What is side to plank? The side plank is a great exercise for strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, which don't get worked during ab exercises such as crunches. You will hold your body on your side in straight position supported only by one arm and the side of one foot.
How to do a perfect side plank?
The Basic Plank
- Plant the hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder width apart) like you’re about to do a push-up.
- Ground the toes into the floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the bottom half of the body. ...
- Neutralize the neck and spine by looking at the floor about a foot in front of the hands. ...
How do you do a side plank?
Side Plank
- Begin in plank pose, making sure your shoulders are positioned over your wrists. Your shoulders, hips and ankles should align.
- Shift your weight to your right hand, then drop both heels to your right side. ...
- Raise your inner hip to the ceiling to engage your inner oblique. ...
- Bring your arm overhead, palm facing down. ...
- Switch sides and repeat. ...
How to do side plank for beginners?
- Place your hands directly under your shoulders. ...
- Press through your shoulders and dome your upper back to protect your shoulder sockets and strengthen your chest muscles (pectoralis major/minor).
- Micro-bend your elbows to shield your joints against unnecessary pressure.
What are the best side plank variations?
Slide plank crunch
- Start with a straight arm side plank on your right side.
- Your hips, knees, feet and right shoulder should be balanced on the right wrist and right foot.
- Now put your left hand behind your head.
- Bend through left side to perform crunches and bring your left knee in towards the elbow.
- Do 8-10 crunches then switch sides.
Which is better plank or side plank?
Side plank creates greater stability for the shoulders, hips, and spine, and allows us to opt out of our habitual pattern of rounding forward. That's why it's well worth adding more variety into your yoga practice by replacing a few of those regular plank poses with side planks.
What muscles does a side plank work?
It primarily uses the oblique abdominal muscles, but your gluteus medius and gluteus maximus—the side and back hip muscles—are put to work to help stabilize the hips. Plus, your shoulder stabilizers keep you in alignment, says Bonney.
What are front and side planks?
2:293:49Front & Side Plank - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAgain you're going to put your weight on your hand your forearm and your elbow of the downside arm.MoreAgain you're going to put your weight on your hand your forearm and your elbow of the downside arm. You're going to keep the feet stacked. And you're going to lift. Up.
Are side planks a good exercise?
Side planks are a great core strengthening exercise, and they work so much more than just your abs. They engage one side of your body at a time and use your shoulders, obliques, and hips to stabilize your body in the plank position.
How long should you side plank?
The longer you hold the side plank, the better. Anything in excess of a minute is good, two minutes plus is excellent. To make the exercise harder, straighten your supporting arm with the palm flat on the mat.
Do side planks slim your waist?
1) Doing planks will shrink your waistline. As the transversus abdominus gets stronger from doing planks, it will tighten your waistline all the way around in a way that crunches never could.
How do you do a plank and side plank?
1:363:06How To Do A Side Plank | The Right Way | Well+Good - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipChest is facing the side wall you want to ensure that the hips are not too low or not too high. SoMoreChest is facing the side wall you want to ensure that the hips are not too low or not too high. So you hold them right in the center by engaging the core.
Which plank is more challenging?
straight arm plankA straight arm plank is going to be more challenging, says O'Brien. But “dropping to the elbows can help you maintain proper form because it's easier to hold,” she says.
Can you do side planks everyday?
How often should you do planks? You can perform a plank every day, on alternate days, or simply as part of your regular workouts. (I sometimes like to do mine during workday breaks.)
Do side planks burn fat?
The longer you can hold the pose without compromising your posture, the better it is for you. In the beginning, it is difficult to stay in the pose for even 30 seconds. With time you can increase the number. Planks help to strengthen the core, burn overall fat and also help to correct your posture.
How many side planks should I do a day?
As a general guideline, Doug Sklar, a certified personal trainer and founder of PhilanthroFIT in New York City, recommends striving to do three sets of up to 60 seconds. “It's OK to start with shorter sets and work up to 60 seconds,” he says.
Which is the best abs exercise?
The Best Abs Workout: The Only 6 Exercises You Need to Get a Six-PackHardstyle plank. Equipment: None. ... Dead bug. Equipment: None. ... Hollow extension-to-cannonball. Equipment: None. ... Dumbbell side bend. Equipment: Single medium-weight dumbbell. ... Barbell back squat. Equipment: Barbell—no weights, though. ... Bird dog. Equipment: None.
Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert.
Benefits
The primary muscles used are the obliques, along with the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus to stabilize the hips. Your shoulder stabilizers keep you aligned as well. 2
Step-by-Step Instructions
Lie on your right side, legs extended and stacked from hip to feet. The elbow of your right arm is directly under your shoulder. Ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Your left arm can be aligned along the left side of your body.
Modifications and Variations
You can do side planks in different ways to help make them more accessible or to provide more of a challenge as you progress.
Safety and Precautions
You should avoid side plank if you have an injury to your shoulder, arm, elbow, or ankle. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about whether it is appropriate if you have any other injuries or conditions. Stop if you feel pain at any time.
Try It Out
Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts:
What Is a Side Plank?
Simply put, side planks, a variation of traditional planks, are stability exercises that strengthen your core, says Chimenti. They tap into your obliques more than a regular plank.
What Are the Benefits of Side Planks?
Side planks strengthen your whole core and body. But importantly, they strengthen your core without putting pressure on your lower back, says Chimenti. Many times, in doing core exercises, we end up putting more pressure on our lower backs than we intend to.
How to Perform a Side Plank
Here’s how to make sure you’re doing a side plank with proper form, according to the trainers.
