10 Best Planche Programs: Master the Planche with These Planche Training Programs

Best Planche Program

With the best Planche Program, you unlock a great full body workout with just one exercise. The Planche exercises your entire upper body, including your shoulders, arms, abdomen, core and even your legs need to be engaged for a successful full Planche. As a static hold, the technique looks unassuming. But the initiated know that the Planche is one of the hardest actions the human body can do, especially if held for longer periods of time. Athletes may struggle for years to achieve this difficult but very effective and advanced Calisthenics exercise. Luckily, we have the best Planche Programs that will shave off months if not years of your own Planche progression. Keep reading to find out the best Planche Programs.

 Planche ProgramBest Because
#1Berg Movement AppBeginner friendly
Seamless progression
High quality video tutorials
Modularity
#2Complete Calisthenics ProgramBeginner friendly
Seamless progression
High quality video tutorials
#3The Movement AthleteBeginner friendly
High quality video tutorials
Some modularity
#4Planche Revolution by Daniel HristovIntermediates friendly
Specialized for the Planche
Very smooth progression
#5Planche Project 2.0 by SimonsterIntermediates friendly
Specialized for the Planche
Very smooth progression
#6Thenics AppBeginner friendly
High quality video tutorials
Free
#7Viktor Kamenov Full Planche ProgramIntermediates friendly
Specialized for the Planche
Very smooth progression
High quality video tutorials
#8Planche Domination by Radoslav RadevSpecialized for the Planche
Good progression
#9Planche Pro by FitnessFAQsBeginner friendly
#10Nedko Planche ProgramConcise, for the Expert

What is The Planche and Planche Progression

The Planche, or “full Planche”, is a Calisthenics Exercise where you raise your body parallel to the ground, using only your straight arms to keep your body suspended.  The Planche has many variations, most of which are meant as progressions towards the “full Planche”. These progressions are invariably easier versions of the full Planche. Useful examples to Master the Planche include (with links to useful articles):

Even with a clear progression, including preparation to start the progression, it is difficult to assess how long it takes to learn the Planche. It will depend on factors like your current level of training as a perquisite to start as well as your height, weight and the quality of the Planche equipment you’re using and the Planche Program you are following.

Why You Want to Learn the Planche

The Planche is a popular exercise in Calisthenics and most Calisthenics practitioners want to acquire the technique. The benefits of learning the Planche all lie in the fact that it is a full body exercise, activating almost the entire body with just one technique. The level of resistance your muscles experience is also high and of good quality, resulting in a very effective exercise for building muscle, endurance, balance and coordination.

The 10 Best Planche Programs

During our search, trying various methods and programs, we found that we can class the best Planche Programs as either general Calisthenics Programs or specialized Planche Workout Plans. Not all general Calisthenics Programs are useful for mastering the Planche and not all workout plans which claim to let you master the Planche are effective. These are the best Planche Programs out of our tests.

#1 Sondre Berg – Berg Movement App

Berg Movement App by Sondre Berg
4.7

7-Day Free Trial Included

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  • Type: general Calisthenics Program / Calisthenics App
  • Suitable for: Beginners/Intermediate Practitioners
  • Read our full Berg Movement App Review

The Berg Movement App is the best way for beginners and advanced practitioners to achieve the Planche. It is not a dedicated Planche Program, but a large section is dedicated specifically to progress towards and achieve the Planche. Sondre Berg, famous for his dexterity, strength and agility, regularly performs Planches and their variations as part of his higher end exercises. If you want to acquire spectacular static holds, including the Planche, as a beginner, then the Berg Movement App is the best option out there.

One major factor that contributes to it being the best Planche Program for both beginners and experts is that you can tailor the Berg Movement App to a large extent. The app comes with several modules each revolving around a certain theme or core skill. You can adjust the Berg Movement App to get you from beginner to doing Planches and the app will then (gradually) train you up to that point.

