Side Plank

Published: 17 Feb 2023

The side plank is a great exercise to help improve support and stability of the lower back.  It’s a great way to activate some of the lower back and abdominal muscle that are really difficult to get any other way.

Once you have some endurance doing the “ordinary everyday” plank and the lumbar extension exercises, start trying the side plank.  This one is a little more involved with getting the set up right.  It can be hard on shoulder joints if you get it wrong.  Take some time to go through the video and read instruction below.  Go slow and build up gradually so you won’t develop other problems.

  • lying on your right side, prop yourself up on your right elbow directly under your shoulder
  • right leg is out straight, left leg slightly overlapping to the front so left foot can touch the floor
  • lift left hip to the sky so you are now a straight line between shoulder and ankle.
  • hold 30 sec, repeat other side
  • if shoulder feels weak or pain, try sliding elbow in under ribs a little to improve stability
  • repeat lying on left side

Like I said with the plank, if that’s too hard it’s ok to “cheat”.  Not only is ok to cheat but often a good idea to start here:

  • again lying on right side, bend both knees to 90, keeping straight line from shoulder to knee
  • prop yourself up on right elbow as described above
  • lift left hip up to sky so you have straight line from knee to shoulder
  • there will be less weight to lift and decreased leverage so you can hold for longer and improve stability better
  • if shoulder feels weak or pain, try sliding elbow in under ribs a little to improve stability
  • repeat lying on left side
  • once you can do this version for 30sec easily, try the “full version” with legs out straight like described above

The most common mistake that can aggravate the shoulder is the support elbow being too far “above the line of the shoulder”.  Sometimes it’s better to tuck elbow down under ribs a little.