TRX Plank
The TRX plank is a core hold in which you rest on your forearms with your feet in the straps of a suspension trainer, keeping your body in one straight line. It works the abs, obliques and deep trunk muscles, and the swinging straps make it harder than a floor plank.
Also called: Suspension Plank, Suspended Plank, TRX Suspended Plank, Feet-Suspended Plank · Equipment: suspension · Pattern: isolation
Step by step
- Set the foot cradles at about mid-calf height. Face away from the anchor, kneel and place one foot then the other into the cradles.
- Place your forearms on the floor with your elbows under your shoulders.
- Lift your knees and hips so your body is one straight line from head to heels, with your feet level.
- Brace your trunk, squeeze your glutes and tuck your pelvis slightly under.
- Hold the position, keeping the straps still and breathing steadily.
- At the end of the hold, bring your knees down to the floor before taking your feet out of the cradles.
- Body in one line, head to heels
- Elbows under your shoulders
- Keep the straps still
- Glutes tight, ribs down
- Breathe steadily through the hold
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Rectus abdominis | Prime mover | C |
| Obliques (internal/external) | Prime mover | C |
| Transverse abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | C |
| Serratus anterior | Stabiliser | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Hips sagging
Fix: Squeeze your glutes and tuck your pelvis slightly under.
Hips piking up
Fix: Bring your hips down until your body is one line from head to heels.
Straps swinging
Fix: Press your feet evenly into both cradles and brace harder.
Shoulders sinking
Fix: Push the floor away through your forearms.
Holding the breath
Fix: Breathe slowly in and out while holding the brace.
What the research says
Endurance · first choiceGeneral fitnessSport performance
- Muscle activity — EMG studies found planks with the feet in suspension straps produced more abdominal activity than the floor plank, most clearly in the obliques. EMG measures activity, not growth.
- Duration — A common approach is to build a steady floor plank before moving to the straps, then hold for 20 to 40 seconds. There is no research on the best hold time for the suspended plank.
- Progression — Many programmes progress from this hold to knee drives or pikes with the feet in the straps.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the trx plank in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.