June 23, 2026, 10:33 am | Read time: 4 minutes

Helene Fischer: “My Record is Eleven Minutes”

“My record is eleven minutes,” says Helene Fischer in the recently released video. The pop singer leans over a medium-sized group of people in various plank positions, presumably her dancers. Some are planking on their forearms, others on their hands, and judging by the unanimous “Woooow,” they find what Fischer just told them—that she can plank for eleven minutes straight—quite impressive. As the FITBOOK editorial team, we say: It shows how fit Helene Fischer is.

Unfortunately, we don’t learn the exact method she used to plank for eleven minutes. Planking on the hands involves the shoulders and arms more, while the classic forearm plank intensively engages the deep core muscles.

Between Amateurs and World Records

In whatever form: Holding the plank position for eleven minutes is an impressive feat and shows how fit Helene Fischer is. A hobby athlete can already be proud if they break the five-minute mark. But compared to the top performers like Josef Šálek (9 hours 38 minutes) or Donna-Jean Wilde (4 hours 30 minutes), eleven minutes is just a short warm-up. Still, for a “non-professional athlete,” eleven minutes is an enormous athletic achievement.

What unites these extreme plankers is not only physical fitness but also extreme mental strength. Daniel Scali, a former record holder (9 hours 30 minutes), who said he started planking during a training session with friends in the garden, shared in 2021 that the most important part of the training is mental preparation.

Is Longer Really Better When Planking?

Aside from such incredible performances, fitness enthusiasts might now wonder: Should I aim for Helene Fischer’s eleven minutes? The answer from experts like fitness professor Dr. Stephan Geisler is: not necessarily. In an older FITBOOK article, Geisler emphasizes that you “shouldn’t necessarily plank as long as you can, but only as long as you can maintain the correct posture through muscular tension.” Otherwise, you risk arching your back once the core-stabilizing muscles give out, which can cause unpleasant pain. When planking, it’s less about duration and more about variation, says Geisler. One minute of planking with increased difficulty can be just as effective as five minutes of simply holding the classic plank position.

More on the topic

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The Pro Strategy: Intensity Beats Duration

Experts like personal trainer Markus Bremen have already advised against extending planking time indefinitely, suggesting instead to vary the difficulty of the exercise. Advanced plankers could make it more challenging and thus more effective by placing their arms further forward or switching to an unstable surface.

After just four to six weeks, regular planking results in more defined shoulders and increased everyday tension, Bremen told FITBOOK. You might also enjoy more stable flanks or sides around the pelvis. You look somewhat “more defined,” he summarized.

The Right Technique: For the correct execution of the forearm plank, place your forearms on the ground with elbows directly under or slightly in front of the shoulders. The body forms a straight line from head to toe. Crucial for effectiveness is active abdominal tension: pull the navel firmly inward and tilt the pelvis toward the mat so that the lower back appears slightly rounded and does not arch. Do not overextend the head; look downward.

Double Your Plank Record in 30 Days with the 4-Second Formula

Nevertheless, a plank challenge like Helene Fischer’s naturally tempts one to push one’s own limits. Fitness economist and FITBOOK expert Alina Bock has already explained to FITBOOK that doubling your record within a month is absolutely realistic. Under this condition: the right training (technique always comes before duration!) and discipline.

Essential, according to the expert, to double your plank record within a month: regularity. Bock recommends planking every other day. She further advises consistently extending the time by four seconds, provided the core tension can be maintained. On the days in between, you should really rest. Paying attention to a protein-rich diet can’t hurt.