Quadruped Plank Hold
The Quadruped Plank Hold, often referred to as a Bear Plank or Beast Hold, is an isometric core exercise where you hover your knees just off the floor from a tabletop position. This movement targets the deep abdominal muscles and improves spinal stability without placing excessive stress on the lower back.
Since this is a time-based isometric hold, the AI analyzes your duration relative to your reported RPE to determine your true core endurance. If your HRV or sleep data indicates central nervous system fatigue, the app may shorten your target hold time to prevent form breakdown, as fatigue often causes the lower back to sag before the muscles purely fail.
Form Cues
- Position your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips
- Press your hands firmly into the floor to separate your shoulder blades
- Brace your core tightly as if preparing for a punch
- Lift your knees to hover exactly one inch off the ground
- Keep your neck neutral by gazing at the floor between your hands
- Don't let your lower back arch or sag toward the floor
- Don't lift your hips high into a pike position
- Don't let your head drop or look forward excessively
- Don't hold your breath while maintaining tension
- Don't let your shoulders shrug up toward your ears
Common Mistakes
- Lifting knees too high
- Arching the lower back
- Shifting weight too far back
- Holding breath
- Bending elbows
Muscles Worked
This exercise is a powerhouse for the transverse abdominis and internal obliques, acting as a corset to stabilize the spine. It also places significant isometric demand on the anterior deltoids and serratus anterior for shoulder stability, while the quadriceps work to keep the knees elevated.
Primary
Secondary
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