Can planks help you lose weight?

Generally speaking, the plank cannot directly make a person lose weight, but it can assist in weight loss and body shaping. Its primary function is to strengthen the core muscles rather than burn large amounts of fat. To lose weight, it's essential to combine planks with dietary control and full-body exercises. Here's a detailed analysis:

From the perspective of exercise mechanics, the plank is a static strength-training exercise that primarily targets core muscles such as those in the waist, abdomen, back, and buttocks. It helps tighten and strengthen these areas, leading to clearer abdominal definition and improved posture, such as reducing slouching or rounded shoulders. However, it burns relatively few calories—for example, one minute of planking burns approximately 3–5 kcal, significantly less than running—and thus cannot substantially burn body fat.

Although planks do not directly burn fat, they help increase muscle mass. As muscle mass increases, the body’s basal metabolic rate slightly rises, meaning you burn more calories even at rest. This provides supportive benefits for long-term weight loss.

Therefore, relying solely on planks will not lead to significant weight loss. For effective fat reduction, planks should be used as a supplementary exercise alongside aerobic activities like running or swimming that promote fat burning, along with proper dietary control. This combination helps reduce body fat while using planks to achieve a firmer, more toned physique.