Modifications
Side planks can be modified depending on whether you want to increase or decrease the intensity of the move.
Safety Considerations
Side planks are suitable for most everyone. “Even our pregnant clients benefit greatly from side plank work. Just always make sure you take the modification option and listen to your body,” says Rockovich.
The Final Takeaway
Side planks are a great core strengthening exercise, and they work so much more than just your abs. They engage one side of your body at a time and use your shoulders, obliques, and hips to stabilize your body in the plank position.
Definition - What does Side Plank Pose mean?
Side plank pose is a challenging posture that strengthens the abdomen, legs and arms, as well as promotes mental focus and balance.
Yogapedia explains Side Plank Pose
Side plank pose increases balance while toning the abdomen (especially the side) and strengthening the legs and arms. It stretches and strengthens the wrist and can help prepare practitioners for more advanced arm-balancing poses.
During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced
To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.
The Side Plank – How To Do It The Right Way
Isometrics are key exercises to include in your routine to improve your stability and mind-body connection. They are a great way for you to target underactive muscles and really get them firing correctly.
3 Form Cues To Improve Your Side Planks
That’s why I wanted to share these 3 Key Form Cues to help you really proper engage the correct muscles as you hold.
1. Kneeling side plank with leg lift
How-to: Start in kneeling side plank on your right arm. Then extend your left leg out to the side. Your weight should now be supported by right arm and knee. Slowly lower your left leg until toes touch the floor. Squeeze your inner thighs and lift left leg back to the starting position. Complete 3 sets of 8–12 reps per side.
2. Side plank thread-through
Muscles engaged: Shoulders, lats (upper back), glutes, abs, and obliques
3. Side plank knee to elbow
How-to: Start in side plank on your forearm or hand, making sure shoulder and elbow/wrist are stacked. Reach your top arm in the direction of the top of your head. Keeping the hips high, pull your top elbow down and drive top knee to meet the elbow. Return to the starting position. Complete 3 sets of 8–12 reps per side.
4. Side plank hip dip
How-to: Start in forearm side plank, making sure your shoulder and elbow are stacked. Keeping hips stacked, lower the hips 2–4 inches toward the floor. Then drive the hips up 4–6 inches. Complete 3 sets of 10–15 reps per side.
5. Side plank with lateral raise
How-to: Start in forearm side plank with legs stacked. Hold a dumbbell in your top hand, with your arm resting along the side of your body. Slowly raise the weight, making sure not to extend beyond your shoulder. Lower your arm back down. Complete 3 sets of 8–10 reps per side.
6. Gym ball side plank
How-to: Get into side plank position, but instead of resting your forearm on the floor, rest it on an exercise ball. Move your front leg forward instead of stacking your legs for more stability. Keep top hand on hip or raise it toward the ceiling. Hold the position for 30 seconds on each side; do 3 sets.
7. Elevated side plank
How-to: Get into a side plank position with forearm on the floor and feet on an elevated surface (a bench, box, step, or chair). Contract your abs, pulling the belly button in toward the spine. Raise the hips so your body forms one straight line from top of head to feet. Hold for 30 seconds on each side; do 3 sets.
1. FOREARM PLANK
The forearm plank is slightly easier than when you're doing a straight-arm plank. If you're just beginning your plank journey, working on your form in this position is a great way to start.
2. STRAIGHT-ARM PLANK
One step above a forearm plank is the classic straight arm plank, where your hands are stacked under your shoulders as you hold your body in a straight line from your head to your feet.
3. Side plank
Instead of having the support of both of your arms, you add balance into the mix when you're holding a side plank. This can make the exercise feel even harder—and ignite an even greater burn!—than the traditional plank.
4. Windshield wiper plank
One simple way to make traditional planks even harder is to add a windshield wiper motion in. To do it, you start in a straight-arm plank, then—with a hand towel or slider under your right foot—you sweep your right leg out to the right side and bring it back in, keeping your opposite leg straight and sturdy the entire time.
5. BEAR PLANK
Bear planks make your entire body roar— seriously. Unlike the bear crawl, where you're on all fours with your knees hovering above the floor as you travel across the room, the bear plank is stationary. Even though it's a tiny movement, the burn is immediate.
6. SIDE PLANK MARCH
A step up from the side plank is the side plank march. The plank variation targets your entire body—specifically the obliques—as you add a marching motion while you're balancing on your side.
7. Reverse plank
This is a normal straight-arm plank, just reversed. While a traditional plank targets the front of your body, this version targets the back of your body too, making it even harder.
Benefits
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Lie on your right side, legs extended and stacked from hip to feet. The elbow of your right arm is directly under your shoulder. Ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Your left arm...
- Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine.
- Lift your hips and knees from the mat while exhaling. Your torso is straight in line with no sag…
- Lie on your right side, legs extended and stacked from hip to feet. The elbow of your right arm is directly under your shoulder. Ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Your left arm...
- Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine.
- Lift your hips and knees from the mat while exhaling. Your torso is straight in line with no sagging or bending. Hold the position.
- After several breaths, inhale and return to the starting position. The goal should be to hold for 60 seconds. Change sides and repeat.
Modifications and Variations
- You can do side planks in different ways to help make them more accessible or to provide more of a challenge as you progress.
Safety and Precautions
- You should avoid side plank if you have an injury to your shoulder, arm, elbow, or ankle. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about whether it is appropriate if you have any other injuries or conditions. Stop if you feel pain at any time.
Try It Out
- Incorporate this move and similar onesinto one of these popular workouts: 1. Ab exercises for your core 2. Bodyweight workout 3. Advanced ab workout