The Forgotten Planche Progression is the specialized Planche Program that is part of the Berg Movement App. It follows a crystal clear and very doable progression from easier Planche variations to harder ones until you can do the Planche. The Planche Program itself follows a similar format and style as the rest of the Berg Movement App which is of topnotch quality and clarity.

If you are already an intermediate practitioner who can do their Push-Ups and Pull-Ups, you can start immediately with the Forgotten Planche Progression. Beginners can eventually seamlessly transition from general Calisthenics to specific skills, all in one app.

As far as general Calisthenics Programs go, the Berg Movement App is the best (and might we add, very fun) way of achieving those awesome Calisthenics skills, including the Planche.

Berg Movement App – Sondre Berg | Review by Calisthenics Worldwide

#2 Calisthenics Movement – Complete Calisthenics Program

Best For Beginners
Complete Calisthenics Level 1-5 Bundle | Cali Move
5.0

10% off with our code: CWW10

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Mastering the Planche is only a part of your repertoire as a Calisthenics practitioner. Many other skills come before it, some skills come after you’ve acquired the Planche, and you need parallel skills to the Planche as well. The Complete Calisthenics Program by CaliMove is arguably the best general Calisthenics Program on the market. Anyone at any level can start Calisthenics today with CaliMove and advance to a very high level of proficiency over the months and years.

Unlike the Berg Movement App, you will find no modularity. Instead, you are put on a set course and only the speed by which you advance is up to you. This makes things a lot easier, especially for the beginner. The Planche is part of the skillset you will learn, however. On top of that, figuring out the most optimal path towards advanced skills can be hard, especially for beginners, so you might choose to simply rely on the expertise of CaliMove to improve your body until you are able.

CaliMove Complete Calisthenics Review | Levels 1-5

#3 The Movement Athlete App

The Movement Athlete: Adaptive Calisthenics Training Program
4.7

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The Movement Athlete is in a similar vain to the Berg Movement App and the Complete Calisthenics Program. It is meant as a general Calisthenics program and one that involves a lot of dynamic movement and skills. The Planche is also part of this, and the app will, eventually, lead you on a path to acquiring the full Planche as a skill. Beginners of any skill level can start doing Calisthenics using The Movement Athlete and advance to a very high level of proficiency. 

You can also modify your training to suit your needs and work up to desired skills. The quality of the videos and tutorials jumps out especially. The exercises are also tailored to not be too exhausting, however you will need ample discipline to see things through. We rank The Movement Athlete lower as a Planche Program than Calisthenics Movement since it is subscription based. For most beginners, CaliMove will be the more cost-effective one-time buy to learn the Planche.

#4 Planche Revolution by Daniel Hristov

  • Type: specialized Planche Workout Plan
  • Suitable for: Beginners/Intermediate Practitioners

Daniel Hristov follows a similar method to Simonster with his Planche Revolution. This specialized Planche Workout Plan is suitable for beginners, starting at mastering the Tuck Planche. From there, additional programs progress up to the full Planche and even beyond that to more advanced techniques based on the full Planche. This Planche Program is easy to follow with good progression. It also fills in the gaps between progression with supplementary exercises to build up the necessary strength. The 3 month length of the whole program is very optimistic, especially for beginners. Only very determined intermediate practitioners might have a shot at achieving each program’s goals in time.

#5 Viktor Kamenov Full Planche Program

  • Type: specialized Planche Workout Plan
  • Suitable for: Intermediate/Advanced Practitioners

This is the first specialized Planche Workout Plan that we can recommend, and we do recommend Viktor Kamenov’s Planche Program to the fullest extent. It is a very advanced but also very effective Planche Workout Plan that will see the advanced practitioner make gains toward their Planche progression. At the core stands a 200-day plan to go from no Planche at all to the full Planche and some even more advanced variations. Even for the more advanced Calisthenics practitioners the Planche will be a hard skill to acquire and will take time to fully master. To learn it properly in 200 days is on the faster side of Planche Programs, while not being overpromising anything. 

