AT 81, Robert Schwartz is officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest man to perform an abdominal plank – and he can hold the position for a staggering 50 minutes. That’s around 25 times longer than the average plank time of one minute and 46 seconds found in a study of men across all ages.
Schwartz’s record-setting attempt took place on July 4 last year, when he was 81 years and 16 days old. The feat saw him claim the title from 78-year-old New Zealander Maynard Williams, who had verified his own plank just a month earlier. But Schwartz’s relationship with the plank stretches back much further, earning him the nickname ‘The Plankster’ long before the record books came calling.
In March 2025, Schwartz set a time of 50 minutes and 24 seconds at his local gym in Florida and decided it was time to make things official. “In this internet age, you just post a video of your accomplishment and claim the title until somebody beats you,” Schwartz told Fox News. “So during this year’s fitness challenge, we decided to video my plank and post it.”
@the.plankster Setting world records for ages 70 & up! #plank #plankster #worldrecord @SportsCenter ESPN ♬ original sound - The Plankster
That video earned him the accolade he’d been chasing. “Robert attempted this for the personal satisfaction of achieving a record,” the Guinness World Records noted. But it’s about more than that for Schwartz.
He first started strength training aged 62, after years of dealing with chronic back pain. He wanted to use the gym as a tool to feel better and stronger in his own body. That approach worked, and by 2016 he accepted the challenge of winning a free smoothie in his gym if he could hold a four-minute plank – the American maintained the position for a full 10 minutes.
“When I strength train, I push myself as hard as I can. Many exercise sets end in muscle fail. I’ve been able to improve my stats every year, but it’s getting much harder now,” Schwartz added. “Since I’ve been doing core exercises, I have never had a back issue.”
