The forearm plank excels when testing core stability, strength, and general fitness.
The arm plank, also known as a low plank, works your entire body. It involves maintaining a straight posture, maintaining proper form from the bottom of your heels to the top of your head, while resting on your toes and hands. This move is an unusual way strengthen core strengthbecause it involves locking your deep core muscles including your anglestransverse abdominals, and rectus abdominus while simultaneously engaging the back, glutes, and shoulders.
If you don’t do it front boards In your routine, you can consider adding them. We talked to an expert and found out that if you can hold a front plank after age 55, your core strength is considered elite.
Why is the forearm press such a powerful measure of strength?
“The arm plank requires prolonged muscle contraction without movement, which provides real postural stability that translates directly into daily function,” he says. Mrs. AhmedNASM certified personal trainer and running coach, CEO of The BodyMind Coach, Toronto, a coaching practice specializing in personal fitness and performance training. “Unlike dynamic exercise, it exposes the deep core muscle weaknesses that support and prevent spinal health. This makes it an excellent test of how well a person maintains posture under sustained effort, a key predictor of independence, as core function naturally declines with age.” Ahmed specializes in strength and quality movement training with an emphasis on core stability and functional strength.
Benchmark Plank Maintenance Time for Adults Over 55
According to Ahmed, a realistic benchmark for those over 55 is to hold a plank for 30 to 60 seconds with perfect form — a straight line from your head to your heels without arching your back.
“This shows a strong core stability while accounting for the natural age-related decline in muscle strength and endurance,” Ahmed told us.
If you’re aiming for “elite” status, holding a plank for 90 to 120+ seconds demonstrates exceptional control and total body tension above the standard for that age.
What is tested during Planck?
The plank mainly promotes total body integration with a focus on shoulder stability and core stability.
“The position challenges your ability to resist spinal movement and maintain proper shoulder position, essentially testing how well your entire body works together under fatigue,” Ahmed said. “It shows how efficiently your muscles are coordinating as a unit.”
Muscles are engaged
Forearm planks activate the muscles deep within your core—including the obliques and transverse abdominals—along with the hamstrings, shoulders, and lower back stabilizers.
“Research shows that front planks activate the core muscles more than high planks,” Ahmed said. “This is important for aging well because these deep stabilizers protect against back injury, improve balance, reduce the risk of falls, and maintain posture as muscles naturally decline after age 55.”
Why can those who are otherwise strong still struggle with the boards
Ahmed points out that those who are strong in dynamic movements like deadlifts or squats typically lack isometric stability, proper breathing technique, and shoulder stability under sustained tension.
“Bad shoulder alignment, weak core muscles, or hip flexor dominance can cause early hip flexion,” Ahmed adds. “It’s usually a limitation of endurance and control, not a strength problem. Your body has to learn to maintain tension in a different way than it does with movement-based exercises.”
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor and content strategist in Greenwich, CT. She has over 11 years of experience in health, fitness, nutrition, travel, lifestyle and home. Read more about Alexa
