Planks are a staple of core workouts, and they burn more calories than you might think. A 150-pound person burns roughly 3 to 4 calories per minute while holding a plank. That means a standard 60-second plank burns about 3 to 4 calories, and a 3-minute plank session burns roughly 9 to 12 calories. The exact number depends on your body weight, muscle mass, and how hard you are actually working.
How Many Calories Are Burned Doing A Plank?
The short answer is that planks are not a high-calorie burner compared to cardio exercises. A 150-pound person burns about 3 to 4 calories per minute holding a plank. For context, that same person burns about 10 to 12 calories per minute jogging at a moderate pace.
Planks build strength and endurance in your core. They are not designed to torch calories. If your goal is calorie burn, you would need to hold a plank for a very long time to see significant numbers. A 10-minute plank for a 150-pound person would burn roughly 30 to 40 calories. That is about the same as a single chocolate chip cookie.
What planks do well is build muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Over time, adding muscle through exercises like planks can slightly raise your resting metabolic rate. That effect is real but modest compared to the direct calorie burn of aerobic exercise.
What Determines How Many Calories A Plank Burns?
Several factors influence your personal calorie burn during a plank. Body weight is the biggest factor. Heavier people burn more calories doing the same exercise because moving and supporting more mass requires more energy.
Muscle mass matters too. A person with more muscle burns more calories during any exercise, including isometric holds like planks. Men typically burn more calories than women of the same weight during exercise because they tend to carry more muscle mass.
Intensity also plays a role. A relaxed, passive plank burns fewer calories than one where you are actively squeezing your glutes, quads, and abs. Engaging your muscles fully increases the work being done, which increases calorie expenditure.
- Body weight: More weight means more calories burned.
- Muscle mass: More muscle means higher calorie burn.
- Effort level: Active engagement burns more than passive holding.
- Duration: Longer holds burn more total calories.
How Does A Plank Compare To Other Exercises?
Planks fall into the category of isometric exercises. These are exercises where you hold a position without moving your joints. Isometric exercises build strength but burn fewer calories per minute than dynamic exercises that involve movement.
Here is how a 150-pound person’s calorie burn compares across common exercises:
| Exercise | Calories Per Minute |
|---|---|
| Plank | 3-4 |
| Push-ups | 5-7 |
| Jumping jacks | 8-10 |
| Jogging (5 mph) | 10-12 |
| Burpees | 12-15 |
These numbers are estimates based on standard metabolic equivalent (MET) values used in exercise science. Your actual numbers will vary based on your individual characteristics and effort.
The takeaway is clear. If you want to burn calories efficiently, planks are not your best tool. If you want a strong core that supports better performance in other exercises, planks are excellent.
How Long Should You Hold A Plank?
There is no universal rule for how long you should hold a plank. Some research suggests that multiple shorter holds are more effective than one long hold for building core strength. A common approach is to perform 3 to 5 sets of 30 to 60-second planks with rest in between.
Holding a plank for several minutes is not necessarily better. Once your form deteriorates, you are no longer working the intended muscles effectively. You may also put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
A good rule is to stop the set when your form starts to break down. If your hips sag or rise, your lower back arches, or your shoulders round forward, the set is over. Quality matters more than duration.
For most people, 30 to 60 seconds per set is a solid target. If you can comfortably hold a perfect plank for 60 seconds, you can progress by adding variations rather than simply extending time.
Can You Lose Belly Fat With Planks?
No. Spot reduction is a myth. Doing planks will not specifically burn fat from your belly. Fat loss happens across your whole body when you are in a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume.
Planks strengthen the muscles underneath your belly fat. If you lose body fat through diet and overall activity, a stronger core will show through more visibly. But the plank itself does not target fat loss in that area.
To lose belly fat, you need a combination of a calorie-controlled diet and regular physical activity. Cardiovascular exercise is more effective for burning calories than isometric exercises like planks. Strength training, including planks, helps preserve muscle mass while you lose fat.
What Are The Best Plank Variations For Burning More Calories?
Adding movement to a plank turns it into a dynamic exercise, which increases calorie burn. Dynamic planks require more energy because they involve motion and often recruit more muscle groups.
Some effective variations include:
- Plank jacks: Jump your feet out and in while holding a plank position.
- Shoulder taps: Tap your opposite shoulder with each hand while keeping your hips steady.
- Mountain climbers: Drive your knees toward your chest alternately, at a quick pace.
- Plank to push-up: Move from your forearms to your hands and back down.
- Spider-man plank: Bring your knee toward your elbow on the same side, alternating sides.
These variations burn more calories than a static plank because they combine core stabilization with dynamic movement. They also elevate your heart rate more, which increases overall energy expenditure.
Even with these variations, planks remain a strength exercise rather than a primary calorie-burning workout. They are best used as part of a broader routine that includes cardio and full-body strength training.
How To Make Planks Part Of A Calorie-Burning Workout
Planks fit well into circuit-style workouts that combine strength and cardio. In a circuit, you move quickly from one exercise to the next with minimal rest. This keeps your heart rate elevated, which increases total calorie burn.
A sample circuit might look like this:
- 30 seconds of jumping jacks
- 30 seconds of push-ups
- 30 seconds of high knees
- 30 seconds of a plank variation
- Rest for 60 seconds
- Repeat 3 to 5 times
This type of workout burns significantly more calories than doing planks alone. The plank component builds core strength while the cardio movements drive up your heart rate and calorie expenditure.
If you are doing a dedicated core workout, planks are a valuable component. Pair them with other core exercises like crunches, leg raises, and Russian twists. Just remember that the entire core session is not a major calorie burner.
Should You Count Plank Calories At All?
Tracking calories from planks is not very useful for most people. The numbers are small, and the variability between individuals is large. A 3-minute plank session might burn 9 to 12 calories, which is negligible in the context of a daily calorie budget.
What matters more is your overall activity level. A strong core improves your performance in other exercises. Better performance means you can work harder, which means you burn more calories overall. In that indirect way, planks contribute to calorie burn.
If you are tracking calories for weight loss, focus on total daily expenditure rather than individual exercises. Use a fitness tracker or app that estimates your total burn. Treat planks as part of your strength training rather than as a calorie-burning exercise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does a 2-minute plank burn?
A 150-pound person burns roughly 6 to 8 calories during a 2-minute plank. The exact number depends on your weight, muscle mass, and how actively you engage your muscles.
Do planks burn belly fat?
No, planks do not specifically burn belly fat. Fat loss happens throughout the body when you maintain a calorie deficit, and no exercise targets fat loss in a specific area.
How many planks should I do a day to see results?
Three to five sets of 30 to 60-second planks performed several times per week is a reasonable starting point. Consistency matters more than doing planks every single day, since your core muscles need recovery time.
Are planks better than crunches for burning calories?
Both exercises burn a similar small number of calories. Planks build deep core stability while crunches target the superficial abdominal muscles, so the best choice depends on your specific fitness goals.
