Planche Progression That Will Build Enormous Strength
Planche progression is one of those progressions most people never finish. Very few people are able to build enough strength to perform a full planche.
If this skill is something you look forward to accomplish, best of luck. It’s extremely hard.
It doesn’t mean you can’t work on it. Even if you get to half of this progression, the transferable effect of the strength you build will be valuable for mastering other skills.
You can incorporate exercises from planche progression in your push or upper body workouts. You can use those exercises primarily to target your shoulder muscles.
When designing your workouts, you can use handstand push up exercises, or planche exercises to target your shoulders.
Planche Progression: Muscles Worked
Planche is a very demanding exercise for your entire body. It will require significant strength of your upper back, core, chest, arms and glutes.
Most importantly, you will need shoulders of steel to be able to do it.
Planche muscles worked:
Primary:
- Deltoids
Secondary:
- Chest
- Abs
- Upper back
- Lower back
- Arms
- Glutes
Planche Progression Prerequisites
To start your journey to a full planche, you will need significant shoulder strength. If you are well on your way to a handstand push up, maybe it’s time to consider trying a planche progression.
You will also need proper strength in your abs, lower and upper back. Flexible and strong wrists are also very important to be able to go through this progression.
Here are basic prerequisites you need to start.
Prerequisites:
- 3×5 handstand half push ups (against the wall)
- 30 seconds plank hold (straight arms)
Planche Progression: Equipment
Planche is one of those skills you can perform without any equipment. On your journey you will benefit by having an elevated surface and optional exercise mat.
Equipment:
- Box (or some other elevated surface)
- Exercise mat (optional)
Planche Progression: Exercises
When starting with your planche progression you will start with easier exercises. The exercises will gradually be more difficult.
You will need more strength, mobility and balance as you progress.
Planche progression will start with some preparation exercises like leaning plank knee hold.
Exercises will get harder and you will need to master tuck and straddle planche hold on your way.
On final stages of your journey you will need superhuman abilities to perform one leg and full planche.
Planche levels
For your convenience, exercises are divided into five levels of difficulty. This will make it easier to follow your progress.
Level 0 is reserved for basic preparation exercises. Even though there is nothing basic in this progression.
On Level 1 you will continue your progress towards knees on elbows exercises.
Level 2 will demand even more strength and will make you master tuck and frog planche holds.
On Level 3 things get very serious. Straddle planche is the final goal on this level.
Level 4 is reserved for superhumans. It goes from a single leg planche to a full planche.
Here are the exercises in a progression:
Level 0
- Leaning plank knee hold
- Leaning plank hold
- Elevated leaning plank hold
Level 1
- Frog stand
- Knees on elbows hold
- Knees on elbows one leg hold
Level 2
- Plank to tuck planche slide
- Tuck planche hold
- Frog planche hold
Level 3
- Pike straddle hold
- Tuck to straddle planche
- Straddle planche hold
Level 4
- Tuck to one leg planche
- One leg planche hold
- One leg to planche
- Planche hold
Planche: Level 0
Level 0 is reserved for easier exercises. On this level, you will move beyond simple planks.
Leaning variant of plank will be more difficult than a normal plank. It will load more weight onto your shoulders.
Leaning Plank Knee Hold
Leaning plank knee hold is the easiest variant of leaning plank. This exercise will help you move one step closer to a full leaning plank.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform leaning plank knee hold
Positioning:
Position yourself like you are about to do knee push ups. Your entire body from head to knees will have to be in a straight line.
Your hands will be on the floor right below your shoulders. Legs from knees down will be on the floor.
To get to a leaning plank on your knees, move your legs on your knees a few inches forward. Your hands will go further down and will be placed somewhere between your shoulders and your waste.
The closer to your waste the harder it will be to hold this position.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 30 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x20s leaning plank knee hold
Leaning Plank Hold
Leaning plank hold is very similar to leaning plank knee hold. The only difference is the position of your legs.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform leaning plank hold
Positioning:
Position yourself like in a regular plank. Your entire body will have to be in a straight line.
Your hands will be on the floor right below your shoulders. Legs will be on the floor on your toes.
To get to a leaning plank move your legs on your toes a few inches forward. Your hands will go further down and will be placed somewhere between your shoulders and your waste.
The closer to your waste the harder it will be.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 30 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x20s leaning plank hold
Elevated Leaning Plank Hold
To perform elevated leaning plank hold you will need a box or some other sturdy elevated surface. This can be a sofa, a bed or chair.
Equipment:
- Box (or some other elevated surface)
How to perform elevated leaning plank hold
Positioning:
Place your legs on an elevated surface. Place your hands on the floor in front of an elevated surface. Your entire body should be straight.
Be careful that your hands are not directly below your shoulders in this position. Move them a little closer to your waste line.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 30 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x20s elevated leaning plank holds
Planche: Level 1
This level will introduce the component of balance to your training.
On this level you will move from leaning planks to planches assisted by your own arms. You will rest your legs on your elbows. This will help you increase difficulty of exercises compared to leaning plank variations.
However, exercises on this level are still far away from difficulty that follows.
