Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
Reviewed by Dylan Maurick, Physiotherapist
The Elbow Up and Down Dynamic Plank adds controlled movement to a plank to build core strength, stability, and shoulder control.
Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
Muscles Worked: Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
The Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank mainly trains your abs because your midsection has to brace hard while your body shifts between forearms and hands. Your triceps and shoulders, especially the front delts, help press you up and control the drop back down one side at a time. That constant weight shift also makes your abs work overtime to stop your hips from rocking. You should feel your whole midsection tighten first, with your arms helping more as the set gets longer, which fits how endurance work changes muscle effort over time.
Technique and form
How to perform the Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
- Start in a high plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders, feet hip-width apart, and body forming a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your core by drawing your navel toward your spine and squeeze your glutes to maintain a neutral spine position.
- Lower your right arm to place your right elbow directly beneath your shoulder while maintaining the high plank position with your left arm.
- Lower your left arm to place your left elbow beneath your shoulder, now in a forearm plank position with both elbows under your shoulders and forearms parallel.
- Push through your right palm to straighten your right arm, returning it to the high plank position while keeping your hips stable and level.
- Push through your left palm to straighten your left arm, returning to the full high plank position while breathing steadily.
- Repeat the sequence by lowering right elbow, then left elbow, followed by extending right arm, then left arm, maintaining a consistent rhythm and stable core.
- Exhale during moments of exertion (when pushing back up) and inhale during the lowering phase, maintaining body alignment throughout the entire movement pattern.
Important information
- Keep your hips level throughout the entire exercise – avoid rotating or allowing them to pike up or sag down.
- Maintain tension through your core and glutes at all times to protect your lower back.
- If you experience wrist discomfort, try gripping the floor with your fingertips or placing your hands on dumbbells for a neutral wrist position.
- Start with shorter sets (5-8 repetitions per side) and gradually build up endurance as you master the movement pattern.
Is Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank effective for endurance?
Yes. The Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank is better for core and upper-body endurance than pure muscle size because the load is your bodyweight and the challenge comes from staying tight through repeated transitions. Endurance-style efforts make the working muscles keep producing force as fatigue builds, which is exactly what this drill trains.
- Moving plank demand — Unlike a regular front elbow plank, this version adds repeated up-and-down presses. That means your abs are not just holding still; they also have to resist twisting every time you shift onto one arm.
- Time under tension for the core — Each rep keeps your trunk braced while your base of support changes. That long stretch of continuous tension is why this exercise burns fast even without added weight.
- Arm endurance carryover — Your triceps and front delts help you press from forearm to hand over and over. Repeated elbow extension work can build local arm endurance, even though bigger triceps usually need more direct overload than a plank can provide.
- Better control than speed drills — Going slower makes your hips and ribs stay in line, which turns the exercise into a true core challenge instead of a sloppy shoulder drill. If this gets easy, spiderman plank is a good next step because it adds more moving parts without changing the bodyweight setup.
Programming for endurance
Do 2-4 sets of 20-40 seconds or 6-12 controlled reps per side, resting 45-75 seconds between sets. Train it 2-4 times per week. Use shorter sets if your hips twist or your lower back starts taking over, because clean reps build more useful endurance than just surviving longer.
Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank Variations
Alternative Exercises
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FAQ - Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
This exercise primarily targets your core muscles (especially the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis), while significantly engaging your front deltoids and triceps during the up-and-down transitions. Your chest, back, and glutes also work as stabilizers throughout the movement.
Beginners can start with a partial squat depth and press lighter weights or no weights at all. You can also separate the movements initially, mastering the squat first, then the overhead press, before combining them into one fluid motion.
The most common mistakes include rounding your lower back, rotating your hips instead of keeping them square, rushing through the movement, and not hinging properly at the hips. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, moving with control, and keeping your standing knee slightly soft rather than locked.
For optimal results, include the Bodyweight Single Leg Deadlift 1-3 times weekly, performing 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions per leg. This frequency provides enough stimulus for strength development while allowing adequate recovery, especially if you're also doing other posterior chain exercises.
Yes, you can increase difficulty by extending the duration of each position, adding more repetitions, or incorporating resistance by placing a weight plate on your back. For an advanced variation, try performing the movement with one leg lifted off the ground to further challenge your stability.
Elbow Up And Down Dynamic Plank
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