# Elbow Plank 3 Point Hops - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/7860/elbow-plank-3-point-hops/ - Media ID: 7860 - Primary muscle: Abs - Body part: Core - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/7860/elbow-plank-3-point-hops.mp4 ## Description Elbow Plank 3 Point Hops take a standard forearm plank and add a lateral jump: from a stable plank on your forearms and toes, you hop both feet off the floor and land them a few inches to one side, return to center, then hop them to the other side. Those three landing positions — left, center, right — are what give the exercise its name. Because both feet leave the ground at once, your trunk has to resist rotation and side-bending while absorbing a small landing force, which makes this far more demanding than a static hold. The main work happens in the deep core and obliques. Every hop tries to swing your hips sideways, and your abdominal wall has to lock the ribcage and pelvis together to stop that from happening. Your shoulders, chest, and upper back hold you up on the forearms the entire time, and your hip abductors and glutes control where your feet land. The result is a movement that trains anti-rotation strength, lateral hip control, and shoulder endurance in one continuous effort. This is a good fit for people who already own a solid 30-60 second forearm plank and want to progress it without adding external load. It shows up regularly in conditioning circuits, athletic warm-ups, and home workouts because it needs no equipment beyond a smooth floor surface. It also teaches you to stay rigid while moving — a quality that transfers to sprinting, cutting, and anything else where force travels through a braced trunk. Setup quality determines everything here. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders with your forearms parallel or hands lightly clasped, and keep your feet together at the start. If your hips sag or pike, the hop turns into a floppy leg movement instead of a core exercise, and your lower back takes the stress your abs should be handling. Set the plank first, then add the hop — never the other way around. To execute well, think of your torso as a rigid board on two fulcrums. Hop your feet a short distance — six to twelve inches is plenty — land softly on the balls of both feet at the same time, and hold that shifted position for a beat before hopping back through center to the opposite side. Keep your head neutral and your breathing steady. Small, crisp, controlled hops beat big sweeping jumps every time. If the full movement is too challenging, reduce the distance of each hop or step one foot at a time to each side instead of jumping. If your shoulders or wrists complain, shorten the set rather than letting your elbows drift back behind your shoulders. Stop the set as soon as your hips start to sag or your hops get sloppy — the exercise only trains the core while the plank position is intact. ## Instructions 1. Set up in a forearm plank: elbows stacked directly under your shoulders, forearms flat on the floor with hands lightly clasped or parallel, feet together, body forming a straight line from head to heels. 2. Spread your fingers or make loose fists and press your forearms into the floor so your upper back stays broad, not collapsed between the shoulder blades. 3. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes before you move, as if someone were about to nudge your hips sideways. 4. Bend your knees slightly, then push off the balls of both feet and hop them a short distance — about the width of your hips — out to the left side. 5. Land softly and quietly with both feet touching down at the same time, keeping your shoulders stacked over your elbows and your hips level with your shoulders. 6. Pause for a moment in that shifted plank, then hop your feet back through the center and continue to the right side without pausing longer than a breath. 7. Keep hopping in a smooth left-center-right rhythm, letting your core — not momentum — decide how far your feet travel. 8. Exhale sharply on each hop and inhale through your nose as you settle into each landing. 9. Continue for the desired number of hops or time, then step your feet down, push back to a kneeling position, and reset your plank before starting another set. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is hopping so wide that your hips swing and twist. Keep the hop narrow enough that your belt line stays facing the floor throughout. - Land toe-first with bent knees. Hard heel-strike landings send a jolt through your lower back and usually mean your core has let go. - If your elbows creep forward as you fatigue, you turn the plank into a shoulder shrug. Check that your shoulders stay stacked over your elbows on every landing. - Quiet landings are a quality signal. If your feet slap the floor, slow the tempo down and focus on absorbing each landing through your hips and knees. - Do not let your head drop or jut forward. Keep your gaze a few inches in front of your hands so your neck stays in line with your spine. - Your glutes are your brake. Squeezing them on each landing stops your pelvis from tilting and keeps the hops crisp. - Breathe on every rep instead of holding your breath. Holding it makes the plank feel easier for two hops, then falls apart on the third. - If your forearms slide outward on a smooth floor, turn your hands into loose fists or use a mat to give your forearms a bit of grip. - Stop the set the moment your hops become uneven from side to side. Fatigue shows up as asymmetry before it shows up as collapse. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Elbow Plank 3 Point Hops work? The primary work is in the abs and obliques, which hold your trunk rigid against the sideways force of each hop. Your shoulders and upper back support you on the forearms, and your glutes and outer hips control the landing. ### Is the Elbow Plank 3 Point Hops suitable for beginners? It is a progression, so beginners should first be able to hold a clean forearm plank for about 30 seconds. From there, start with small side-to-side steps of the feet instead of hops before adding the jump. ### How far should I hop my feet to each side? Six to twelve inches is enough. The goal is to challenge your core's control, not to travel a long distance — a narrow hop with level hips beats a wide hop with twisting hips. ### Why do my hips swing when I hop? Swinging hips usually mean the hop is too wide or your glutes and abs are not braced before you leave the floor. Shrink the distance, squeeze your glutes, and think about keeping your belt line pointed at the floor. ### Should my feet land together or one at a time? Together — both feet touch down at the same time on each hop, which is what forces your core to control the shift. If landing together is too hard, regress to stepping one foot at a time to each side. ### What can I substitute if the hops are too difficult? Hold a static elbow plank and step your feet side to side, or do plank hip dips from the forearms. Both train the same anti-rotation control at a lower intensity. ### How long should a set of Elbow Plank 3 Point Hops last? Fifteen to thirty seconds of continuous hopping is plenty for most people. Because your shoulders hold a plank the whole time, quality drops quickly — end the set when your hips sag or your landings get loud. ### My forearms slip on the floor during the hops. What should I do? Make loose fists with your hands, or place your forearms on an exercise mat for grip. Sliding elbows mean your shoulders drift out of position and your plank base becomes unstable. ### Is it safe to do this exercise if my lower back gets sore during planks? Lower back discomfort during plank work usually comes from sagging hips, not the movement itself. Reduce the hop distance, re-brace your abs and glutes, and stop the set as soon as your form breaks rather than pushing through soreness.