An untrained person is able to hold out in the bar, as a rule, for 1-2 minutes. Trained athletes boast ten minutes of bar retention. However, there are people whose physical capabilities are amazing. Just about them will be discussed. We have prepared for you a selection of world records for elbow planks among men, women and children.
World records
Record indicators in the performance of this exercise belong to athletes of both sexes.
In men
Which plank record is still valid and unbeaten?
The official Guinness World Record for the elbow bar is 8 hours 1 minute. This is how much Mao Weidung, an employee of the Chinese anti-terrorist police, was able to stand in this position on May 14, 2016 in Beijing.
Noteworthy fact: Mao Weidung is not a professional athlete and devotes time to training only as part of the physical training required for police duty.
After the record was recorded, Weidung was able to do push-ups several times, which confirmed his excellent physical condition and endurance. For such a long time he endured the bar in the bar with a cheerful smile, without showing how much his body was tense.
On the same show, the previous record holder, George Hood, competed with Mao, who in May 2015 managed to hold out for 5 hours and 15 minutes. However, he was able to stand only 7 hours, 40 minutes and 5 seconds, thereby improving his own record, but losing the overall first place.
George didn't stop there. Six months later, he lasted 9 hours, 11 minutes and 1 second. And in June 2018, at 60 (!) Years, he established new record - 10 hours, 10 minutes and 10 seconds... True, these achievements have not yet been officially confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records.
Chronology of records by the bar
From 2015 to 2019, the maximum achievements in this exercise were recorded. The table of unofficial (not all recorded by the Guinness Book of Records) records for the elbow plank among men:
| date | Plank duration | Record holder |
| June 28, 2018 | 10 hours, 10 minutes, 10 seconds | George Hood, 60 (at time of record). Former US Marine and Fitness Trainer. Before that, his record was 13 hours of jumping rope. |
| November 11, 2016 | 9 hours, 11 minutes, 1 second | George Hood. |
| 14 May 2016 | 8 hours, 1 minute, 1 second | Mao Weidung, police officer from China. |
| 14 May 2016 | 7 hours, 40 minutes, 5 seconds | George Hood. |
| May 30, 2015 | 5 hours, 15 minutes | George Hood. |
| 22 May 2015 | 4 hours, 28 minutes | Tom Hall, 51, fitness trainer from Denmark. |
As the table shows, the achievement of new heights in performing this exercise was mainly carried out by the same person. Over the course of three years, by steadily increasing the exercise time, he has managed to achieve incredible results.
Among women
In an effort to set a world record on the bar, women are not lagging behind men. In 2015, the Cypriot Maria Kalimera was able to stand in the plank position on the elbows for 3 hours 31 minutes. She also holds the record for standing in the weighted plank. She was able to hold out for 23 minutes and 20 seconds in the bar with a weight on her back of 27.5 kilograms.
Maria is the author of another women's record. She managed to do 35 push-ups in 31 seconds, which is an absolute record for women.
However, her achievement was beaten. In early May 2019, a native of Moldova living in the United States, Tatiana Verega stood for 3 hours, 45 minutes and 23 seconds. This new record was broken in less than a month - on May 18, 2019, Canadian Dana Glovaka was able to hold out for 4 hours and 20 minutes. It is noteworthy that George Hood trained her for this. Both records of this year have not yet been recognized by the Book of Records.
According to the Russian Book of Records, on July 17, 2018, Lilia Lobanova set a new record for elbow planking among Russian women in the category "Longest Plank in Russia". She was able to hold out for 51 minutes and 1 second, leaving far behind other contenders for the championship.
Plank records among children
In April 2016, 9-year-old Amir Makhmet from Kazakhstan submitted an application for his own entry in the Guinness Book of Records. His record for the elbow plank is 1 hour 2 minutes. This is an absolute children's record, which not every adult can repeat.
After fixing the record, the boy said that it was not difficult for him to stand for so long in one position.
This is not the only record in the boy's beginning sports biography. Before that, he managed to do 750 push-ups. High sports achievements do not interfere with Amir's academic success. He not only shows record results, but also studies excellently.
Conclusion
Even if you do not set yourself the goal of setting a new world record for an elbow plank, it will not stop you from increasing your personal achievements every day.
Record holders recommend starting with a few short sets a day. Build up the duration of the stance gradually. Make sure that the posture is correct, and then your personal plank record will be a relief abs, a healthy lower back and beautiful posture.
