Planche Progression
Build the straight-arm pushing strength to hold a full planche, starting from a basic lean and working through tuck, advanced tuck, and straddle.
Video demonstration coming soon
Prerequisites
- •Comfortable holding a 30-second plank with a posterior pelvic tilt
- •Pain-free wrist flexibility under body weight (wrist stretches, weight shifts)
- •Basic pseudo planche push-up strength
Progression Steps
- 1
Planche Lean
From a plank, shift your shoulders forward past your hands while keeping a straight line from shoulders to heels. Hold 3–5 sets of 15–20 seconds.
- 2
Tuck Planche
Bring your knees to your chest and lift your feet off the ground, balancing your tucked body weight over your hands. Hold 3–5 sets of 8–12 seconds.
- 3
Advanced Tuck Planche
Extend your hips so your knees move away from your chest while keeping your feet tucked underneath you. Hold 3–5 sets of 6–10 seconds.
- 4
Straddle Planche
Extend your legs out to the sides, keeping them straight and slightly elevated. This is the point most athletes call a real planche. Hold 3–5 sets of 3–5 seconds.
Common Mistakes
- •Letting the hips sag instead of holding a hollow-body position
- •Shifting the lean with the shoulders only, instead of the whole body
- •Skipping wrist conditioning and getting stuck on wrist pain
- •Rushing to straddle or full planche before the tuck hold is truly solid