Straddle Planche

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place your hands on the floor or parallettes slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Turn your hands outward (about 45 degrees) to reduce wrist strain and allow for a deeper forward lean.
3. Engage your core and protract your shoulder blades by pushing the floor away to create a 'hollow' upper back.
4. Straighten your arms completely, locking the elbows to ensure the load is transferred through the skeletal structure.

How to do it

1. Lean your body weight forward, shifting your shoulders past your wrists until your feet naturally become light.
2. Lift your feet off the ground and immediately spread your legs into a wide straddle position to balance your center of mass.
3. Hold your body perfectly parallel to the floor, maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels.
4. Maintain tension throughout the entire body and take shallow, controlled breaths to keep the core braced.

Form checklist

• Keep elbows fully locked out with no bend throughout the hold.
• Maintain maximum scapular protraction (do not let the shoulder blades pinch together).
• Keep hips level with the shoulders, avoiding a 'piked' hip or a sagging lower back.
• Point your toes and squeeze your glutes to keep the legs rigid and elevated.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'ripping the floor apart' with your hands to increase tension in the chest and shoulders.
• The further you lean forward, the easier it is to lift the legs, but the harder it is on the anterior deltoids.
• Use a mirror or film yourself from the side to ensure your body is truly horizontal, as proprioception often fails in this position.

Make it harder

• Slowly move the legs from a straddle position to a full planche by bringing the feet together.
• Perform small vertical pulses or 'planche presses' to increase dynamic shoulder strength.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the straddle planche work?

The straddle planche primarily targets the glutes, pectorals, and trapezius, and also works the rhomboids and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the straddle planche?

The straddle planche requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the straddle planche good for beginners?

The straddle planche is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Back LeverAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, pectorals, and trapezius
• Dumbbell Devils PressAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Battling Ropes High WavesIntermediate · lats, pectorals, and trapezius
• Bodyweight Good Morning RowIntermediate · glutes, hamstrings, rhomboids, and trapezius