Viktor Kamenov’s Planche Program PDF eBook explains all the techniques you need to know, with a clear path of progression and which additional training techniques you need to strengthen various parts of your body. The Viktor Kamenov Planche Program is also accompanied by very neat video tutorials and best of all, a way to ask professional athlete Viktor Kamenov himself questions. The 200 day program is divided into 10 progression levels, each then taking around 3 weeks to achieve. 

If you’re already an advanced Calisthenics practitioner and you are looking for a specific Planche Workout Plan, then you should definitely try Victor Kamenov’s Full Planche Program.

#6 Planche Project 2.0 by Simonster

  • Type: specialized Planche Workout Plan
  • Suitable for: Beginners/Intermediate Practitioners

Simonster’s Planche Project 2.0 is the only specialized Planche Program that claims to be fit for any practitioner at any starting level, including beginners. If you’re a complete beginner but with the ambition of achieving the Planche, then the Planche Project 2.0 is an option for you. The Planche Project 2.0 strengths your body and builds up your endurance and balance gradually. With 28 video tutorials you are taught the core concepts of the Planche, progressions between variations and how to train for them. Supplementary training helps make progressions smoother, which will be a big benefit for the beginner.

Expect to take longer with Simonster’s methods but in return, it is a safer method and better suited for the less experienced athlete.

That said, setting the Planche as your immediate objective is a very high bar to set. It is possible but it does require a lot of discipline, tenacity and time to go from 0 to 100 (Planche). Calisthenics is so much more than just the Planche. Your real focus should be bodily health, strengthening the whole body through bodyweight exercise that (ideally) achieves a large Range of Motion. Don’t make your bodily transformation hinge on just one skill.

#7 Thenics App

  • Type: specialized Planche Module / General Calisthenics Program
  • Suitable for: Beginners
  • Read our full Thenics App Review

The Thenics App is another great Calisthenics program you can follow, with some modularity and which is suitable for beginners. The Planche is part of the app, including progressions and the technique itself. In that regard, Thenics is somewhat similar to the Berg Movement App. It gives you options for a broader Calisthenics workout routine as well as homing in on individual techniques and skills like the Planche. It is in every way inferior to Sondre Berg’s app, however. The routines are less elaborate and there are larger gaps between progressions. Each workout only consists of 4 exercises, leaving you to fill in any gaps like supplementary exercises.

If you’re already using the Thenics app, give it a try and it might just be enough for you to succeed. Thenics is a free app, and the Planche Program part is also free, so you have very little to lose except your time. In all other cases, you’re better served with the Berg Movement App or the Complete Calisthenics Program.

#8 Planche Domination by Radoslav Radev

  • Type: specialized Planche Workout Plan
  • Suitable for: Intermediate Practitioners

If you’re already a hardened practitioner of Calisthenics but are stuck with your Planche progression, then Planche Domination by Radoslav Radev might be just the push you need. This Planche Program comes with the prerequisites of 10 Dips and 10 Pull-Ups, so this isn’t for the beginner to dip their toes in. From thereon, Radoslav takes you by the hand with a lengthy eBook detailing your exact training routine as well as explaining techniques and progressions. Through 30 detailed but sleek videos you get to see exactly what you need to do.

As a bonus, you get 3 video calls with Radoslav himself where you can also show him your technique (you should prepare your room and camera angle for this beforehand!). This Planche Program is highly specialized and it’s only worth it for at least the intermediate Calisthenics practitioner.

#9 Planche Pro by FitnessFAQs

  • Type: specialized Planche Module / General Calisthenics Program
  • Suitable for: Advanced Practitioners

FitnessFAQ’s Planche module builds upon their own core Calisthenics program and in tandem you can progress towards the Planche. This method is most likely the most time-consuming (like the Complete Calisthenics Program), as the progress is determined through FitnessFAQ’s own overall progression curve as a Calisthenics app. To give you an indication, their own prerequisites are 10 Push-Ups and 1 Wall-Handstand Push-Up. Before you get to start within FitnessFAQ’s, a high degree of skill and strength is already required. The Planche module comes with a detailed eBook and 16-week training routines.

