The kneeling plank is a plank with your knees on the mat instead of your toes. You prop yourself on your forearms, lift your hips and hold your body in a straight line from knees to shoulders. With less of your weight to hold up, it is a common starting point before the full forearm plank.

How to do the kneeling plank

Lie face down on a mat and prop yourself up on your forearms, elbows under your shoulders. Your hands can rest together, as in the video, or apart. If your knees are sore on the mat, kneel on a folded towel.
Keep your knees on the mat. Tighten your stomach and lift your hips and belly off the mat, so your weight rests on your forearms and knees.
Line up your body so it is straight from your knees to your shoulders. Do not push your hips up into a peak.
Look down at the mat just in front of your hands to keep your neck in line. Press gently through your forearms so you do not sink between your shoulder blades.
Hold and breathe steadily, then lower slowly back to the mat. Rest before the next hold.

What you should feel

Effort through your stomach and the muscles wrapped around your trunk, with some work in your shoulders. Nothing should ache in your lower back.

Common mistakes

Pushing the hips high into an upside-down V, which takes the work away from your stomach.
Letting the stomach drop toward the mat so the lower back arches.
Placing the elbows well in front of the shoulders.
Holding your breath once the hold starts to feel hard.

How often

Many programs begin with holds of 10 to 30 seconds, done 3 to 5 times with a rest between, a few days a week. End each hold when your form slips, even if you planned to go longer. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Your lower back starts to ache during the hold.
Pain in your shoulders, elbows or knees from taking your weight.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.

From the clinic

The voice guide says to hold for as long as you can. A cleaner way to work is to stop when your hips start to sag or rise, then rest and go again. Once you can keep a steady straight line for about 30 seconds a few times over, the usual next step is the full plank, up on your toes. The kneeling side plank works the sides of your trunk in a similar way.

Even with the knees down, a plank loads the stomach wall. If you are pregnant, have recently given birth, have had abdominal surgery or have a hernia, ask your physio or doctor before you start. With high blood pressure, breathe steadily all the way through each hold and never hold your breath. If it is not well controlled, get your doctor's go-ahead before you start. If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Kneeling plank