Master the Side Plank and Bulletproof your Obliques

Side planks are not just for fitness enthusiasts looking for washboard abs. They certainly can help with that but they are so much more than that.

The side plank builds resilience and function in an area of the body that is often weak for most people. Most of us don’t move our bodies in a way that brings life to the sides of our bodies.

The most popular exercises out there focus on sagittal plane movements, which target the front and back of the body. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, etc.

But the body moves in many other directions in sport and daily life. If you want your body to feel strong in a variety of activities, you need to make sure you’re programming exercises that build strength in these other planes of motion.

The side plank is one such exercise and done consistently, it will improve how your body moves in the frontal plane, aka, in side-to-side movements. In this article, I'll share my favorite versions of this awesome exercise, including dynamic and isometric variations. 

Side Plank - Muscles Worked

The side plank primarily works the oblique muscles, which are located on the side of your abdomen. But they also work many smaller and lesser known muscles all around the lumbo-pelvic-hip area.

If your goal is bodybuilding and purely aesthetic, then yes, it is helpful to think about exercise simply as a way to build muscle. But to be honest, if this is your goal, you’d probably be better off finding other exercises to grow your obliques than a simple bodyweight side plank.

If, on the other hand, your goal is to get stronger and to move better, then you don’t need to worry too much about which muscles a certain exercise develops.

Good exercises are those that naturally target many muscles. By extension, exercises that require you to move more will be optimal because the more movement demand, the more muscles worked.

This is why in addition to demonstrating a simple side plank hold in this article, I will also share with you more dynamic versions which will give you more bang for your buck.

How to do a Side Plank Exercise

When performing a static side plank hold, set up is key. You want to make sure you have solid alignment and are not leaking slack anywhere up or down stream.

A common compensation is flaring the ribs and arching the low back too much. Notice if that happens for you and if it does, think about tucking the pelvis and bringing the ribs down. 

Another compensation is allowing the side of your body that is on top to fall toward the ground. This usually happens if the target oblique is weak and the body is trying to “escape" the movement.

If you notice this happening, do your best to keep the body upright but also don’t force it too much. If it gets overwhelming, simply get out of the position, rest for a few minutes, and try it again. As you build more strength, you’ll be able to hold the position for longer.

Modified Side Plank (easier version)

If you can’t hold the above position for more than a few seconds, work on the kneeling side plank instead.

Regressing to your current level of ability is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s a sign of wisdom and maturity.

I used to never want to level down in exercise. I always wanted to push myself to do exercises that were too difficult for me. The result was no progress or strength. Just a stiff and painful body.

The strongest and most mobile people out there are ones that understand this principle in fitness. You need to master the basics first. The basics are different for everyone though and it depends on your training history and lifestyle.

If you’ve never trained before and work in an office all day then your starting point will be different than a former collegiate athlete. Know thyself, yeah?

Dynamic Side Plank Variations

We talked about regressions, now let’s talk about progressions. Once you feel confident holding the side plank for at least 30 seconds, I recommend you add a dynamic element to the movement.

As I explained earlier, the more you move in an exercise, the better, as this will challenge more muscles.

Side Plank Dips

This variation is great because it lengthens the obliques and other lateral core muscles in the movement. Instead of only getting an isometric stimulus as you do in a typical side plank, you will also get an eccentric contraction when dipping down like this.

Pay attention to whether one side feels significantly more challenging than the other. This can tell you a lot about how your body moves and what other exercises you should be exploring.

Side Plank Leg Lifts 

Let’s get the hips involved shall we? When you lift the leg out to the side like this, you’re contracting all those lateral hip muscles. More movement = more muscles = good stuff.

In addition to increasing the amount of reps and sets, you can also increase the intensity of the exercise by holding the leg in the air for longer. You can start with just a second at first but eventually move on to 5 seconds.

Side Plank Switches 

This one is my favorite. Why? Is it because it targets your obliques in the perfect way to get the most training effect? Nope. I love this one because it’s fun!

Yeah fun, remember that!? Movement should be enjoyable. Not something that is so prescriptive and scientific all the time.

Sure, sometimes it’s important to ensure you’re doing the right exercise in a certain way to make sure you reach your goals. But other times, you just gotta have some fun, right!?

Closing Thoughts 

There are two ways to look at fitness. The first is the view that exercise is something you MUST do in order to be normal, healthy and "functional," whatever this means. 

The second view is seeing fitness as an enjoyable activity that gets you moving. A way to connect to your body and away from the screen. 

When you look at exercise and movement this way, it is more likely it will become a sustainable habit that you do into old age. This is the ultimate goal, isn't it? To move with joy for as long as possible?