The side plank is the plank turned ninety degrees: one forearm down, feet stacked, hips lifted so your body makes a straight line from the side. It loads the obliques and the muscles down the side of your trunk, which the standard plank barely touches, and it exposes a left-right difference immediately.
How to do it
- Elbow under the shoulder, hips stacked, and lift until the body is straight.
- Keep the top shoulder from rolling forward.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag, which is where the obliques stop working.
What it trains
- Obliques
- hold the hips up against gravity pulling them sideways to the floor
- Abs
- keep the ribcage from twisting open or folding forward
- Hip abductors
- stabilise the top of the stacked leg position
- Shoulder
- supports a large share of your weight on one arm
Variations and alternatives
Common questions
How long should I hold a side plank?
20 to 45 seconds per side is a realistic working range, and the weaker side sets the number. Hold the strong side to the same time rather than to failure, so the gap actually closes instead of staying where it is.
What do I do if I cannot hold a side plank at all?
Bend your knees and support on the lower knee instead of your feet. That shortens the lever enough for almost anyone to hold a clean position, and moving one knee out to straighten the bottom leg is the next step up.
Should my feet be stacked or staggered?
Stacked is harder and staggered is steadier. Put the top foot in front on the floor when you are learning the position, then stack once you can hold the hips high without wobbling.
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