Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Lean Planche: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The lean planche is a challenging bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominal muscles while also engaging the shoulders, chest, and triceps. It requires significant core strength, balance, and upper body control as you lean your body forward in a plank-like position, shifting your weight past your hands.

Primary muscles
Abs
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Chest , Shoulders
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the lean planche
Front view: muscles worked by the lean planche. Primary: abs. Secondary: triceps, chest and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the lean planche. Primary: abs. Secondary: triceps, chest and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the lean planche

  1. Step 1: Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body straight.
  2. Step 2: Engage your core and slowly shift your weight forward, bringing your shoulders past your hands.
  3. Step 3: Keep your elbows slightly bent and your body straight as you lean forward.
  4. Step 4: Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the lean planche by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Lean Planche alternatives

More exercises that train the abs as their main target:

More abs exercises

See the best ab exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.