as long as you can, maintaining a straight body line.
- Slowly lower your feet back to the ground and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 sets.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
2. Frog Planche
99% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the abs.
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back straight.
- As you lower your body, lift your feet off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest.
- Hold this position for a few seconds, then extend your legs back out and push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
3. Lean Planche
99% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body straight.
- Engage your core and slowly shift your weight forward, bringing your shoulders past your hands.
- Keep your elbows slightly bent and your body straight as you lean forward.
- Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
4. Full Maltese
91% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
The same equipment, done hanging instead.
How to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended straight out to the sides.
- Slowly lean forward, keeping your arms straight, until your upper body is parallel to the ground.
- Engage your core and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Return to the starting position by pushing through your feet and standing back up.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: hanging, not lying face down
5. Straddle Maltese
91% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Start by hanging from a pair of rings with your arms fully extended and your body in a straight line.
- Spread your legs wide apart, forming a straddle position.
- Engage your core and slowly lower your body until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Hold this position for a few seconds, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: hanging, not lying face down
6. L-sit On Floor
87% match- Abs
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- Place your hands on the floor beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Engage your core and lift your legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
- Try to bring your legs parallel to the floor, forming an 'L' shape with your body.
- Hold this position for as long as you can.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 sets.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: seated, not lying face down
7. Full Planche Push-up
75% match- Pectorals
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the pectorals rather than the abs.
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and lower your body down towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- As you lower yourself, lean your body forward and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your hands.
- Continue to lower your body until your chest is just above the ground.
- Push through your hands and extend your arms to lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels throughout the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: pectorals, not abs
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
8. Superman Push-up
75% match- Pectorals
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- As you lower your body, simultaneously lift your right arm and left leg off the ground, extending them straight out.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then lower your arm and leg back down while pushing yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement, this time lifting your left arm and right leg.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: pectorals, not abs
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
9. Spider Crawl Push Up
74% match- Glutes
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Bring your right knee towards your right elbow, keeping it off the ground.
- As you bring your right knee back, simultaneously lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows.
- Push back up to the starting position and repeat with your left knee towards your left elbow.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: glutes, not abs
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
10. Clock Push-up
72% match- Pectorals
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- As you lower, rotate your body to the left, extending your left arm straight out to the side.
- Push back up to the starting position, while rotating your body to the center.
- Repeat the push-up, this time rotating your body to the right and extending your right arm out to the side.
- Continue alternating sides with each repetition.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: pectorals, not abs
- Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Straddle Planche
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Straddle Planche
Why You Might Need a Straddle Planche Alternative
Substituting the straddle planche often reflects skill level, joint load, or equipment access. The planche requires extreme shoulder protraction, wrist tolerance, and long-lever core strength; inexperienced athletes risk wrist pain, scapular impingement, or stalled progress. You may lack time for the hours of isometric practice or have limited scapular mobility. Alternatives let you reduce the lever arm with tuck variations, shift loading to eccentrics with dragon flags, or use parallettes to improve wrist mechanics while preserving rectus abdominis and serratus anterior activation. They also allow targeted progressive overload and safer strength gains. Cue a hollow-body position and maintain scapular protraction to ensure biomechanical transfer.
Straddle Planche FAQ
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Straddle Planche?
The tuck planche on parallettes is the best bodyweight alternative because it shortens the lever while preserving shoulder and core loading. Tuck your knees to your chest, protract the scapula, and lean forward to load the anterior deltoids and rectus abdominis while reducing wrist extension.
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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology