Elbow Side Plank

What you'll gain

• Builds oblique strength and side-core stability.

• Improves spinal control and resistance to side-bending under load.

• Strengthens shoulder and hip stabilizers in a single hold.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Lie on your side with your forearm flat on the floor and your elbow stacked directly under your shoulder.

2. 2

   Stack your feet on top of each other and engage your core to create tension through your whole body.

3. 3

   Lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.

4. 4

   Brace your top hand on your hip or extend it straight up toward the ceiling for balance.

5. 5

   Hold the position with steady breathing, keeping your hips lifted and your shoulders square.

6. 6

   Lower your hips back down with control after the target time, then switch sides and repeat.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the hips sag toward the floor mid-hold, which removes the obliques from the work and loads the shoulder.

• Rotating the chest toward the floor instead of keeping the torso stacked and squared up.

• Placing the supporting elbow ahead of or behind the shoulder, which strains the shoulder joint.

• Holding your breath through the set instead of breathing steadily, which cuts hold time short.

About This Exercise

The elbow side plank is one of the cleanest ways to train the obliques and the muscles along the side of the torso. Bracing on one forearm with hips lifted, the entire side body has to fire to hold a straight line. It's an isometric movement, so the work is in the hold — keeping the hips up and the body stacked from heel to head. For an app or course, this clip slots into core work, beginner onboarding flows, and posture-focused mobility blocks. It's an easy teaching piece because the failure point is visual — when the hips drop, the user can see it. Ship it as the entry point for a full side-plank progression library and as a staple in any home or bodyweight track.

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