#10 Nedko Planche Program

  • Type: specialized Planche Workout Plan
  • Suitable for: Advanced Practitioners

The simplest in execution has to be the Nedko Planche Program. For your purchase you get 1 Planche training program PDF with limited editing and formatting done to it. The program consists of 6 levels which simply gives you goals to achieve. The core exercise you must do is depicted with 1 picture, showing the static hold performed by Nedko. This Planche Program is the most concise, only giving you goals and leaving it up to you to succeed in these goals (as simple as a list of exercises to perform with sets and reps, and that’s it). On the flip side, it is also very cheap and if you’re already knowledgeable about Calisthenics techniques, so the advanced practitioner, a bullet-point list might be all you need.

Planche Equipment Needed

Having the right Planche Equipment is essential for your progression and eventual mastering of the Planche. The most essential parts are the Parallettes. Using Parallettes is by far the easiest in use. Example Planche equipment would be:

The final three additions are there for safety, which especially the beginner should invest in. The Planche and all its variations put a lot of strain on your wrists and elbow joints. Using Compression Sleeves and/or Wrist Wraps is recommended when you start your progression and then slowly ween yourself off these aids. 

Conclusions About the Best Planche Programs

A comprehensive Planche Program is required to safely and effectively learn the Planche. It takes a distinct progression that leaves nothing up to chance. This is why the best Planche Programs either feature significant leadup time or are specialized in acquiring the Planche after you’ve already progressed somewhat within Calisthenics. Our conclusion is then that there are two types of Planche Programs which you can benefit from:

  • Full body, full spectrum, general Calisthenics Programs which embody the whole of Calisthenics. These are great for beginners who need to first strengthen their body.
  • Specialized Planche Workout Plans for just the Planche. These are great for advanced practitioners who already have a set Calisthenics program in their regime.

Best Specialized Planche Workout Plan for the Advanced

The best specialized Planche Workout Plan is, we kind of guessed it beforehand, Viktor Kamenov’s Full Planche Program. It is very detailed and gives you an intricate but well-defined path to acheiving the full Planche in as “little” as 200 days. We deem this 200 day progression as very achievable for the target audience, the intermediate to advanced Calisthenics practitioner. 

Best Planche Program for Beginners

For beginners, the best general Calisthenics Programs are the Berg Movement App by Sondre Berg, followed by the Complete Calisthenics Program by CaliMove. Especially the Berg Movement App can home in on specific skills, like the Planche. The Forgotten Planche Progression module is a great way for the intermediate practitioner to seamlessly transition from the general Calisthenics course in the Berg Movement App to the specific Planche Program.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Planche Programs

A few more questions we answered regarding Planche Programs.

How long does it take to learn Planche?

Most Planche Programs assume a progression curve that takes 3 months or more to learn the Planche. This is for the already advanced Calisthenics practitioner. Complete beginners will typically take at least a year following a general Calisthenics Program to build up their body sufficiently before they can even start a dedicated, “fast-track” Plance Program.

Can I learn Planche in 1 month?

Unless you are either already a very advanced Calisthenics practitioner or are uniquely genetically gifted, you will almost certainly not learn the Planche in just 1 month. The faster Planche Programs range from 16 weeks to 200 days, and those assume a pre-existing level of strength and agility that is in line with mastering basic Calisthenics skills like full sets of Pull-Ups and Push-Ups.

Why is Planche so difficult?

The Planche is difficult because of the way gravity interacts with your body and on which points the pressure is felt most. Your body acts as a huge lever upon which gravity pulls down, maximizing the force experienced by the hinge points; your shoulders and arms.

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