How to do the Side Plank (Male)
CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate
The side plank is one of the most effective anti-lateral-flexion exercises you can do, training your core to resist forces that everyday movements constantly throw at it. Master this position and you build the deep oblique and spinal stability that carries over to every lift and athletic movement you perform.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back
Step-by-step
- Stack your feet and prop yourself up on one forearm, keeping your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
- Drive your hips off the floor until your body forms a perfectly straight line from head to heel.
- Brace your abs and glutes hard, keeping your top hand on your hip or extended toward the ceiling.
- Hold the position with controlled breathing, then lower under control and repeat on the other side.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which eliminates the anti-lateral-flexion demand entirely — consciously push your hips up and hold them there throughout the set.
- Rotating the torso forward or backward to compensate for limited stability — keep your chest facing the wall in front of you and your body in one rigid plane.
- Craning the neck up or dropping the head down, which misaligns the spine — keep your head neutral as if balancing a book on your ear.
Pro tip — Exhale sharply and contract your obliques as if trying to pull your bottom rib toward your hip bone — this internal cue dramatically increases core tension and turns a passive hold into an active muscular challenge.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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