Side Plank: How to Do It, Muscles Worked, Benefits and Variations
How to do a side plank with good form, the muscles it works, easier and harder versions, how long to hold it and what the research says about its benefits for your back and hips.
The side plank is a core hold in which you balance on one forearm and the side of one foot, keeping your body in a straight line. It trains your obliques, the deep muscles at the side of your lower back and the hip muscles that keep your pelvis level. It needs no equipment, has easy wall and kneeling versions, and suits beginners, older adults and athletes.
| Primary muscles | Obliques (external and internal) and quadratus lumborum, a deep muscle at the side of the lower back |
| Secondary muscles | Gluteus medius (side of the hip), lower back muscles, deep abdominals, shoulder muscles of the supporting arm |
| Equipment | None (a mat helps) |
| Difficulty | Beginner on the knees or against a wall; intermediate on the feet |
| Movement pattern | Core: anti-lateral flexion (resisting bending sideways) |
| Good for | Side-to-side core endurance, hip stability, back-friendly core work, balancing front-plank training |
| Starting sets and reps | 3 to 5 holds of 10 to 15 seconds per side, 3 days a week |
How to do a side plank
- Lie on your right side with your legs straight and your feet stacked. For more balance, put your top foot on the floor just in front of the bottom one.
- Prop yourself up on your right forearm, elbow directly under your shoulder, forearm pointing forward.
- Brace your stomach lightly and squeeze your glutes.
- Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Push the floor away with your forearm so your shoulder does not sink toward your ear. Rest your top hand on your hip.
- Breathe and hold for your target time, usually 10 to 30 seconds.
- Lower your hips with control, then switch sides and match the time.
Form cues
- Feel it along the side of your waist nearest the floor and in the side of your hip.
- Look straight ahead so your head stays in line with your spine.
- Keep your hips pushed slightly forward and stacked, not drifting back into a pike.
- Press your top leg up as if lifting it, while it stays on the bottom one. That switches on your hip muscles.
- Breathe steadily, and end the hold when your hips start to drop.
Muscles worked
The side plank stops your trunk from bending toward the floor, a job shared by the obliques, quadratus lumborum, back muscles and hip muscles. In a lab study of 18 adults aged 23 to 45, a side plank on the feet produced the highest external oblique activity of ten core exercises, about 62% of maximum, against 40% for a front plank. Lower back muscle activity was 29%, against 5% in the front plank. From the knees, the oblique figure fell to about 37% (1).
Studies with fine-wire electrodes inside the muscles agree. In four young adults, the quadratus lumborum was more active than the other muscles measured during a side support, at about 54% of maximum, and the researchers called it a wise way to train that muscle (2). In eight volunteers, the side bridge was the best of the abdominal exercises tested, because it worked the abdominal wall hard while keeping the psoas, a hip flexor attached to the lower spine, relatively quiet (3).
It is also a hip exercise. In 30 healthy adults, the side bridge activated the gluteus medius and external oblique strongly enough that the authors suggested it could strengthen both (4). Lifting the top leg makes it harder: in 24 healthy adults, side planks with a leg lift were the top two gluteus medius exercises of 18 tested, at 89% and 103% of maximum (5).
Keep this in perspective. These small studies of healthy people show which muscles switch on, not how much they will grow, so treat the side plank as an endurance and control exercise.
Common mistakes
- Sagging hips. Your waist drops toward the floor. Fix: lift until you are in a straight line, or drop to your knees.
- Hips piked back or rolled forward. Fix: stack your hips and keep your chest open. A phone video from the front settles it.
- Elbow out of place. An elbow in front of or behind your shoulder strains it. Fix: elbow directly under the shoulder, then push the floor away.
- Dropping your head. Fix: eyes forward, neck long.
- Holding your breath. Fix: short, steady breaths. If you cannot breathe, choose an easier version.
- Favoring your strong side. Most people have a weaker side. Fix: start with it, and give both sides the same time.
Variations: easier and harder
| Level | Variation | Why and when |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest | Wall side plank: stand side-on to a wall, forearm on it at shoulder height, feet stepped out | Very light load; a first step, or when getting down to the floor is hard |
| Easier | Incline side plank: forearm on a bench, sturdy chair or counter | The higher the surface, the easier; no pressure on the knees |
| Easier | Side plank from the knees, knees bent behind you | Shorter lever and clearly less oblique work (1) |
| Standard | Forearm side plank on the feet, stacked or staggered | The reference version described above; staggered feet are steadier |
| Standard | Straight-arm side plank on the hand | More shoulder work; harder on the wrist |
| Harder | Side plank with a top-leg lift | The top gluteus medius exercise in an EMG comparison (5) |
| Harder | Side plank hip dips: lower the hips a few inches, then lift them | Adds movement; 30 seconds per side is a common dose |
Stuart McGill’s spine lab measured easier and harder forms of the side bridge and found each step up added a reasonable increase in demand (6), so move up one row at a time. If a joint objects:
- Wrists: stay on your forearm.
