01
Reflection
The Day the Target Became Fifty
Discovering the new 50:04.58 straight-arm plank world record changed the emotional scale of the project and forced an honest pause.
- 50:04.58 world record
- Kenneth Travis
- 3 × 6:00 skipped
PLANK TRAINING LOG
Every minute.
On the record.
This straight-arm plank training log records sessions, recovery, breathing, physical signals and the long process behind a plank world record attempt.
70 ENTRIES / ROAD TO THE RECORDAll68 entries
02
Continuous
Follow the Plan, Trust the Process
A planned twelve-minute continuous straight-arm plank confirmed that the body is still carrying general fatigue, but also that the process remains the right guide.
- 12:00 straight-arm
- 72 breaths at 10:00
- Finger numbness late
03
Continuous
Easy on Paper
An eight-minute straight-arm plank that should have felt easy became a reminder that travel fatigue changes the real cost of even simple sessions.
- 8:00 straight-arm
- 8 min mobility
- 5 min stretching
04
Volume
Jakarta Volume With Reserve
Four five-minute straight-arm plank sets in a Jakarta gym felt almost too easy, with breathing again confirming readiness and reserve.
- 4 × 5:00 straight-arm
- 1:30 recovery
- 30 breaths per set
05
Continuous
Ten Minutes, When the Breath Tells the Truth
A planned ten-minute straight-arm plank was completed, but the breathing count revealed the cost of adding gym work on a day that should have been almost complete rest.
- 10:00 straight-arm
- 60 breaths at 8:13
- Gym work added
06
Volume
Three Calm Sets, One New Question
A controlled 3 × 5-minute straight-arm plank session on sand in Indonesia became both an almost easy volume day and a quiet space for a new idea to appear.
- 3 × 5:00 straight-arm
- 2:00 recovery
- 30 breaths each set
07
Personal Best
20 Minutes — Trust the Process
A twenty-minute straight-arm plank in Timor-Leste, after intercontinental travel, jet lag, residual soreness and an improvised surface: a new personal best and a clear lesson in trusting the process.
- 20:00 straight-arm
- New PB
- +2:00
08
Taper
Ten minutes of activation, not ease
The final taper activation before the twenty-minute test: ten controlled minutes in the straight-arm plank, completed exactly as planned, with breathing revealing the fatigue still carried from the previous day.
- 10:00 straight-arm
- 5 min warm-up
- 5 min cool-down
09
Volume
Four sixes—the key August volume
The last true specific load before the end-of-August test: twenty-four minutes completed under ideal conditions, with thirty-six breaths per set and recovery now becoming the main question.
- 4 × 6:00 straight-arm
- 1:30 recovery
- 24:00 volume
10
Recovery
When Soreness Never Really Goes Away
Reflections on training, recovery and the courage to pause while chasing a straight-arm plank world record.
- Recovery
- Soreness
- Mobility
11
Volume
Five fours on grass
Twenty minutes of specific volume on grass, with short recoveries and twenty-four breaths per set: not extreme, not comfortable, and useful precisely because it stayed honest.
- 5 × 4:00 straight-arm
- 1:15 recovery
- 20:00 volume
12
Continuous
Fifteen plus three on the beach
The recalibrated plan asked for fifteen continuous minutes, three minutes of recovery and three easy minutes. The numbers were completed, but the beach, the sun and the sand made the lesson much larger than the session.
- 15:00 straight-arm
- 3:00 recovery
- 3:00 easy finish
13
Volume
Three sevens—forty-two breaths at a time
Twenty-one minutes of controlled volume completed after illness and a one-kilometre swim, with barefoot grip on grass, brief numbness in the first three fingers of both hands and a breathing target now close enough to measure.
- 3 × 7:00 straight-arm
- 2:00 recovery
- 21:00 volume
14
Cross-training
The sea was too good to miss
One open-water kilometre on already-tired arms was not in the plank plan, but the larger goal is the record—not protecting tomorrow’s 3 × 7 at any cost.
