The Plank Test, also known as the prone bridge test, assesses how long a client can maintain a standard plank position. It is best described as a trunk endurance and positional control test rather than a maximal core strength test.
Trunk endurance can influence how well a client maintains body position during sport, exercise and daily tasks. The Plank Test is simple, low cost and easy to repeat.
Although often called a “core strength” test, the plank is more accurately described as a trunk endurance test because the primary score is hold duration.
Test name: Plank Test
Alternative name: Prone bridge test
Category: Trunk endurance / core endurance
Primary score: Time held in seconds
Equipment: Stopwatch or Measurz stopwatch
Best suited to: General fitness, sport and progress monitoring
Key limitation: Norms vary because protocols and stopping criteria differ.
The Plank Test requires the client to hold a prone bridge position while maintaining alignment. The score is the total hold time.
A sport-specific endurance plank study examined the validity and reliability of a plank-based endurance protocol for evaluating global core muscle function in athletes.
The Plank Test may be used to assess:
Trunk endurance
Positional control
Anti-extension endurance
Whole-body bracing capacity
Baseline and retest change
Progress after trunk endurance training
The primary score is:
Time held in seconds
The result may reflect:
Trunk endurance
Shoulder endurance
Hip and gluteal contribution
Body mass influence
Pain or symptom response
Motivation and familiarisation
It does not isolate the abdominal muscles or directly measure maximal trunk strength.
The Plank Test may be useful for:
General fitness clients
Field and court sport clients
Runners
Gym and strength-training clients
Exercise professionals monitoring trunk endurance
It may not be appropriate for clients who cannot tolerate the prone position or who develop symptoms during testing.
Stopwatch or Measurz stopwatch
Flat surface
Optional mat
Optional inclinometer to monitor trunk or pelvic position
Optional Measurz AR measurement for setup documentation
Optional Measurz metronome and rep counter for related dynamic trunk endurance tests
Measurz platform for time, version, symptoms, compensations and retest comparison
The client lies face down.
Elbows are positioned under the shoulders.
Forearms are on the floor.
Feet position is standardised.
The client lifts into a straight-line plank.
Start timing once the correct position is achieved.
The client holds as long as possible.
Stop timing when the client loses alignment, raises or drops the hips, shifts excessively, reports intolerable symptoms or chooses to stop.
Record time in seconds and reason for stopping.
The primary score is:
Plank hold time in seconds
Interpretation should consider:
Elbow position
Foot position
Hip height
Spinal alignment
Shoulder fatigue
Body mass
Pain or symptoms
Stopping criteria
Use these as broad practical benchmarks:
Excellent: 180 seconds or more
Good: 120–179 seconds
Moderate: 60–119 seconds
Developing: 30–59 seconds
Low current endurance profile: under 30 seconds
These are not universal norms. Athletic groups may require higher expectations, while general clients may show meaningful progress at lower durations.
A sport-specific plank endurance test has been studied for validity and reliability in young athletes. More recent research has examined criterion-related validity and reliability of the front plank test in adults, supporting the need for standardised protocols and population-specific interpretation.
To improve reliability:
Use the same plank version.
Standardise elbow and foot position.
Define hip-height failure clearly.
Use the same encouragement style.
Record symptoms.
Avoid testing after fatiguing trunk or upper-body training.
Common errors include:
Hips rising too high
Hips dropping into lumbar extension
Shoulders drifting behind elbows
Excessive shifting
Holding breath
Inconsistent stopping criteria
Comparing different plank versions
The Plank Test can help monitor trunk endurance, track progress, compare baseline and retest scores, and combine findings with side plank, push-up, shoulder endurance and lower-limb assessments.
Record:
Test name
Version: forearm plank, high plank or modified plank
Time held
Foot position
Elbow position
Pain score
Symptoms
Reason for stopping
Compensations
Retest date
Related trunk, shoulder or push-up tests
The Measurz stopwatch supports timing. The inclinometer can help standardise trunk or pelvic position, and the rep counter/metronome can support related dynamic core endurance tests.
Push-Up Test
Side Plank Test
Biering-Sørensen Test
Trunk Flexor Endurance Test
Wall Sit Test
Shoulder Isometric Endurance Tests
It measures how long a client can maintain a plank position and provides information about trunk endurance and positional control.
It is better described as a trunk endurance test rather than a maximal strength test.
Holding 120 seconds or more may suggest good trunk endurance for many adults, while 180 seconds or more may suggest excellent endurance. These are practical benchmarks.
Yes. Shoulder fatigue can limit plank performance before trunk endurance does.
The Plank Test is a simple trunk endurance assessment.
The score is time held in seconds.
Protocol and stopping criteria must be standardised.
Practical benchmarks can help, but baseline comparison is often stronger.
Measurz can track time, version, symptoms and progress.
Tong, T. K., Wu, S., & Nie, J. (2014). Sport-specific endurance plank test for evaluation of global core muscle function. Physical Therapy in Sport, 15(1), 58–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2013.03.003
Rodríguez-Perea, Á., Aragón-Aragón, P., Cuenca-García, M., Cruz-León, C., Torres-Banduc, M. A., Sánchez-Parente, S., & Castro-Piñero, J. (2025). Criterion-related validity and reliability of the front plank test in adults: The ADULT-FIT project. Applied Sciences, 15(5), 2722. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052722