- Shoulders: use the wall or incline version, which takes most of your weight off the bottom arm.
- Knees: the kneeling version presses on the side of the bottom knee, so pad it or use the incline version.
What if you can’t do a side plank yet?
Start at the wall and lower the surface over a few weeks. Meanwhile, three alternatives train similar control. A Pallof press with a band resists twisting, as in our guide to the best core exercises after 40. A suitcase carry, one weight in one hand while you resist leaning, is covered in our farmers walk guide. And the bird dog exercise trains the back and hips on your hands and knees.
Sets, reps and how often
| Goal | What to do | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Beginners and back-friendly core | 3 to 5 holds of 10 seconds per side, from the knees or an incline; add one hold or a few seconds each week | 3 to 4 days a week |
| Core endurance | 2 to 4 holds of 15 to 30 seconds per side on the feet, under 90 seconds of rest | 2 to 4 days a week |
| Harder trunk and hip work | 2 to 3 sets of 10-second holds with a leg lift, or 8 to 12 hip dips per side | 2 to 3 days a week |
For muscular endurance, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends many repetitions with short rests, under 90 seconds (7). Its 2026 review of 137 systematic reviews found strength improved with at least 2 sessions a week (8). Neither tested side planks, so treat these as starting points.
How long should you hold a side plank?
No study has found an ideal time. McGill has said that “repeated holds of 10 seconds” are best for the average person, and the side bridge is one of his big three for back health (9). In his lab, six weeks of isometric core training raised torso stiffness more than dynamic training did in 24 young men (10).
Expect your side plank to be shorter than your other holds. In McGill’s database of 75 healthy young adults, men held the side bridge for about 65% as long as a back-extension hold, and women for only 39% (11). Once 30 seconds per side feels steady, move to a harder version rather than holding longer.
Side plank benefits: what the evidence shows
- Stronger sides of the core and hips. It works the obliques, quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius more than most core moves (1, 2, 5).
- A useful back exercise, not a cure. A Cochrane review of 249 trials found exercise cut chronic low back pain by about 15 points on a 0 to 100 scale compared with no treatment, usual care or placebo (12); we grade that claim in our evidence index. But stabilization-style exercise was no better than other exercise across 29 trials (13). The side plank earns its place in our lower back pain exercises as one good option.
- Scoliosis: unproven. In a 2014 case series of 25 people, a daily one-sided side plank was followed by a 32% average reduction in the main curve (14). But in a randomized trial of 64 adolescents, six months of side planks changed nothing, and only a third stuck with it (15). It is no substitute for a spine specialist.
Side plank vs plank vs dead bug: which is better?
None is better; each resists a different direction. The front plank stops your back from sagging, the side plank stops you bending sideways, and the dead bug stops your back arching while your limbs move. In 13 healthy adults measured with ultrasound, the side plank thickened the external and internal obliques more than the bird dog, and the internal obliques more than the dead bug, while the deepest abdominal layer worked to a similar degree in all of them (16). Most people benefit from all three: see our plank exercise and dead bug exercise guides.
Is it safe? Who should be careful
For most people, yes. Stop if you feel sharp pain, pain spreading down a leg, or numbness or tingling.
- Older adults. Should a 70-year-old do planks? Usually, yes. The World Health Organization recommends regular muscle-strengthening activity at every age (17). The wall or incline version avoids getting down to the floor.
- High blood pressure or heart disease. Hard holds raise blood pressure sharply. In 62 healthy young adults, a front plank to fatigue pushed diastolic pressure past 115 mmHg in 97% of them after about 50 seconds, though no one had an adverse event (18). Ask your doctor first, keep holds short and keep breathing.
- Shoulder pain. The bottom shoulder carries much of your weight. Use the wall version and stop if you feel pinching.
- Pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says exercise is safe and desirable in an uncomplicated pregnancy, with some changes (19). The wall version suits later pregnancy. If a ridge appears down the middle of your belly, ask your provider.
- Hernia or recent abdominal surgery. Get clearance first.
See a physical therapist or doctor if pain lasts more than a few days or keeps returning. This page is general information, not medical advice; see our medical disclaimer.
Watch it done
Our video 10 isometric holds that fix most mobility problems teaches the side plank as the eighth of its ten holds, at 30 seconds per side. Its cues match this page: elbow under the shoulder, feet stacked, a straight line with no sagging or piking, the forearm pressing down and the top leg pressing up. For the moving version, our 10-move no-equipment circuit finishes with side plank hip dips, 30 seconds per side.