Frog Stand
Frog stand is the easiest variant of stands where you rest your legs on your arms. If you don’t want to tilt forward or backward, you will now have to balance on your hands.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform frog stand
Positioning:
Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and raise your legs so your thighs rest on your elbows. Your legs will be bent in knees.
Keep your arms straight.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 20 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x10s frog stands
Knees On Elbows Hold
As opposed to frog stand, in this exercise you will rest your knees on your elbows. This will add another level of difficulty.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform knees on elbows hold
Positioning:
Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and raise your legs so your knees rest on your elbows. Your legs will be bent in knees.
Keep your arms straight.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 20 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x10s knees on elbows hold
Knees On Elbows One Leg Hold
Now you will do knees on elbows exercise with only one leg resting on your elbow. The other leg will be placed between your arms. This will be harder to perform both because of strength required and added balance challenge.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform knees on elbows one leg hold
Positioning:
Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and raise your legs. One knee will rest on your elbow. The other leg will be between your arms. Your legs will be bent in knees.
Keep your arms straight.
Hold for as long as you can. Mastery level for this exercise is 20 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x10s knees on elbows one leg hold
Planche: Level 2
On this level you will have to lift your upper body and hold it in the air. You will no longer have assistance.
Now it’s more up to the length of the lever your upper body forms to your arms. The shorter the lever, the less strength will be necessary to hold a position.
Plank To Tuck Planche Slide
The easiest of all planche variants is a tuck planche. With this exercise, you will gradually get a hold of this position.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform plank to tuck planche slide
Positioning:
Start in a plank position.
Forward movement:
Pull your legs on the floor towards your body by bending your knees and pulling with your core.
Keep on pulling and start lifting your butt up in the air. At the same time lean forward. Finish this forward motion in a tuck planche position.
Release tension and let your legs drop slowly down. Reposition your body in a plank position and start again.
Mastery level for this exercise is 8 reps for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3×5 plank to tuck planche slides
Tuck Planche Hold
Tuck planche hold is the easiest variant of a planche. When you master this exercise, you are well on your way to full planche.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform tuck planche hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs off the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with your legs between your arms.
Hold for as long as you can.
Mastery level for this exercise is 10 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x5s tuck planche holds
Frog Planche Hold
Frog planche hold is similar to tuck planche hold. The difference is in the position of your legs.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform frog planche hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs of the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with your legs spread around your arms.
Hold for as long as you can.
Mastery level for this exercise is 10 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x5s frog planche holds
Planche: Level 3
Once you were able to achieve tuck planche now it’s about increasing difficulty with applying more leverage. The goal of this level is a straddle planche.
Pike Straddle Hold
Pike straddle hold is the first planche variant with straight legs. This increases difficulty of the exercise.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform pike straddle hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs off the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with your legs straight down and to the sides of your arms.
Hold for as long as you can.
Mastery level for this exercise is 10 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x5s pike straddle holds
Tuck To Straddle Planche
Tuck to straddle planche will help you prepare for a straddle planche hold.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform tuck to straddle planche
Positioning:
Position yourself in a tuck planche.
Backward movement:
Move your legs backward by extending them to a straddle position.
Forward movement:
Slowly return to a tuck planche by bending your knees between your arms.
Mastery level for this exercise is 5 reps for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3×3 tuck to straddle planches
Straddle Planche Hold
Straddle planche is another variant of planche with increased difficulty.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform straddle planche hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs off the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with your legs straight back and to the sides of your arms.
Hold for as long as you can.
Mastery level for this exercise is 10 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x5s straddle planche holds
Planche: Level 4
It’s time for the final step in your planche progression. You will do one leg and a full planche.
Tuck To One Leg Planche
Tuck to one leg planche will help you prepare for a one leg planche hold.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform tuck to one leg planche
Positioning:
Position yourself in a tuck planche.
Backward movement:
Move your left leg backward by extending it straight back.
Forward movement:
Slowly return to a tuck planche by bending your knee.
Do it again with your right leg.
Mastery level for this exercise is 5 reps for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3×3 tuck to one leg planches
One Leg Planche Hold
One leg planche hold will be something between tuck and full planche. One leg is in tuck position and the other is extended.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform one leg planche hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs off the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with one of your legs bent and the other straight behind you.
Hold for as long as you can.
Mastery level for this exercise is 10 seconds hold for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3x5s one leg planche holds
One Leg To Planche
One leg to planche will help you prepare for a full planche hold.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform one leg to planche
Positioning:
Position yourself in a one leg planche.
Backward movement:
Move your bent leg backward by extending it straight back.
Forward movement:
Slowly return to a one leg planche by bending your knee.
Do it again for reps.
Mastery level for this exercise is 5 reps for 3 sets.
Prerequisite for next exercise:
- 3×3 one leg to planche
Planche Hold
Planche is the final step in this progression.
Equipment:
- Exercise mat (optional)
How to perform planche hold
Positioning:
Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Start leaning forward and lift your butt in the air and your legs off the floor. Keep on lifting until you find the balance on your hands with both of your legs straight behind you.
Hold for as long as you can.
