- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadNone flagged
- One side at a time
Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder.
First cueKeep the hips high and stacked.
How to do the Side Plank
Set up. Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder.
- Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to feet.
- Hold for the target time.
- Lower and switch sides.
Form cues
- Keep the hips high and stacked.
- Push the floor away with the forearm.
- Keep the head in line.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sink.
- Rolling forward or 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 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 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.
- 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: Plank.
Other variations of the Plank: Hollow Hold, Bear Hold, Plank Shoulder Tap and Mountain Climber.
Its variations: Copenhagen Plank and Kneeling Side Plank.
Do before it: Kneeling Side Plank (same movement, lighter) and Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the 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 Side Plank?
Set up: Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked, resting on your forearm with the elbow under your shoulder. Steps: 1. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to feet. 2. Hold for the target time. 3. Lower and switch sides. Form cues: Keep the hips high and stacked. Push the floor away with the forearm. Keep the head in line. Common mistakes: Letting the hips sink. Rolling forward or back.
What muscles does the 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 Side Plank?
At home: Side Bend. In a gym: Pallof Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Side Plank with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension.