- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadNone flagged
- One side at a time
Lie on your side with your knees bent behind you, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder.
First cueKeep the hips forward and high.
How to do the Kneeling Side Plank
Set up. Lie on your side with your knees bent behind you, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder.
- Lift your hips so your body forms a line from head to knees.
- Hold for the target time.
- Lower and switch sides.
Form cues
- Keep the hips forward and high.
- Push the floor away.
- Breathe steadily.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag.
- Sitting the hips back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Obliques. The obliques wrap the sides of the waist. They turn and bend the trunk, and resist being turned or bent, which is the rotation work most gym programmes leave out.
On the way: Abs.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Kneeling Side Plank, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Same core session: it trains the lower back.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Kneeling Side Plank first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Kneeling Side Plank 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Russian Twist 3 × 12 to 30 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Side Bend
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Pallof Press
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Side Plank.
Other variations of the Side Plank: Copenhagen Plank.
Do before it: Kneeling Side Plank (same movement, lighter) and Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Kneeling Side Plank is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Kneeling Side Plank?
Set up: Lie on your side with your knees bent behind you, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder. Steps: 1. Lift your hips so your body forms a line from head to knees. 2. Hold for the target time. 3. Lower and switch sides. Form cues: Keep the hips forward and high. Push the floor away. Breathe steadily. Common mistakes: Letting the hips sag. Sitting the hips back.
What muscles does the Kneeling Side Plank work?
It trains the obliques as its main target and works the abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Kneeling Side Plank?
At home: Side Bend. In a gym: Pallof Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Kneeling Side Plank with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension.