Now that you know how beneficial planks are, how about testing your ability? According to Matt Kasee, CSCS<\/b><\/a>, Certified Personal Trainer and founder of Trilogy Fitness Systems<\/a>, if you can hold a plank for this long after 60, your core strength is stronger than 90% of your peers. So let\u2019s start planking to find out!<\/p>\n What Daily Tasks Can Become Easier When Someone Has Good Core Strength and Endurance?<\/p>\n According to Kasee, your core is involved in essentially every movement you do, as its main job is to provide stability to the spine and transfer force between your upper and lower body. Solid core strength can make tasks and activities like carrying grocery bags, getting out of bed, climbing stairs, gardening, lifting something off the ground, and reaching for items feel much more controlled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt also becomes important when you\u2019re reacting to something unexpected. If you stumble, change direction quickly, or have to catch or stabilize yourself, your core helps you control your body,\u201d Kasee tells us. \u201cThat\u2019s why core training should be thought of as much more than developing visible abs<\/a>. You\u2019re building the ability to create and maintain stability while the rest of your body moves around it, and that becomes increasingly important as we age.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: This 8-Minute Standing Routine Builds More Core Strength Than 30 Minutes of Crunches After 50<\/a>6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n What Plank Hold Benchmarks Reveal About Overall Fitness<\/p>\n If you\u2019re able to hold a plank with perfect form for the prescribed time, this shows a solid baseline of core endurance and that you can maintain trunk control under load. However, it doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re \u201cuniversally fit,\u201d Kasee stresses.<\/p>\n \u201cA plank doesn\u2019t measure cardiovascular fitness, lower-body strength, mobility, balance, power, or overall muscle mass. That\u2019s why I wouldn\u2019t use any single exercise as a complete assessment of someone\u2019s fitness,\u201d Kasee explains. \u201cThink of the plank as one data point. If you can hold one with excellent form for 30 to 60 seconds, that\u2019s a positive sign. But you still want to look at how well you move, how strong you are, how much endurance you have, and how capable you feel performing everyday activities.\u201d<\/p>\n If You Can Hold These 4 Standing Positions After 55, Your Core Strength Is Elite<\/a><\/p>\n What Plank-Hold Time Is a Strong Benchmark for Someone Over 60?<\/p>\n Being able to hold a well-executed plank for approximately 30 to 60 seconds is a great benchmark to strive for. That said, the quality of the hold matters much more than the duration.<\/p>\n \u201cA good plank means maintaining a neutral spine, keeping the hips from sagging or rising, creating tension through the core and glutes, and continuing to breathe normally,\u201d Kasee says. \u201cIf someone\u2019s form starts breaking down at 20 seconds, holding on for another 40 seconds isn\u2019t necessarily providing additional benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n This benchmark is useful because it reveals a reasonable level of core endurance and preserving trunk stability under tension.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the goal shouldn\u2019t be to chase longer and longer plank times just for the sake of reaching a number,\u201d Kasee adds.<\/p>\n![\"Fitness](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/shutterstock_2529992317.jpg\")
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