Plank Calorie Calculator

How many calories does a plank burn?

A 155 lb person burns about 3 to 4 calories per minute holding a plank. Three 60-second planks burn about 10 calories, and a total of 10 minutes burns about 33.

Moving planks such as shoulder taps add roughly 1 calorie per minute.

The 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities rates light calisthenics, including planks, at 2.8 MET. In a lab comparison of seven bodyweight exercises, the plank had the lowest energy cost of the group.

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Plank calories by hold time and body weight

Times are total hold time. Rest between sets is not counted.

Why planks feel hard but burn little

Planks load a small group of trunk muscles close to their limit while the rest of the body stays still.

Total oxygen use stays low. In a 2023 study, 11 male college students did continuous and intermittent plank sessions. In the continuous plank, oxygen use reached about 33.5% of their aerobic capacity and heart rate about 63% of maximum. Energy came mostly from anaerobic sources.

That mix explains the shaking and the burn in your abs. Effort and calorie burn measure different things. A 2-minute plank can feel harder than a 10-minute walk and still burn less.

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How the calculator works

Minutes = hold time per set × sets ÷ 60. Calories = MET × body weight in kg × hours. Standard holds use 2.8 MET and moving planks use 3.8 MET. Worked example: a 160 lb person (72.6 kg) does 4 planks of 45 seconds. Total hold time = 180 seconds, or 3 minutes. Calories = 2.8 × 72.6 × 0.05 = about 10 kcal.

Planks count as muscle-strengthening work for the trunk. Adults are advised to do muscle-strengthening activity for all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.

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How to use this calculator

Enter the hold time for one set and the number of sets. Choose standard for forearm, high, or side planks held still.

Choose moving for plank jacks, shoulder taps, or up-downs.

If you hold for different lengths, add the times together and enter that total as one set.

Plank variations and muscle activity

Harder planks work the trunk more without changing calories much. In a study of 20 university students, suspended planks and roll-out planks produced the highest abdominal activity. Side planks produced the highest activity in the low back muscles.

Raising the feet also helps. In a study of 24 young adults, planks with the feet on wall bars at rising heights produced more abdominal activity than a standard floor plank.

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Planks and blood pressure

Long holds raise blood pressure during the set.

In the 2023 plank study, systolic pressure reached about 154 mmHg in the continuous plank and about 142 mmHg in the intermittent plank. Breathe steadily and use shorter sets if you have high blood pressure.

Over weeks, isometric exercise can lower resting blood pressure. A 2023 meta-analysis of 270 trials found isometric training produced the largest drop of any exercise type. The analysis ranked the isometric wall squat highest and did not report planks separately.

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Where these numbers can be off

The Compendium value covers typical light calisthenics. A plank held at full tension may cost a little more, and a relaxed plank with the hips sagging a little less. Lab studies of short plank bouts report higher totals because they include anaerobic energy and recovery oxygen. The calculator reports energy used during the hold.

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How it works

Minutes = hold time × sets ÷ 60. Calories = MET × body weight (kg) × hours, using 2024 Adult Compendium code 02024 (light calisthenics including planks, 2.8 MET) for holds and code 02022 (moderate calisthenics, 3.8 MET) for moving planks. Rest between sets is not counted.

Practical tips

• Enter total hold time and sets. Rest is not counted.
• End the set when your hips start to sag.
• Split long holds into shorter sets if you have high blood pressure.
• Raise your feet or lift a limb to make planks harder.
• Pair planks with cardio if calorie burn is your goal.

Frequently asked questions

• How many calories does a 1-minute plank burn?About 3 kcal for a 125 lb or 155 lb person and about 4 kcal at 185 lb. A moving plank such as shoulder taps adds about 1 kcal per minute.
• How many calories does a 5-minute plank burn?For a 155 lb (70 kg) person: about 16 kcal for a standard hold and 22 kcal for moving planks. Most people split 5 minutes into several shorter sets.
• Why does a plank feel hard if it burns so little?Your trunk muscles work near their limit while your total oxygen use stays low. In one lab study, a continuous plank used about a third of aerobic capacity, and energy came mostly from anaerobic sources. Effort and calorie burn are different measures.
• Do planks burn belly fat?No exercise burns fat from one spot. Planks strengthen the muscles that brace the spine. Fat loss depends on your overall calorie balance.
• Are planks safe for high blood pressure?Long holds raise blood pressure during the set. In one study, systolic pressure reached about 154 mmHg in a continuous plank and 142 mmHg in an intermittent plank. Breathe steadily and use shorter sets if you have high blood pressure.
• How do I make a plank harder?Raise your feet or lift one arm or leg. Tilting the body with the feet higher raised abdominal muscle activity in one study. Harder planks work the trunk more but change calories only a little.

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References

1. Herrmann SD, et al. J Sport Health Sci 2024. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities
2. Poulios A, et al. J Strength Cond Res 2024. The energy expenditure associated with body-weight resistance exercises of various movement patterns performed at different durations
3. Huang Z, et al. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2023. Metabolic and cardiovascular responses to continuous and intermittent plank exercises
4. Calatayud J, et al. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2017. Progression of core stability exercises based on the extent of muscle activity
5. Moreno-Navarro P, et al. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 2024. Trunk muscle activation in prone plank exercises with different body tilts
6. Edwards JJ, et al. Br J Sports Med 2023. Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition