Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Five-Hour Plank Record Highlights Benefits—and Limits—of Exercise
DonnaJean Wilde, who is 61, held a plank for five hours and set a record.
A plank looks still, but many muscles work to keep the body straight.
It can help strengthen the middle of the body and improve stability.
But doing a plank by itself does not fix posture or burn as many calories as activities like running.
Holding it longer is not always better.
If someone gets tired and their form changes, they should stop or take a break.
Beginners can start with short holds and build up slowly.
Other exercises can also help strengthen the core.
At 61, DonnaJean Wilde held an abdominal plank for five hours at the Huntsman World Senior Games.
The achievement set a new world record for the longest female abdominal plank, according to the event organisers.
Planks engage the core, back, glutes, shoulders, arms and lower-body muscles to maintain a stable position.
Planks can help build core strength and trunk stability, but they do not automatically correct posture or burn many calories.
For most people, controlled technique and gradual progress are more useful than holding a plank for as long as possible.
- Who
- DonnaJean Wilde, a 61-year-old woman.
- What
- She completed a five-hour abdominal plank, setting a world record for the longest female abdominal plank.
- When
- The article does not give the date of the attempt.
- Where
- At the Huntsman World Senior Games in the United States.
- Why
- The article does not state why Wilde undertook the record attempt.
- Record time
- 5 hours
- Record holder
- DonnaJean Wilde
- Age
- 61
- Record
- Longest female abdominal plank
- Event
- Huntsman World Senior Games
- Exercise focus
- Strength and muscular endurance
- General guidance
- Prioritize good form and gradual progress over longer holds.