“How did she do it?” the text message read. “I just tried to plank for as long as possible and only made it to a minute and 30 seconds!”

Earlier this week, a 61-year-old Canadian woman named DonnaJean Wilde set a new world record for the longest plank ever held by a woman at the Huntsman World Senior Games. She held the pose on her toes and forearms for an unbelievable, body-shaking five hours—breaking her own record of four hours and 30 minutes, set in March 2024.

The mother of five (and grandmother of 12!) started her record-holding journey slowly: After breaking her arm during her decades-long career as a teacher, Wilde realized the plank was one of the only exercises she could do with her injury. That was a little over a decade ago, and she’s been doing a daily plank ever since. Instead of trying to hold the pose for a set amount of time, however, she would just hold it for as long as possible.

“After a few months, I made it up to 10 minutes,” Wilde says. “I was so excited. And I just kept going.” Just as impressive is the fact that she’s never worked with a trainer or fitness coach. Instead, she keeps track of her own time and watches her posture in the mirror at her home gym.

Wilde says her secret to holding the plank for as long as she can is simple: she distracts herself. “When I plank, I am never just planking,” she says. “I always have something to do while I plank.” That can mean reading, watching a movie (she says her favorite is the animated film Sing), or even writing a book—hers titled, fittingly, From Minutes to Hours: I Wrote This Book While Planking.

To prepare for Tuesday’s competition, Wilde approached the last month like she was preparing to run a marathon. “I was going to bed early, waking up at 2 a.m., and planking until around 6 a.m.,” she explains. That time frame allowed her to go about the rest of her day totally normally. She also loaded up on carbs and protein the day before her record-breaking hold, adding that she loves meat and eggs. The day of was a different story. “I actually went in purposefully dehydrated because I knew I could have sips of water,” Wilde says. After all, there would be no breaks for the bathroom.

Once Wilde had hurtled past the old record, things got a bit more difficult. “Once I broke my own record, I felt like I hit a wall. I thought, I don’t know if I can do the last half hour,” she says. “But people were cheering me on, so I made it.” She also had her post-plank meal in mind. “Crazy enough, every night I eat the same thing,” she says. “I love to eat yogurt with puffed wheat. So in the final minutes of holding the plank, I was just thinking, I’m going to have some yogurt and puffed wheat after this.”

Though she was “a bit stiff” after this week’s event, Wilde is already back on her toes and forearms. “Planking helps me stand up straight, gives me energy, makes me ready for the day,” she says. “No matter my age, it keeps me going.”

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Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs DonnaJean Wildes 5Hour Plank

1 Who is DonnaJean Wilde
Shes a 61yearold woman from Alberta Canada who set a world record by holding a plank for over 5 hours

2 How long exactly did she hold the plank
She held it for 5 hours 2 minutes and 24 seconds beating the previous womens world record

3 What is a plank
A plank is an exercise where you hold your body straight resting on your forearms and toes and keep your core tight without moving

4 How did she train for this
She practiced planks almost every day gradually adding time She also did strength training stretching and cardio to build overall fitness

5 Whats her secret
Consistency She built up her time slowly over years and stayed dedicated to her routine rather than trying to rush it

6 Did she take breaks during the 5 hours
No To set an official record she had to hold the position continuously without breaks

7 What did she think about during those 5 hours
She kept her mind busywatching shows listening to music and focusing on her breathing to stay distracted from the discomfort

8 How does she keep her mind from giving up
She breaks the time into small goals Instead of thinking 5 hours she focuses on getting through the next few minutes

9 What muscles does planking work
Mainly your coreabs back and obliquesplus your shoulders arms glutes and legs

10 Is planking good for you
Yes It builds core strength improves posture reduces back pain and helps with balance and stability

11 Can anyone train to plank for hours
Most healthy people can build up their plank time but reaching 5 hours takes years of dedicated training Always progress slowly

12 How long should a beginner hold a plank
Start with 1020 seconds When that feels easy add 510 seconds at a time

13 Why does my back hurt when I plank
Usually because your hips sag or your form is off Keep your body in a straight line and squeeze your core and glutes