Simon Ata aka Simonster performing a tuck planche

The tuck planche is a great beginner calisthenics hold that will be great for those wanting to move on to more advanced movements like the back lever, iron cross and planche.

The tuck planche will strengthen your biceps and elbow tendons It will also strengthen you shoulder and your scapula protraction.

Tuck Planche Prequisuite

Before attempting to learn the tuck planche, you want to make sure you have enough general strength.

Be sure that you can perform these two exercises first as they transfer over to the planche and are good proxy to know whether you have the required fitness level for a tuck planche.

10-15 second L-sit
15 dips

Tuck Planche MUSTS!

Before attempting any of the tuck planche exercises below here are 3 things YOU MUST DO. to ensure optimal results!

1) Protact and Scapula!

A depressed scapula looks much cleaner. Furthermore, your shoulders are in a much safer position with proper scapula position.

2) Straight ARMS!

If your arms aren’t straight, it is a totally different exercise. The Planche is a straight arm movement, so your arms must be straight. Not only does the hold look more aesthetic, the tendons and muscles worked are completely different when your arms are straight.

Although bent arm is easier, please don't take any shortcuts. You aren't doing yourself any favors!

3) Warm up!

The last thing you want happening is to tear your bicep. Don’t be fooled! Just because the tuck planche is a beginner hold doesn’t mean you can’t easily injure yourself!

The tuck planche is very hard on your elbow and we recommend warming them up extensively before training. You can also wear arm sleeves which will warm the area and also provide support via compression.

Also be sure to warm up your wrist. If your wrist being to feel very sore, take a few days up to a week off until they are no longer in pain.

4 Exercises To Learn Tuck Planche

The Exercises are arranged from easiest to hardest, start with the first exercise and once you feel you have gotten sufficient at them, move on to the next one.

1) Scapula Dips

Scapula Dips are good step to improve the depression and protaction needed in the tuck planche. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Try adding weight if it is too easy. Be sure to keep you arms completely straight!

2) Planche Lean

The Benefit of the planche lean is that the difficulty can easily be adjusted by changing the amount of lean. Place you hands at shoulder distance and thumb facing forward. Turning your hands to make your thumb facing forward will ensure your wrist will not have to bend too much when you lean forward.

3) Band assisted tuck planche

Loop a resistance band on a pull-up bar or dip bar . Then go inside the loop and place the loop around your waist. Now you have have assistance when performing the tuck planche. Try find a band that you can hold for 10 seconds. When you can hold for 15, try to move to the next band.

4) Tuck L-sit to raise

This movement is dynamic which will be a nice change of pace. You will need parallelettes or parallel bars. Start with a tuck L-sit, and try to lean forward by pushing with your shoulders, while keeping your arms straight. Go as far as you can go and come back to tuck_list. Try it for 2-4 reps.