- 1,006 m open water
- 30:54 moving time
- 3:04 / 100 m
15
Volume
Three fives—back in the sun
The first real volume session after illness brought fifteen controlled minutes, thirty breaths per set and an early reminder that returning is not the same as being fully recovered.
- 3 × 5:00 straight-arm
- 2:00 recovery
- 15:00 volume
16
Recovery
Six minutes—a controlled return
After three complete days off with illness, two short holds tested tolerance without turning the first day back into a performance test.
- 2 × 3:00 straight-arm
- 2:00 recovery
- 6:00 volume
17
Long Hold
Ten minutes, but not effortless
An easy session on paper became a useful reminder: controlled does not always mean comfortable.
- 10:00 continuous
- 25 min total
- Straight-arm
18
Volume
Five rounds of four
Twenty accumulated minutes, controlled tremor and no numbness during the work: a clean volume day.
- 5 × 4:00
- 1:15 recovery
- 20:00 volume
19
Training Plan
August: building the road to twenty
A complete month designed to consolidate eighteen minutes and arrive fresh for a controlled twenty-minute test.
- 18:00 starting PB
- 20:00 target
- 3 plank days / week
20
Long Hold
Fourteen plus four
The programme was completed in full, but residual arm stiffness and returning finger numbness made the session harder than expected.
- 14:00 continuous
- 3:00 recovery
- 4:00 easy
21
Recovery
Sleep as a marginal gain
Twelve nights of Garmin data turned into a practical recovery strategy for better training and more consistent performance.
- 12 nights
- 6 h 39 average
- 6 nights under 7 h
22
Personal Best
Eighteen minutes
A new personal record—and the starting point for the next training cycle.
- 18:00 continuous
- New PB
- +2:00
23
Taper
Eight easy minutes before the test
After the flight to Cape Verde, an easy straight-arm hold and a nasal-breathing run confirmed readiness—and the need to stop adding work.
- 1 × 8:00
- 5.00 km run
- 33:29
24
Activation
Thirty breaths, five minutes
Two easy activation holds turned quiet nasal breathing into an increasingly precise internal clock before the next personal-best attempt.
- 2 × 5:00 planned
- 30 breaths each
- 9.72 s average cycle
25
Long Hold
Fifteen plus five: the local limit
Twenty minutes of specific work showed strong recovery and growing endurance, while recurring numbness in three fingers remained the factor to solve.
- 15:00 + 5:00
- 3:00 recovery
- 45 min total
26
Volume
Three sixes on five hours of sleep
Eighteen controlled minutes, closed eyes and exceptionally slow nasal breathing held the session together despite jet lag and residual stiffness.
- 3 × 6:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 40 breaths ≈ 5:30
27
Training Method
The marginal gain: quiet nasal breathing
A twenty-five-minute whole-body circuit kept the specific plank day free while training strength, stability and one small repeatable breathing habit.
- 25 min total
- 3 circuit rounds
- 5 min plank work
28
Mindset
Building the athlete, one percent at a time
Two unexpectedly difficult taper sessions revealed the invisible load beyond the stopwatch—and changed the way I think about preparation.
- Marginal gains
- Recovery
- Long-term project
29
Taper
Tapering the body, training the mind
Three easy four-minute holds opened the unloading phase—and exposed the mental distance between today’s calm work and a thirty-six-minute ambition.
- 3 × 4:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 10 min mobility each side
30
Volume
Five by five in Almaty
Twenty-five minutes of controlled straight-arm volume, completed through travel, jet lag and a poor night of sleep—with margin still available.
- 5 × 5:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 25:00 volume
31
Long Hold
Fourteen plus seven, under control
A feared long session became twenty-one minutes of calm, high-quality work—and the clearest sign yet that adaptation was taking place.
- 14:00 + 7:00
- 3:00 recovery
- 21:00 volume
32
Recovery
Rest is part of the plan
A complete day off before fourteen plus seven minutes—and a change in how I understand ambition, adaptation and long-term progress.
- Complete rest
- Before 14:00 + 7:00
- Recovery choice
33
Volume
Three sevens and the breath
Twenty-one minutes of volume, slow breathing and a late return of finger numbness revealed a useful attentional strategy.
