Plank Shoulder Tap
oec:plank-shoulder-tap
A core stability exercise performed in a high plank position where one hand alternately lifts to tap the opposite shoulder while resisting torso rotation.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Plank Shoulder Taps, Shoulder Taps, High Plank Shoulder Taps
How to do it
Setup
- Assume a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and arms fully extended.
- Set your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider to provide a stable base of support.
- Engage your glutes and brace your core so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
Movement
- Shift your weight slightly into your left hand while keeping your hips and shoulders level with the floor.
- Lift your right hand and tap your left shoulder in a controlled motion.
- Return your right hand smoothly to the starting position beneath your shoulder.
- Repeat the movement on the opposite side by lifting your left hand to tap your right shoulder.
Breathing
Maintain a continuous, steady breathing pattern throughout the movement; do not hold your breath while bracing.
Cues
- Keep hips square to the floor.
- No swaying side to side.
- Push the floor away with the supporting hand.
Common faults
- Excessive hip sway or rotation from side to side.
- Widen your foot stance and consciously squeeze your glutes and core to resist rotational movement.
- Sagging the lower back or hiking the hips into a pike position.
- Reset your plank to ensure a straight alignment from shoulders through hips to ankles.
- Rushing the taps with jerky hand movements.
- Perform each tap slowly with a brief pause on the shoulder to maximize anti-rotation demands.
Safety
- If wrist discomfort occurs, perform the movement with hands gripping parallel bars or dumbbells on the floor.
Muscles
Joints
- Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization
- Thoracic spine: Isometric stabilization
- Shoulder: Flexion, Isometric stabilization
- Shoulder blade: Protraction, Isometric stabilization
- Hip: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Anti-rotation, Anti-extension
- Modality
- Calisthenics, Conditioning
- Mechanics
- compound
- Force
- static
- Laterality
- alternating
- Kinetic chain
- mixed
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- None
- Record
- Repetitions; or Duration
- Load
- bodyweight
Related
- variation of High Plank
- progression of High Plank
- substitute for Plank Reach
Sources
- wger: Plank Shoulder Taps, by clafal (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.