What muscles does the Side Plank work?

The Side Plank mainly works the obliques.

What equipment do you need for the Side Plank?

None: it is a bodyweight exercise.

How many sets and reps of the Side Plank?

2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps, or holds of 20 to 60 seconds. Rest 30 to 90 seconds. Progress by slowing the reps, lengthening the hold or adding load, not by rushing.

What can I do instead of the Side Plank?

Band Pallof Press, Cable Horizontal Rotation, Cable Oblique Crunch and Cable Pallof Press work the same main muscle.

Side Plank

Stack the feet and prop on one forearm, lifting the hips to a straight line and bracing the down-side obliques.

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Demo video from YouTube, played in its own player.

Muscles worked: Obliques
Equipment: Bodyweight
Movement: Core

How to do the Side Plank

The side plank holds your body in a straight line while propped on one forearm. It trains the obliques and the muscles along the side of the hip to resist bending sideways, a role the front plank does not cover.

Set up

1Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor and your elbow under your shoulder.
2Stack your legs straight on top of each other, or place your top foot in front for more balance.

The movement

1Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to feet.
2Keep your hips stacked, without rolling forward or back.
3Brace and breathe slowly while you hold.
4Lower with control and switch sides.

Cues

Push the floor away with your forearm
Hips high and stacked
Long line from head to heels
Breathe slowly

Common mistakes

Hips drooping toward the floor.: Lift your bottom hip higher and shorten the hold until you can keep it up.
Rolling the chest toward the floor.: Keep your top shoulder stacked over the bottom one.
Sinking into the supporting shoulder.: Press your forearm into the floor so your shoulder stays active.

Also works: Glute medius, Quadratus lumborum, Transverse abdominis, Shoulder stabilizers

Make it easier

Hold it from your knees with your knees bent to 90 degrees.

Make it harder

Add movement with the Side Plank with Hip Dip, or load the inner thigh with the Copenhagen Plank.

Sets and reps

2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps, or holds of 20 to 60 seconds.
Rest 30 to 90 seconds. Progress by slowing the reps, lengthening the hold or adding load, not by rushing.

General ranges, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts.

In our free programs

Baseline Assessment: Week 1 · Session 3 · Pull, power and carry baselinesBASELINE — seconds per side, capped at 45s. A big left/right gap is worth chasing.1×45 @ BW

Alternatives

Other exercises for the obliques, for when the bodyweight is taken or you want a change.

Questions

What muscles does the Side Plank work?: The Side Plank mainly works the obliques.
What equipment do you need for the Side Plank?: None: it is a bodyweight exercise.
How many sets and reps of the Side Plank?: 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps, or holds of 20 to 60 seconds. Rest 30 to 90 seconds. Progress by slowing the reps, lengthening the hold or adding load, not by rushing.
What can I do instead of the Side Plank?: Band Pallof Press, Cable Horizontal Rotation, Cable Oblique Crunch and Cable Pallof Press work the same main muscle.

Program it for your clients

Coaches add the Side Plank to any workout in CoachVana, set the sets, reps, load and rest, and clients see this demo as they train.

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