Straddle Planche
What Is the Straddle Planche?
Straddle Planche is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the chest, serratus anterior, arms and core. It is an advanced-level movement in which the whole body is held horizontal above the floor on straight arms, with the legs spread wide apart. It is a static hold, so it is trained for time rather than reps.
The straddle planche comes from gymnastics, where it is held as a strength element on floor and rings, and it is one of the headline goals of calisthenics and street workout training. It builds straight-arm pushing strength at the front of the shoulder, the shoulder blade control that comes from pressing the floor away, and the whole-body tension that carries over to handstand work and the harder planche variations. Most programs train it early in the session, while the athlete is fresh, as several short holds.
The front deltoids carry most of the load, holding the arms forward against the pull of the body's weight, while the serratus anterior and chest keep the shoulder blades spread and stop the torso from sinking between the arms. The biceps and triceps both work to keep the elbows locked, and the abs, glutes and lower back hold the legs level with the shoulders. Spreading the legs brings the body's center of mass closer to the hands, which is why the straddle is easier than the Full Planche with the legs together. A wider straddle shortens the lever further, a narrower one moves toward the full planche, and holding it on parallettes changes the wrist angle without changing the skill.
It suits experienced bodyweight athletes and gymnasts who already own a solid tuck planche. Most people build up through the Lean Planche, the Frog Planche for the forward balance, the Tuck Planche and then an advanced tuck with a flat back, often alongside the Pseudo Planche Push-Up. From a steady advanced tuck, the legs are extended out into the straddle a little further over time.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoid
- Primary
- Pectoralis Major
- High
- Rectus Abdominis
- High
- Biceps Brachii
- Medium
- External Oblique
- Medium
- Gluteus Maximus
- Medium
Instructions
- Crouch on the floor and place your hands flat about shoulder-width apart, fingers spread and turned slightly outward.
- Lock your elbows and push the floor away so your shoulder blades spread apart and your shoulders stay down, away from your ears.
- Lean your shoulders forward well past your hands until the hands sit roughly beneath your lower torso.
- Brace your abs, tuck your pelvis slightly under and squeeze your glutes.
- Lift your feet off the floor into an advanced tuck, then extend your legs out to the sides into a wide straddle with the knees straight and toes pointed.
- Hold your shoulders, hips and feet at the same height, with your head neutral and eyes on the floor ahead of your hands.
- Breathe steadily and keep the elbows locked for the whole hold.
- To finish, bring the knees back into a tuck or lower your feet to the floor under control, then shift your weight back off your hands.
Common Mistakes
Bending the elbows
Letting the elbows bend shifts the hold onto the triceps and turns it into a different skill, so keep the arms locked throughout.
Collapsed shoulders
Letting the chest sink between the arms instead of pushing the floor away takes the serratus anterior out of the hold and stresses the front of the shoulder.
Piking at the hips
Holding the hips higher than the shoulders and feet makes the hold easier but breaks the straight line the skill requires.
Sagging hips and arched lower back
Losing ab and glute tension lets the hips drop and the lower back arch, which loads the spine and pulls the legs toward the floor.
Not leaning far enough
Keeping the shoulders too close to the hands leaves the feet heavy, so the legs drop as soon as they leave the floor.
Rushing the progression
Attempting the straddle before a solid advanced tuck, or holding it for long sets, piles straight-arm load onto the wrists and elbows faster than they can adapt.
Injuries
Straddle Planche is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The hold puts the full body weight through straight arms with the wrists bent back, so the wrists, the front of the shoulders and the elbows take most of the strain, and the biceps tendon at the elbow is loaded hard because the biceps helps hold the elbow straight. In a survey of 93 street workout athletes, the shoulder was the most often injured area, tendinopathy was the most common diagnosis, and the planche was among the skills athletes were doing when they got hurt.
Warm up the wrists, elbows and shoulders before the first hold, keep the elbows locked and the shoulders pushed away from the floor, and turn the fingers out or use parallettes if the wrists complain. Keep holds short, about 3 to 10 seconds with full rest between them, and add straight-arm volume slowly, since tendons adapt more slowly than muscle and too much too soon is the usual cause of wrist and elbow pain.
If the straddle cannot be held with straight arms and level hips, go back to the Tuck Planche or an advanced tuck, or practice with a resistance band supporting the hips. Once the straddle is steady, narrow the legs toward the Full Planche. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain at the wrist, at the inside or front of the elbow, or at the front of the shoulder, and have it checked before returning to straight-arm holds if it lasts more than a few days.
- Primary Focus
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is the straddle planche easier than the full planche?
Yes. Spreading the legs brings the body's center of mass closer to the hands and shortens the lever, which is why the straddle is learned before the Full Planche with the legs together.
- Q: How wide should my straddle be?
As wide as your hip flexibility allows while the legs stay straight and level with the hips. A wider straddle is easier, so bringing the legs gradually closer together is the usual path toward the full planche.
- Q: Do I need parallettes for the straddle planche?
No, it can be held on the floor, as shown here. Parallettes keep the wrists closer to neutral, so many people find them kinder on the wrists, but the shoulder and core demand is the same.
- Q: How long should I hold a straddle planche?
Most training holds last 3 to 10 seconds, repeated over several sets with full rest. A hold ends when the elbows bend or the hips drop, since time spent out of position does not build the skill.
- Q: What should I master before trying the straddle planche?
A steady Tuck Planche and then an advanced tuck with a flat back, built on Lean Planche holds and the Pseudo Planche Push-Up. From the advanced tuck, extend the legs out a little further each session until they straighten into the straddle.