Plank Test by Age & Rating
The plank test measures core endurance — how long you can hold a straight, rigid forearm plank. Time your hold and see how it rates on the standard adult scale.
How to do the test
Hold a straight forearm plank — body in a line, core braced — and time it until your form breaks.
Rating scale
| Rating | Hold time |
|---|---|
| Excellent | > 6:00 |
| Very good | 4:00–6:00 |
| Above average | 2:00–4:00 |
| Average | 1:00–2:00 |
| Below average | 0:30–1:00 |
| Poor | 0:15–0:30 |
| Very poor | < 0:15 |
One unified adult scale (men & women). A fitness-testing reference, not a clinical norm.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I be able to hold a plank?
For most adults, a one-to-two-minute hold is average and two minutes or more is above average. Under 30 seconds is below average, while elite core endurance runs past 4–6 minutes. Form matters more than chasing huge times — stop when your hips sag or rise.
How do you do the plank test?
Get into a forearm plank: elbows under your shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels, core and glutes braced. Start a timer and hold the position. The test ends when your form breaks — hips dropping or hiking up. Record the time.
What does the plank test measure?
Isometric endurance of the core — the abdominals, obliques, and lower-back stabilisers, plus the shoulders. It's a simple proxy for trunk stability. Core endurance tends to fall about 10–15% per decade after age 35.
Are these plank norms exact?
These ratings are a widely-used fitness-testing reference for adults, not a peer-reviewed clinical norm. Use it to track your own progress and get a ballpark rating.