When it comes to the planche, people want it fast. In fact, I think the most asked question about the planche is. “How long will it take me before I achieve the full planche,” I asked myself this also numerous times.
And to be fair, it is really a stupid question. Because nobody knows but you. There are actually various reasons that determine your planche progress. And I don’t know how often you train, how tall you are, and what your current strength is.
Still, getting the required strength for the full planche is a very time-consuming process, you can expect at least one year of training if you are just starting, and that is already pretty fast.
Therefore in this post, I will go over some of these reasons so you will get a better understanding, and maybe guess how long it will take before you can achieve the full planche.
Factors that determine how long your planche progress will take.
- The quality and quantity of your planche training
- Your height
- Your weight
- You current strength
The quality and quantity of your planche training
This is very self-explaining. The more and better you train planche, the faster you will get the full planche. It is that simple, and yet there are people who don’t understand this. I have seen people who train the planche only two times a week, only an hour worth of training, and question why they are still at tuck planche.
No, if you want your planche fast, you have to work hard for it. If it was easy, everybody would do it. I’m talking about 3-4 times a week, 3-hour sessions. Or at least, that is what I did. In my first half-year, I could just barely do an advanced tuck planche. When I started actually working, my planche progress skyrocketed.
But, to answer the question, take a look at your planche training, it will highly determine how long it will take. The more and longer you do it, the better.
And if you are doing too little, step up your game!
Your height matters
The next factor is also major. The taller you are, the more challenging a full planche will be. To explain this, you have to know a little bit about science.
With the planche, you are basically balancing around one point, which is your hands. If you have long legs, your legs will be further away from this center-point, this will drastically increase the load on your core and shoulders to hold you in a horizontal line. For people who are taller than two meters, it is almost impossible to do a full planche.
So if you are tall, and above 185 is tall for calisthenics, your planche progress will take a little longer.
Your weight matters
The more you weigh, the more your shoulders must carry. And I hate to break it to you, but if you are overweight, you should not even think about the planche, it is literally impossible.
It is all about the strength/bodyweight ratio. If you are light and strong, the planche will be so much easier. That is because your strength/bodyweight ratio is really high. It is also the reason why most people who train the planche are extremely lean.
So, if your body fat is a little bit too high, I highly recommend you try to cut the fat. Once you lean, you will notice a big difference in your planche strength, I guarantee you.
Your current strength level to achieve the planche
The last factor that will determine how long it will take before you achieve the full planche is your current strength. How strong are you at this moment?
Because of your strength is lacking, it is going to take a while. If you are currently able to do a tuck planche and only 1-2 handstand push-ups, then yes, it will probably take you 1-1,5 years to achieve the full planche.
Here you can see how long it will take on average:
| Your level: | How long it will take | |||
| anything before tuck planche | 1,5-2 years | |||
| Tuck planche | 1-1,5 years | |||
| Advanced tuck planche | 0,5-1 year | |||
| Straddle planche | 0,5 Years |
Note everybody is different, so it will really depend on the factors I mentioned above.
Additional tips that will help you achieve the planche faster
Rest
I just mentioned that you should train hard and often, talking about 3-4 times a week. However, rest is also crucial, your muscles need time to recover. So what I recommend you do is to take rest when you feel too sore to train. Give your muscles time to repair themselves.
A healthy diet and stretching boost your recovery process, which indirectly helps your planche progress. So, eat healthy, stretch frequently, and I will guarantee you, you will achieve the planche much faster.
Core strength
The main muscle groups you use when performing a planche are your shoulders and your core. Many people know the importance of the shoulders. However, the core is often underestimated. And with your core, I mean your abdominals, obliques, and your lower back. The stronger they are, the faster you will achieve the planche.
Your wrists
Another tip I have for you is to build strength and mobility in your wrists. If your grip is lacking, your planche will too. The same goes for mobility. As you get more advanced you are required to lean more forward during planche. If you lack mobility, it will stop you from progressing, even if you have already the needed strength.
So, please take care of your wrists. It will save so much time!
Don’t give up!
The planche is a long journey. And if you stumble on a period without noticeable differences, you should not worry. If you stay consistent, you will achieve it no matter what. Learn to love the process, it will make you patient and actually value the skill more. It is not about the destination it’s about the journey!
