How to Do Side Plank Progressions and Regressions, by The Red Delta Project on YouTube. 4 min 52 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 52 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Lie on your side with legs straight and stacked, or bend your knees for an easier start. Rest your bottom forearm on the mat with the elbow directly under your shoulder.
Press your forearm into the floor and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to feet or knees. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs.
Hold the position while breathing steadily. Start with 10 to 20 seconds per side and add time as it gets easy.
To regress, bend your knees and rest them on the floor, or do the plank against a wall standing upright. This lowers the load on your obliques and hips.
To progress from the knee version, straighten your legs and stack your feet. Keep hips high and avoid letting them sag toward the floor.
For more challenge, lift the top arm toward the ceiling or raise the top leg. Only add these once the basic hold feels solid for 30 seconds per side.
Switch sides and repeat the same hold or progression. Keep the number of seconds equal on both sides.
Finish with two or three sets per side, resting 30 to 60 seconds between sets. Stop the set when your hips start to drop.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep your elbow under your shoulder to protect the joint.
Do not let your hips sink or rotate forward; stay stacked and straight.
Breathe normally instead of holding your breath during the hold.
If your lower back or shoulder hurts, drop back to the knee or wall version.
Questions
How long should I hold a side plank?
Start with 10 to 20 seconds per side and build toward 30 to 45 seconds. Once you can hold it comfortably, move to a harder version rather than only adding time.
What if I cannot lift my hips at all?
Use the wall version standing upright or the knee version first. Both build the same muscles with less body weight to support.
How often should I do side planks?
Two or three sessions a week is enough for most people. Leave a rest day between core sessions so the muscles can recover.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
