Meet the 80-year-old man who held a plank for 50 minutes — and learn how he stays fit

Fitness experts accidental radical should beryllium capable to clasp a plank for anyplace from 20 seconds up to 2 minutes, depending connected their age.

An 80-year-old Florida antheral has blown that extremity retired of the water, precocious holding a plank for a whopping 50 minutes — 100 times longer than the mean proposal for his age.

Bob Schwartz held the plank — which is believed to beryllium a grounds for his property — astatine the Ocean Reef Fitness Club successful Key Largo.

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Luis Bracamonte, manager of fittingness and wellness astatine the club, said helium witnessed Schwartz’s feat, which earned him the nickname of "The Plankster."

"To our knowledge, aft extended searching, it is the longest plank ever held by an 80-year-old," Bracamonte told Fox News Digital. "Mr. Schwartz is an bonzer idiosyncratic and a cleanable illustration of a ‘super-ager.’"

Bob Schwartz, 80, precocious held a plank for a whopping 50 minutes — 100 times longer than the mean proposal for his age. (Bob Schwartz)

A plank is an isometric determination wherever the idiosyncratic holds a push-up presumption for a acceptable play of time. It is often touted arsenic an abdominal exercise, serving arsenic an alternate to accepted sit-ups and crunches.

In summation to strengthening tummy muscles, planks besides enactment the arms, legs, thorax and back, according to experts.

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Schwartz’s planking travel began erstwhile Bracamonte acceptable up a contention successful 2016, wherever immoderate subordinate who could bash a four-minute plank would get a escaped smoothie. Schwartz not lone got his smoothie, but helium won the contest, planking for conscionable implicit 10 minutes. 

Bob Schwartz is pictured planking portion 2 of the club's fittingness trainers beryllium connected his back. (Bob Schwartz)

"Prior to that, 1 infinitesimal was astir apt my max, though by this time, my halfway was successful beauteous decent shape," helium told Fox News Digital.

As Schwartz continued to widen his planking times, helium started researching online and discovered that his times were already longer than the records for his property bracket. 

"The over-80 grounds has been 15:03 since 2019, and the over-70 grounds was 38 minutes," helium said. 

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Schwartz applied to Guinness World Records, but was told that they don’t admit records by property group. 

"So successful this net age, you conscionable station a video of your accomplishment and assertion the rubric until idiosyncratic beats you," helium said. "So during this year’s fittingness challenge, we decided to video my plank and station it."

"The hardest portion is conscionable making the committedness to exercise, and staying with it agelong capable for it to go a habit."

The passionateness for planking has go a family affair, arsenic Schwartz’s youngest grandson, who is 7 years old, has started joining him successful plank challenges.

Schwartz embraces planking arsenic a convenient mode to enactment virtually each large musculus successful the body. "A plank tin beryllium done astatine home, without equipment, and successful a abbreviated play of time," helium noted. 

Sticking with it

Schwartz has not been a lifelong fittingness enthusiast — helium didn’t acceptable ft successful a gym until 2006, erstwhile helium was 62 years old. 

After years of suffering from chronic backmost pain, helium yet discovered the therapeutic effects of exercise.

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"Since I’ve been doing halfway exercises, I person ne'er had a backmost issue," helium told Fox News Digital.

Schwartz started with a halfway and rhythm class, yet adding spot grooming sessions to his regimen. He besides walks 3 miles each morning.

On March 26, 2025, Schwartz is pictured instantly aft completing his 50-minute plank. (Bob Schwartz)

"When I strength-train, I propulsion myself arsenic hard arsenic I can," helium said. "Many workout sets extremity successful musculus fail. I’ve been capable to amended my stats each year, but it’s getting overmuch harder now."

Schwartz said helium besides adheres to a "healthy-ish" diet, aiming for a minimum of 1 serving of fruit, 2 servings of vegetables, food for astatine slightest 1 meal, and usually chickenhearted (or occasionally pork oregon beef) for dinner. 

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He besides tries to minimize sweetener and seldom drinks alcohol.

"My humor unit is the aforesaid arsenic it’s ever been, and I’m not connected immoderate medications," helium said. "I bash instrumentality respective supplements. My value has not changed much than 10 pounds since I was 18."

In 2017, astatine the Ocean Reef Fitness Club, the manager challenged Schwartz to a plank contest. "To intimidate him, I came up with ‘The Plankster’ persona," Schwartz said. "I bushed him and the fable grew." Here, his "fan club" helps observe his victory. (Bob Schwartz)

"The hardest portion is conscionable making the committedness to exercise, and staying with it agelong capable for it to go a wont and portion of your lifestyle," helium said. 

For those conscionable getting started with planking and fittingness successful general, Schwartz recommends seeing a trainer to larn the due signifier and minimize the chances of injury.

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He besides emphasized the value of maintaining balance, particularly successful older age.

"Pick up a ft arsenic you basal successful a line; determination it astir arsenic you wait," helium recommended. "A autumn and a travel to the infirmary astatine an precocious property tin beryllium devastating."

Schwartz is pictured with his girl and 7-year-old grandson, each of whom engaged successful a plank challenge. (Bob Schwartz)

Looking ahead, Schwartz said helium hopes to proceed exercising and maintaining his existent fitness level.

"I’m going to effort and astatine slightest support it arsenic champion arsenic I tin until the end," helium said. 

"I bask a batch of antithetic activities, but they each necessitate a modicum of spot and agility. So until they travel up with that magic workout pill, I conjecture I’ll support going to the gym."