Exercise guide
Knee To Elbow Touch Front Plank
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Waist
This dynamic plank variation builds exceptional core stability and oblique strength by challenging your balance and anti-rotational capacity. It integrates the upper and lower body, forcing the serratus and deltoids to stabilize the torso while the abs and hip flexors drive the movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your glutes and pull your belly button toward your spine to create a straight line from head to heels.
- Push actively through your palms to slightly round your upper back, engaging the serratus anterior.
How to do it
- Exhale as you lift your right foot and drive your right knee toward the outside of your right elbow, keeping the leg parallel to the floor.
- Squeeze your obliques at the peak of the contraction, attempting to make physical contact between the knee and the triceps.
- Inhale as you slowly return the foot to the starting position with control, ensuring your hips do not sag.
- Repeat the movement on the left side and continue alternating sides at a controlled, steady tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips level and avoid letting them rotate or tilt as the leg moves.
- Maintain a neutral neck by looking at a spot on the floor about 6 inches in front of your hands.
- Ensure your shoulders stay stacked directly over your wrists throughout the entire set.
- Do not allow your lower back to arch or your chest to collapse toward the floor.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'crunching' the side of your torso to bring the knee forward rather than just swinging the hip.
- Keep the glute of the stationary leg fully locked out to provide a stable anchor for the moving side.
Make it harder
- Add a 3-second isometric hold when the knee touches the elbow to maximize oblique recruitment.
- Perform the movement with your hands on a medicine ball or BOSU ball to increase the stability demand on the shoulders and core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the knee to elbow touch front plank work?
- The knee to elbow touch front plank primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and obliques, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the knee to elbow touch front plank?
- The knee to elbow touch front plank requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the knee to elbow touch front plank good for beginners?
- The knee to elbow touch front plank is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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- Alternate Leg Lift Tap Arms CircleIntermediate · abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals
- Alternate Single Leg Raise PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques