Beginner Programming and Sample Routines

Having the right exercises is only half the equation. How you organize them into a training program determines your rate of progress. This lesson provides complete training programs for your first 6 months of planche training, covering weekly schedules, volume management, and integration with your overall training.

Programming Principles for Planche Beginners

Frequency

• Optimal frequency: 3-4 planche-specific sessions per week
• Minimum effective frequency: 2 sessions per week (slower progress)
• Maximum recommended: 4 sessions per week (beyond this, recovery becomes a limiting factor)
• Rest between sessions: At least 48 hours between planche-specific work

Volume Management

• Total hold time per session: 30-90 seconds (across all sets)
• Sets per exercise: 4-6 sets of isometric holds
• Rest periods: 2-3 minutes between sets of planche-specific holds; 60-90 seconds for supplementary exercises
• Quality standard: End the set when form deteriorates. A 10-second hold with perfect form is better than a 15-second hold with collapsing protraction

Progressive Overload Strategy

For isometric holds like planche progressions, progressive overload comes from:

1. Increase hold time at the current progression (primary method for beginners)
2. Increase number of sets (secondary method)
3. Advance to a harder progression (when hold time benchmarks are met)
4. Decrease rest periods (minor progression tool)

The 80% Rule

Never train to absolute failure on planche holds. Stop each set at approximately 80% of your maximum hold time. If your max tuck planche hold is 10 seconds, train with 7-8 second holds. This approach:

• Reduces injury risk to connective tissues
• Allows higher quality across all sets
• Enables higher training frequency
• Produces better long-term results than maximal-effort training

Month 1-2: Foundation and Frog Stand Phase

Program A: Three Days Per Week

Day 1 (Monday):

Warm-up:

• General movement: 5 minutes
• Wrist routine: 5 minutes
• Scapular pushups: 2 x 10
• Hollow body hold: 2 x 15 seconds

Skill work:

• Planche lean holds: 5 x 15-20 seconds (rest 2 minutes)
• Frog stand holds: 5 x 10-15 seconds (rest 2 minutes)

Strength work:

• Pseudo planche pushups: 3 x 5-8 (rest 90 seconds)
• Dips: 3 x 8-10 (rest 90 seconds)
• Hollow body holds: 3 x 20 seconds (rest 60 seconds)

Day 2 (Wednesday):

Warm-up:

• Same as Day 1

Skill work:

• Planche lean holds: 5 x 15-20 seconds (rest 2 minutes)
• Frog stand holds: 5 x 10-15 seconds (rest 2 minutes)

Strength work:

• Pushups (elevated feet): 3 x 10-12 (rest 90 seconds)
• L-sit attempts: 5 x 5-10 seconds (rest 90 seconds)
• Superman holds: 3 x 15 seconds (rest 60 seconds)

Day 3 (Friday):

Warm-up:

• Same as Day 1

Skill work:

• Planche lean holds: 4 x 20-30 seconds (rest 2 minutes)
• Frog stand holds: 4 x 15-20 seconds (rest 2 minutes)

Strength work:

• Pseudo planche pushups: 3 x 6-10 (rest 90 seconds)
• Band-assisted front raises: 3 x 10 (rest 60 seconds)
• Hollow body rocks: 3 x 12 (rest 60 seconds)

Progression Week to Week

• Planche lean: Add 2-3 seconds per week or increase lean distance when you hit 30 seconds
• Frog stand: Add 3-5 seconds per week
• Strength exercises: Add 1-2 reps per week

Month 3-4: Tuck Planche Phase

Program B: Three to Four Days Per Week

Day 1 (Monday) - Planche Focus:

Warm-up:

• Wrist routine: 5 minutes
• Scapular pushups: 2 x 10
• Planche lean: 2 x 15 seconds (warm-up intensity)
• Hollow body: 2 x 15 seconds

Skill work:

• Tuck planche holds: 6 x 3-8 seconds (rest 2-3 minutes)

Strength work:

• Pseudo planche pushups: 4 x 6-8 (rest 90 seconds)
• Planche lean holds: 3 x 20 seconds (rest 90 seconds)
• RKC plank: 3 x 12 seconds (rest 60 seconds)

Day 2 (Tuesday) - Supplementary:

• Dips: 4 x 8-12 (rest 90 seconds)
• L-sit holds: 4 x 10-15 seconds (rest 90 seconds)
• Hollow body holds: 3 x 25 seconds (rest 60 seconds)
• Reverse hyperextensions: 3 x 12 (rest 60 seconds)
• Rotator cuff circuit: 2 rounds

Day 3 (Thursday) - Planche Focus:

Warm-up:

• Same as Day 1

Skill work:

• Tuck planche holds: 6 x 3-8 seconds (rest 2-3 minutes)

Strength work:

• Pseudo planche pushups: 3 x 8-10 (rest 90 seconds)
• Maltese raises: 3 x 6-8 (rest 60 seconds)
• Dragon flag negatives: 3 x 3-5 (rest 90 seconds)

Day 4 (Saturday) - Optional Light Session:

• Planche lean holds: 4 x 20 seconds (rest 2 minutes)
• Frog stand to tuck planche transitions: 4 x 3 attempts (rest 2 minutes)
• Scapular pushups: 3 x 12
• Wrist conditioning work
• Mobility and stretching

Volume Tracking

Track your total tuck planche hold time per session:

• Week 1: Target 18-30 seconds total (e.g., 6 x 3-5 seconds)
• Week 4: Target 30-40 seconds total (e.g., 6 x 5-7 seconds)
• Week 8: Target 40-60 seconds total (e.g., 5 x 8-12 seconds)

Month 5-6: Solidifying Tuck Planche

Program C: Four Days Per Week

At this stage, you should be holding a tuck planche for 10+ seconds. The focus shifts to building hold time and preparing for the transition to advanced tuck planche.

Day 1 (Monday) - Heavy Planche:

• Tuck planche holds: 5 x 10-15 seconds (rest 3 minutes)
• Pseudo planche pushups: 4 x 8-10 (rest 90 seconds)
• Weighted dips: 3 x 6-8 (rest 2 minutes)

Day 2 (Wednesday) - Light Planche + Supplementary:

• Tuck planche holds: 4 x 8-10 seconds (rest 2 minutes)
• Planche lean holds: 3 x 30 seconds (rest 90 seconds)
• L-sit to tuck planche transitions: 3 x 3 attempts (rest 2 minutes)
• Core circuit: Hollow body (20s) + superman (15s) + RKC plank (12s) x 3 rounds

Day 3 (Friday) - Heavy Planche:

• Tuck planche holds: 5 x 10-15 seconds (rest 3 minutes)
• Tuck planche with back flattening attempts: 3 x 5-8 seconds (rest 3 minutes)
• Pseudo planche pushups: 3 x 10 (rest 90 seconds)

Day 4 (Saturday) - Supplementary:

• Dips: 4 x 10-12 (rest 90 seconds)
• Straight bar dips (if available): 3 x 6-8 (rest 90 seconds)
• Dragon flags: 3 x 5-8 (rest 90 seconds)
• Rotator cuff and wrist conditioning work
• Mobility work

Integrating Planche with Other Training

If You Also Train Pull Exercises

The most common approach is a push/pull split:

• Push days: Include planche work, pushups, dips
• Pull days: Pull-ups, rows, front lever work
• This works well because planche is a pushing movement and does not interfere with pulling recovery

If You Follow a Full-Body Routine

• Place planche work at the beginning of the session when you are freshest
• Reduce the volume of other pushing exercises on planche days
• Example: On planche days, do 3 sets of dips instead of 5

If You Also Train Legs

• Leg training can be performed on the same day as planche work or on separate days
• Lower body training does not significantly interfere with planche recovery
• However, extremely fatiguing leg sessions may reduce your overall recovery capacity

Deload Weeks

Every 4-6 weeks, take a deload week:

• Reduce planche-specific volume by 50% (half the sets or half the hold time)
• Maintain supplementary work at normal or slightly reduced volume
• Focus on mobility, wrist conditioning, and recovery
• Deload weeks feel like wasted time but they allow connective tissue recovery and often lead to breakthroughs in the following week

Tracking Progress

What to Log

• Exercise, sets, hold times or reps
• Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) on a 1-10 scale
• Any pain or discomfort (location, intensity)
• Body weight (weekly)

Monthly Check-Ins

At the end of each month, retest:

• Maximum tuck planche hold time
• Planche lean hold time at maximum lean
• Max pushups and dips
• Hollow body hold time

Compare to your initial assessment from Lesson 3 to track progress objectively.

Conclusion

A well-structured program transforms individual exercises into systematic progress. Follow these programs as templates, adjusting hold times and reps to your current level. The key principles remain constant: train 3-4 times per week, manage volume carefully, never train to absolute failure on planche holds, and take regular deloads. In Module 4, we will progress into intermediate territory with the advanced tuck planche and straddle planche.