Core · Bodyweight
Plank Jack
How to do the plank jack, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Begin in a forearm or high plank with your body in a straight line and your core tight. Keeping your hips level, jump both feet out wide and then back together, like a horizontal jumping jack with your legs. Move at a steady pace without letting your hips bounce or sag.
- 1Feel your core fighting to keep your hips still as your legs jump
- 2Keep your glutes engaged and your body in one line
- 3Stay light and quick on your feet
Common mistakes
- Avoid letting your hips pike up or sag down as you jump
- Don't hold your breath; keep breathing steadily
- Don't let your shoulders drift behind or ahead of your hands
Muscles worked
The plank jack mainly works the lower abs and upper abs, with the obliques, glutes, front delts, adductors, and hip flexors assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- CalvesMinor
Kovo programs the plank jack for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.