Looking for your next move? Browse every guide in our exercise library, sorted by muscle group, equipment and level.
Sources
- Escamilla RF, et al. Muscle activation among supine, prone, and side position exercises with and without a Swiss ball. Sports Health. 2016;8(4):372-379. PubMed 27302152
- McGill S, Juker D, Kropf P. Quantitative intramuscular myoelectric activity of quadratus lumborum during a wide variety of tasks. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 1996;11(3):170-172. PubMed 11415616
- Juker D, et al. Quantitative intramuscular myoelectric activity of lumbar portions of psoas and the abdominal wall during a wide variety of tasks. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998;30(2):301-310. PubMed 9502361
- Ekstrom RA, Donatelli RA, Carp KC. Electromyographic analysis of core trunk, hip, and thigh muscles during 9 rehabilitation exercises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2007;37(12):754-762. PubMed 18560185
- Boren K, et al. Electromyographic analysis of gluteus medius and gluteus maximus during rehabilitation exercises. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2011;6(3):206-223. PubMed 22034614
- McGill SM, Karpowicz A. Exercises for spine stabilization: motion/motor patterns, stability progressions, and clinical technique. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009;90(1):118-126. PubMed 19154838
- American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. PubMed 19204579
- Currier BS, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Resistance training prescription for muscle function, hypertrophy, and physical performance in healthy adults: an overview of reviews. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026;58(4):851-872. PubMed 41843416
- Patel A. Can you hold a plank for a minute? You may be doing it wrong. Global News. April 18, 2018 (reporting Stuart McGill’s interview with The Telegraph). globalnews.ca
- Lee BC, McGill SM. Effect of long-term isometric training on core/torso stiffness. J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(6):1515-1526. PubMed 26010794
- McGill SM, Childs A, Liebenson C. Endurance times for low back stabilization exercises: clinical targets for testing and training from a normal database. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999;80(8):941-944. PubMed 10453772
- Hayden JA, et al. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;9(9):CD009790. PubMed 34580864
- Saragiotto BT, et al. Motor control exercise for chronic non-specific low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;2016(1):CD012004. PubMed 26742533
- Fishman LM, Groessl EJ, Sherman KJ. Serial case reporting yoga for idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis. Glob Adv Health Med. 2014;3(5):16-21. PubMed 25568820
- Sarkisova N, et al. Side plank pose exercises for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Glob Adv Health Med. 2019;8:2164956119887720. PubMed 31723480
- Bini RR, Bini AF. Comparison of linea alba length and core-muscles engagement during core and lower back orientated exercises. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021;28:131-137. PubMed 34776131
- Bull FC, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. PubMed 33239350
- Jones MD, et al. Acute blood pressure responses to plank and wall sit isometric exercise in adults. J Hypertens. 2026;44(2):288-294. PubMed 41252651
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period: ACOG Committee Opinion, Number 804. Obstet Gynecol. 2020;135(4):e178-e188. PubMed 32217980
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our Medical Disclaimer before changing your exercise, diet, or supplement routine.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of doing side planks?
Side planks build endurance in the obliques, the quadratus lumborum at the side of the lower back and the gluteus medius at the side of the hip, muscles that front planks and crunches work far less. In lab studies the side plank produced the highest oblique activity of ten core exercises. It is a useful, back-friendly part of a core routine, but no single exercise fixes back pain, and claims that side planks correct scoliosis did not hold up in a randomized trial.
What can I do if I canu2019t do a side plank?
Start with an easier version: a wall side plank with your forearm against a wall, an incline side plank with your forearm on a bench or counter, or a side plank from your knees. Lower the surface over a few weeks. A band Pallof press, a one-handed suitcase carry and the bird dog train similar side-to-side control in the meantime.
How long should you hold a side plank?
There is no proven ideal. Spine researcher Stuart McGill favors repeated holds of about 10 seconds for most people. A practical plan is 3 to 5 holds of 10 to 15 seconds per side, building toward 30 seconds. Expect your side plank to be shorter than your front plank, and once 30 seconds feels steady, make it harder with a leg lift or hip dips rather than holding longer.
Should a 70 year old do planks?
Most healthy older adults can, and the World Health Organization recommends regular muscle-strengthening activity at every age. Start with wall or incline versions, which also avoid getting down to the floor, keep holds short and keep breathing. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or recent surgery should check with their doctor first, because hard holds raise blood pressure sharply.
Are dead bugs better than planks?
Neither is better; they train different jobs. A plank resists your back sagging, a side plank resists bending sideways and a dead bug resists your back arching while your arms and legs move. The deepest abdominal layer works to a similar degree in all of them, while the side plank works the obliques hardest. Most people benefit from including all three.
