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Canadian Grandmother, 61, Breaks Her Own Five Hour Plank World Record

A 61-year-old who trained by planking four to five hours a day for six months shows how far a basic core exercise can be pushed, and why most people need nowhere near that much of it.

By Dr. Axe Editorial Team · October 10, 2026 · 1 source · Watch

Photo: Pexels

DonnaJean Wilde, a 61-year-old grandmother of 12 from Alberta, Canada, broke her own Guinness World Record for the longest plank, holding the position for five hours at the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, on October 6, according to TODAY.

DonnaJean Wilde, a retired schoolteacher from Welling, Alberta, held a plank for five hours at the opening ceremonies of the Huntsman World Senior Games on October 6, breaking her own 2024 Guinness World Record of 4 hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds for women, according to TODAY. She told TODAY she trained for six months leading up to the attempt by planking between four and five hours every day, and that the final 30 minutes were harder than she expected, saying she hit a wall. Wilde also holds a second Guinness World Record, 1,575 pushups in under 60 minutes, set in 2024. She told TODAY she has planked for about two hours a day for 15 years, a habit that started after a wrist injury sidelined her from running, and that she now plans lessons, texts, emails and watches movies while holding the position.

A plank is an isometric exercise, meaning the muscle contracts without the joint moving, and it engages the core along with the shoulders, back and glutes at the same time. TODAY's report cites experts saying planking tones these muscle groups and can help improve balance, ease back pain and reduce belly fat, though TODAY did not report numbers behind those claims.

Wilde's plank record: 270.18 minutes vs 300 minutes

TODAY, Vivinetto

TODAY's article is a personal profile, not a clinical study, so there is no measured data on Wilde's blood pressure, core strength or recovery during or after the five-hour hold, and her routine reflects 15 years of gradual, daily buildup rather than a plan most people could copy at the record level.

Dr. Axe’s Take

I love this because it shows what 15 years of consistency does, not because I want anyone chasing a five-hour plank. Wilde's real habit is roughly two hours of accumulated plank time folded into daily tasks. Planking is an isometric hold that engages the core, shoulders, back and glutes together, which is why it carries over to balance and posture. My advice for most people: start with 20 to 30 second holds a few times daily, and build slowly over months, not weeks. Pair that with daily walking and real food, eggs, vegetables, oats, like Wilde eats. Build the habit first; let the clock follow.

— Dr. Axe

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Story summary

Who: DonnaJean Wilde, 61, retired schoolteacher, Welling, Alberta, Canada
Design: Personal profile and interview, not a clinical study; reported by TODAY
Dose: Trained by planking 4 to 5 hours daily for 6 months before the attempt; has planked about 2 hours daily for 15 years
Primary result: Held a plank for 5 hours (300 minutes), breaking her own prior world record of 4 hours, 30 minutes, 11 seconds (270.18 minutes)
Secondary: Also holds a Guinness World Record for 1,575 pushups in under 60 minutes; one video of the attempt had more than 9 million views
Date: Oct 9, 2026