Standing Planks: A More Athletic Core Exercise
Summary
Jeff Cavaliere of AthleanX introduces the standing plank, a variation of the traditional plank performed on your feet using a bar or broomstick and a resistance band. The exercise builds core strength in an upright, athletic position by simultaneously resisting both anterior-posterior movement and rotational forces. This makes it more functional for most athletic activities compared to ground-based core training.
Key Points
- Ground-based core training has limited carry-over for most athletes and active people, since the majority of athletic movements happen while standing upright
- The standing plank uses minimal equipment: any bar-like object (broomstick, baseball bat, metal bar) plus a single resistance band
- The band is anchored to one end of the bar using a loop-through technique, then hung from a pullup bar to create a horizontal outward resistance
- Unlike a standard plank, the standing plank resists both anterior sagging and rotational forces simultaneously, making it a more comprehensive core challenge
- The exercise is unilateral, meaning each side is trained independently by pushing out with one arm at a time
- A more dynamic, power-focused variation can be performed by eccentrically controlling the recoil as the band pulls you back, rather than simply holding a static position
- Training your core on your feet improves functional carry-over even if you are not a competitive athlete
Exercise Details
Target Muscles
- Core musculature with emphasis on rotational stability and anti-rotation strength
- Anterior core (abs) trained through resistance to extension/sagging
Equipment Setup
- Loop the resistance band around one end of the bar using a pass-through anchor
- Hang the bar from a pullup bar overhead so it hangs horizontally
- Grip the free end of the bar and step out to create tension in the band
Proper Form Cues
- Push out laterally with one arm extended, creating tension against the band
- Brace the core to resist being rotated back toward the anchor point
- Maintain a neutral spine — do not allow the lower back to sag or rotate
- Mirror the tension and stillness of a traditional plank, but in a standing position
Dynamic Variation
- Push out against the band, then slowly allow the band to pull you back (eccentric control)
- Repeat for reps, emphasizing a controlled, slow recoil each time
- Perform on both sides
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Allowing the band to rotate your torso back without resistance — the anti-rotation element is the entire point of the exercise
- Relying exclusively on ground-based core exercises that don’t translate to standing athletic movement
Sets/Reps
- For the static hold: build up time and endurance progressively, similar to a standard plank
- For the dynamic version: perform reps with a controlled eccentric recoil (specific rep counts not stated)