Exercises to Help You Master Your First Planche

Ready to turn heads and challenge your limits? The planche is one of the most impressive strength moves in calisthenics. This advanced skill transforms your body into a rigid plank entirely off the ground, held only by your hands.

It’s not just for elite gymnasts. With the right progression and consistency, you can work your way up to a planche, building serious strength, control, and body awareness along the way.

Here’s how to break it down into five manageable steps.

What Is a Planche?

A planche is a gravity-defying position where your entire body hovers horizontally in the air, held up by straight arms and nothing else. It demands serious upper-body strength, a solid core, shoulder stability, and laser-sharp focus.

Your deltoids, chest, triceps, abs, and even legs all play a role in keeping you balanced and rigid like a board which is exactly what you want to be.

Step 1: Planche Lean

This is where your planche journey begins. The planche lean strengthens your wrists, shoulders, and core.

• Start in a high plank with hands flat and fingers spread.

• Slowly shift your weight forward so your shoulders move past your wrists.

• Keep your arms straight and your core tight. Don’t sag or arch your back.

• Lean forward as far as you can without pain. Hold, then return.

Tip: If your wrists start to complain, use parallettes or push-up bars to reduce the pressure.

Step 2: Tuck Planche

Now it’s time to get airborne.

• From the lean, bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor.

• Pull your knees toward your chest and round your upper back slightly.

• Balance with your shoulders over your hands and maintain a tight core.

• Hold for a few seconds, and build from there.

It’s normal to wobble at first this move challenges your balance as much as your strength.

Step 3: Advanced Tuck Planche

The next progression pushes you further.

• From the tuck planche, slowly extend your knees away from your chest but keep them bent.

• Your hips should stay in line with your shoulders.

• This increases the lever arm, meaning your core and shoulders have to work harder.

When you can hold this for 10–15 seconds, you’re on the brink of a breakthrough.

Step 4: Straddle Planche

This step reduces the leverage load by opening your legs wide.

• From an advanced tuck, extend your legs outward into a straddle.

• Point your toes, keep your legs engaged, and resist the urge to pike.

• This version is slightly easier than the full planche and helps build strength in your extended form.

Practice this often it’s a crucial stepping stone to full planche mastery.

Step 5: Full Planche

Here’s the grand finale.

• From the straddle, slowly bring your legs together behind you.

• Keep your body completely horizontal and rigid, with your arms locked and core braced.

• Hold for as long as you can even a few seconds is a major win.

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve built elite-level body control. Congratulations!

FAQs

How long does it take to learn the planche?
It varies but expect anywhere from 6 months to a few years depending on your starting strength, training frequency, and body mechanics. Think of it as a long-term goal.

Is the planche dangerous?
Not if you progress slowly and train smart. The biggest risk comes from rushing or skipping progressions, especially if you neglect wrist and shoulder prep.

Can anyone learn the planche?
Most people can work toward some version of the planche with consistent training. Not everyone will hit the full planche, but the progressions themselves build impressive strength and control.

Can I train planche every day?
Not recommended. Your muscles and joints need recovery time, especially early on. 2–4 focused sessions per week is plenty.

Takeaway

Achieving a full planche is one of the most satisfying milestones in bodyweight training. It demands patience, dedication, and total-body strength but it’s absolutely worth the effort.

Start with the planche lean, build slowly through tuck variations, and train smart. Eventually, your body will rise parallel to the floor like it's defying gravity.

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