Guide
How to film a take that counts
How to film a contest take that counts: phone placement, framing, light, the right angle for each contest, and why takes are not counted.
Plank hold contest
- Winner
- Longest hold
- Measured in
- Hold time
- Boards
- Gym, city, country, world
The longest forearm plank you can hold with a straight body, filmed in one take. The clock stops when your knees touch the floor or your hips drop or rise out of line, and your time is ranked on your gym, city, country and world boards.
The rules
What counts
- Forearms on the floor, elbows under your shoulders.
- A straight line from your shoulders through your hips to your heels.
- Feet together or up to hip width apart.
- Small shifts of your weight, as long as the line stays straight.
What doesn’t count
- Knees touching the floor. The hold ends there.
- Hips sagging towards the floor or lifted into a pike.
- Elbows far out in front of your shoulders, or any part of your body resting on something.
How to film it
- Film from the side at floor level so the line of your body is easy to judge.
- Get your head, hips and feet all in frame.
- Start recording before you lift into the plank.
A plank is easy to start and hard to keep honest. Long holds often turn into a sag or a pike without anyone noticing, so this contest judges the line of the body, not only the clock.
How it works
Put your phone on the floor side-on, start recording and get into position. The app starts the clock when you are up in a straight forearm plank and keeps an eye on your hips while you hold. If your line starts to break it warns you, and the clock stops when your knees touch down or your hips stay out of line.
Your time is ranked on your gym, city, country and world boards at the same moment, with brackets for age group and sex. A three-minute hold might lead one bracket while a ten-minute hold sits second in another.
Who checks the hold
An automatic check confirms the video is in one piece and times the hold. Anyone can flag a take where the form looks wrong. Every take that reaches a top 10, and every record, is watched by a referee who checks the body line through the whole hold and confirms the end time. If the time is cut you see the reason and the moment, and you can appeal to a second referee.
Holding for longer
Add time with a few holds spread through the week, each one stopping before your form goes. Squeeze your glutes and brace as if about to be poked in the stomach. Side planks and dead bugs help too. Rest your lower back if it starts to ache, and test your longest hold again after a few weeks.
Questions
Can I clasp my hands together?
Yes, as long as your elbows stay under your shoulders. The hold is judged on the line of your body.
What happens if my hips start to drop?
The form check warns you when your hips leave the line. If they stay out of line, the hold ends at that point and the clock stops.
Is a straight-arm plank allowed?
Not in this contest. It is a forearm plank only, so everyone holds the same position.
