Woman sets five-hour plank world record

A woman has set a world record by holding an abdominal plank for five hours, according to a television segment that framed the feat as an uplifting item. The broadcast did not name the woman, say where or when the record was set, or identify any governing body that had ratified it.

The discussion described the mark as a female record. One contributor compared the five-hour plank with the length of a three-hour show, joking that the woman would still have two hours left to go. The panel also asked whether the record was gender-specific or open to anyone, before stating that it was a female record.

The segment turned to the difficulty of planking. One panellist said they had taken up planking after suffering back pain, on the advice of a spinal surgeon, starting at 10 seconds and later building up to reading a book for 20 minutes while holding the position. They said they had looked up the record and thought the men's mark was around 24 hours, though the figure was not confirmed in the broadcast.

There was also criticism of how such achievements are presented. One panellist objected to fireworks and pyrotechnics at plank record events, comparing it with modern cricket coverage. The same contributor suggested doing a plank for the entire programme the following week, with no pyrotechnics or applause, as a challenge.

The story remains a short, feel-good record item. No further details about the woman, the attempt or official verification were given in the coverage.