October 9, 2026, 2:42 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
One of the most common components of strength training is the plank. It’s popular for a reason–the exercise strengthens numerous muscle groups and can be done without equipment. Typically, the forearm plank is held for 30 to 60 seconds and then repeated. However, a 61-year-old woman from Canada held the plank position for a full five hours straight, surpassing her own world record from 2024!
Planks are similar to push-ups held at the highest point, with the difference being that you rest on your forearms instead of your palms. And this is the position that 61-year-old DonnaJean Wilde from Canada held for five hours! Back in 2024, she set a Guinness World Record for women with four hours, 30 minutes, and 11 seconds. Now, she has surpassed her own record, holding the plank for an incredible 300 minutes (try planking for just one minute).
Read here how she trained for it and why she almost gave up during her latest record attempt.
How DonnaJean Wilde Achieved the New Plank Record
On October 6, 2026, the 61-year-old participated in the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah to surpass her own world record. At 3:03 p.m., she assumed the plank position. She ended the exercise exactly five hours later, at 8:03 p.m. With her new attempt, Wilde exceeded her previous best from 2024.
As reported by ABC News, the new record has not yet been officially confirmed. Guinness World Records has received the application and must first review the submitted evidence.
She Almost Gave Up Near the End
Even for the experienced plank world record holder, the five hours were anything but easy. Wilde struggled with exhaustion, especially in the final minutes. At times, she even wanted to give up.
“I’m done. I’m going down,” she told her husband Randy, according to ABC News. But the spectators continued to cheer the Canadian on, motivating her to persevere. “They got me through the last ten minutes,” Wilde later recounted. The support from those present ultimately helped her reach the five-hour mark.
How She Started Planking
Originally, Wilde never planned to plank for several hours straight. More than ten years ago, the former teacher began performing the exercise regularly, as she told USA Today News at the time. Her children provided the idea by challenging each other to see who could hold the forearm plank longer.
An injury also played a crucial role in her athletic development. When Wilde broke her wrist, she couldn’t perform many of her usual exercises. However, planks were still possible.
“I did it for about six or eight weeks while wearing my cast,” she recounted after her first world record. “I noticed that I could go through my lesson plans [during planks], mark passages, and read emails. I felt like I could train despite the cast, and I enjoyed the feeling.”
What started as an alternative to her usual training evolved into a daily routine. Her perseverance did not go unnoticed by her family. Eventually, they encouraged DonnaJean to apply for a Guinness World Record in planking.
How She Prepared for Her First World Record
About a year before her first record attempt in March 2024, the Canadian began her targeted training. She incorporated increasingly longer plank sessions, sometimes totaling five to six hours a day. The then 59-year-old combined this workout with cross-training, which included running, weightlifting, and jumping.
DonnaJean also paid attention to the requirements of Guinness World Records in her training. “I had been doing planks in shoes for years. But then I wasn’t allowed to anymore,” said the Canadian. “I had to practice barefoot. Also, I couldn’t clasp my hands together; I had to keep them apart and maintain perfect form.”
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The First Plank World Record in 2024
On March 21, 2024, Wilde set her first plank world record.1 She chose the theater of Magrath High School–the school where she had worked as a teacher for years–as the venue for her attempt. In the presence of her husband, children, and twelve grandchildren, she held the plank position for four hours, 30 minutes, and 11 seconds.
The last 60 minutes were particularly challenging for her at the time. “The last hour was probably the hardest hour. It slowly became exhausting. I was very excited and maybe a little emotional.”
Nevertheless, she persevered and secured the Guinness World Record for the longest plank time by a woman. With her new attempt in October 2026, she has now surpassed this record.
Also interesting: How long men and women should be able to plank
Planking World Record Holder Has Always Been Athletic
Her extraordinary endurance is no accident. Wilde grew up in a very active family and coached a volleyball team as a teacher. “I’ve always loved sports and running,” she revealed after her first world record. “I love running and working out. Fitness, health, and nutrition have always been important in my family.”
That she was still full of energy after five hours of planking was evident after her latest record attempt. The very next morning, she participated in a 3,000-meter run.
The mother of five and grandmother of twelve even incorporates her family into her training. According to her, she trained with her three-year-old granddaughter Rose on her back.
And the Canadian already has her next athletic goal in sight: She wants to improve her own record of 1,575 push-ups within an hour. As USA Today News reports, she aims for at least 1,600 repetitions in 60 minutes. If her new plank record is officially recognized, it would be her third Guinness World Record title.