- 3 × 7:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 21:00 volume
34
Training Method
Forearms first, six minutes to finish
Four easy forearm-plank sets and one harder straight-arm hold exposed the residual fatigue left by the long session two days earlier.
- 4 × 3:00 forearm
- 1 × 6:00 straight-arm
- 18:00 volume
35
Long Hold
Twelve, six, four: a change of level
A twelve-minute opening hold followed by ten more minutes of work marked the first real change of level in the July programme.
- 12:00 + 6:00 + 4:00
- 22:00 volume
- 5:00 warm-up
36
Volume
Eighteen minutes of controlled volume
Three six-minute holds opened the July cycle with good control, despite residual fatigue and the return of numbness late in the final set.
- 3 × 6:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 18:00 volume
37
Training Plan
July: building the next minute
A complete month of volume, long holds and tapering designed to move a sixteen-minute personal best forward without arriving tired on test day.
- 3 sessions / week
- 16:00 starting PB
- 17:00 realistic target
38
Training Method
Forearms return, five minutes to finish
Four easy forearm-plank sets and one controlled straight-arm hold showed that general endurance had survived months away from the position.
- 4 × 3:00 forearm
- 1 × 5:00 straight-arm
- 17:00 volume
39
Volume
Three fives: less volume, more specificity
Fifteen minutes of work reduced the session total but lengthened every set, moving training closer to the demand of a continuous hold.
- 3 × 5:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 15:00 volume
40
Training Method
How to train beyond the test
A twenty-minute interval session taught me why maximal tests measure progress—but structured submaximal volume is what builds it.
- 5 × 4:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 20:00 total volume
41
Volume
Sixteen minutes, the next brick
Four demanding but controlled sets showed that the new sixteen-minute personal best was becoming part of the training base rather than a single exceptional day.
- 4 × 4:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 16:00 volume
42
Personal Best
Sixteen minutes—stopped by choice
A one-minute personal best arrived with calm nasal breathing, mental control and margin still available, while complete hand numbness remained the day’s critical signal.
- 16:00 PB
- +1:00
- 10 min warm-up
43
Mindset
Choose hard. Live easy.
What months of voluntary discomfort taught me about discipline, freedom and the person I am becoming.
- Long read
- Mindset
- Discipline
44
Recovery
Three fours on accumulated fatigue
A session designed to be easy felt unexpectedly demanding, revealing how quickly several consecutive training days can change perceived effort.
- 3 × 4:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 12:00 volume
45
Long Hold
Eight, five, five—then the pool
An eight-minute opening hold made the session more specific, while a thousand-metre swim tested how well general recovery followed eighteen minutes of plank.
- 8:00 + 5:00 + 5:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 18:00 volume
46
Volume
Five fours—and room for one more
Twenty minutes of distributed straight-arm plank became the highest-volume session so far, completed without deterioration and with a sixth set still available.
- 5 × 4:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 20:00 volume
47
Volume
Four fours after the climb
A fast mountain ascent, widespread soreness and a vulnerable ankle did not prevent sixteen controlled minutes of straight-arm plank the following day.
- 4 × 4:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 16:00 volume
48
Volume
Sixteen minutes—with margin
Four controlled sets exceeded the current continuous personal best as total volume, while restraint kept the workout from becoming another test.
- 4 × 4:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 16:00 volume
49
Volume
Twelve minutes of consolidation
The day after a fifteen-minute volume session, four familiar three-minute holds reinforced the work without sacrificing technical quality.
- 4 × 3:00
- 1:00 recovery
- 12:00 volume
50
Volume
Five threes after the mountain
Fifteen minutes of controlled plank followed a six-hour hike and lingering soreness, showing that the mountain fatigue had not erased specific capacity.
- 5 × 3:00
- 1:15 recovery
- 15:00 volume
51
Training Plan
The five-year road to thirty-four
At fifty-five, a fifteen-minute straight-arm plank became the starting point for a deliberately patient, multi-year world-record project.
- 15:00 straight-arm PB
- 27:00 forearm PB
- Age 55
52
Personal Best
Fifteen minutes—stopped by choice
After two demanding mountain days and a short plank break, a hidden clock, a film and forty breaths carried the straight-arm hold to a new personal best.
- 15:00 straight-arm
- New personal best
- 10:30 first time check
53
Taper
Three threes—the body is back
A second nine-minute taper session felt fluid and almost tremor-free, even while the mind still questioned the distance to a long continuous hold.
- 3 × 3:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 9:00 volume
54
Taper
Three threes with the mountain still present
Nine controlled minutes respected the lingering fatigue from a three-and-a-half-hour hike instead of trying to overpower it.
- 3 × 3:00
- 1:30 recovery
- 9:00 volume
55
Recovery
Four, four, four after the climb
A simple unloading session exposed how deeply the previous day’s hike still lived in the muscles—and triggered the decision to begin a real taper.
- 4:00 + 4:00 + 4:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 12:00 volume
56
Recovery
Five, five, five—a real unloading day
Three five-minute blocks finally felt like recovery: controlled breathing, minimal shaking and no important fatigue left behind.
- 5:00 straight-arm
- 5:00 forearm
- 5:00 straight-arm
57
Volume
Six, six, seven—when shaking took over
The closing seven-minute hold was completed through increasingly violent tremor, confirming tolerance while also exposing accumulated load.
- 6:00 + 6:00 + 7:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 19:00 main volume
58
Long Hold
Six, six, eight—learning to live with the shaking
An eight-minute closing hold shifted the challenge from joint discomfort toward muscular fatigue and a more deliberate acceptance of tremor.
- 6:00 + 6:00 + 8:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 20:00 main volume
59
Long Hold
Seven, seven, nine—into the shaking
A nine-minute closing hold became the first sustained encounter with continuous muscular shaking, numb fingers and a genuine final fight.
- 7:00 + 7:00 + 9:00
- 2:00 recovery
- 23:00 main volume
60
Long Hold
Six, six, eight after three days off
Three days without training did not make the session effortless, but they left enough control to close an eight-minute straight-arm block through manageable shaking.
- 6:00 straight-arm
- 6:00 forearm
- 8:00 straight-arm
61
Training Method
Five-thirty, six-thirty—and signs of adaptation
The second straight-arm block felt better than the first, while doubts about the real maximum remained part of the work.
- 5:30 straight-arm
- 5:00 forearm
- 6:30 straight-arm
62
Training Method
Five-seventeen, then six on a new surface
Reduced joint discomfort and a stronger muscular contribution suggested that the straight-arm position was beginning to become structurally familiar.
- 5:17 straight-arm
- 5:00 forearm
- 6:00 straight-arm
63
Recovery
Four, six, five after ten hard kilometres
A demanding run changed where the work was felt, separating muscular fatigue in the forearm plank from joint loading on straight arms.
- 4:00 + 6:00 + 5:00
- 10 km run
- 482 m elevation
64
Recovery
Four, six, five after the long walk
A four-hour hike with 1,120 metres of elevation did not prevent a stable session—and the second straight-arm block improved on the first.
- 4:00 + 6:00 + 5:00
- 4 h walk
- 1,120 m elevation
65
Recovery
Five, six, four under general fatigue
Immediate tension and early effort made the session feel unpolished, yet every planned block remained stable enough to complete.
- 5:00 straight-arm
- 6:00 forearm
- 4:00 straight-arm
66
Training Method
Five, six, four—the return session
After one day off, the straight-arm position was not yet fluid, but a mixed four-block session restored control without forcing intensity.
- 5:00 straight-arm
- 6:00 forearm
- 4:00 straight-arm
67
Recovery
Stretching is the first block
Five quiet minutes became preparation, body check and the bridge between the day and the work.
- 5 min ritual
- Mobility
- Body check
68
Origin Story
The first attempt lasted twelve minutes
A 27-minute forearm plank, a conversation with Josef Šálek and one suggestion from my friend Zsolt led to a twelve-minute first attempt—and the spark behind this project.
- 27:00 forearm PB
- 12:00 first straight-arm
- April 2026