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Side planks are a great way to challenge your core muscles and promote trunk, pelvis, hip, and shoulder stability.
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Here are 5 variations you can try:
1️⃣ Side Plank Thrusters - start in a side plank and lower your hips towards the ground then lift them right back up again
🔹 You should feel this mostly on the side that is towards the ground
🔹 Keep your shoulder strong and prevent that pinching behind your shoulder blade by continuing to push your forearm into the ground
2️⃣ Side Plank with Hip Abduction - maintaining a side plank position, lift the top leg up until your knee and ankle are in line with your hip, then slowly lower it back down again
🔹 This exercise targets the gluteus medius
🔹 To feel it even more in your glutes, slightly rotate your toes toward the ground and lead with your heel
3️⃣ Thread the Needle - from a side plank position, rotate the top arm down and between your body and the floor, then rotate it back up again
🔹 This variation is great for shoulder stability as it produces a body on arm motion
🔹 Keep your core nice and strong to control those rotations
4️⃣ Top Leg Crunch - in a side plank position with your top hand behind your head, bring your top elbow and knee towards each other and then kick back out again
🔹 If this is too difficult, try dropping your bottom knee to the ground
🔹 You can target your side a little more by externally rotating your top hip and performing more of a side bend than a crunch
5️⃣ Rotisserie Planks - start in a forearm plank position, rotate into a forearm plank, and then rotate to the other side
🔹 Maintain control over your body as you rotate, keep movements slow, keep shoulders, hips, and ankles in one straight line when you rotate to the side
🔹 Keep pushing the floor away from you throughout the entire movement
🔹 Don't let your hips pop up or your stomach to sag towards the floor as you rotate
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⭐️ REMEMBER ⭐️
🔹 You always want to be actively pushing the floor away from you through your forearm to avoid that pinching pain you might experience in your shoulder blade and thoracic spine
🔹 Keep your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in a straight line
🔹 If these are too difficult you can modify by putting your lower knee on the ground
🔹 If these are too easy or if you want to add more challenging scapular/shoulder stability then raise up into a full side plank instead of a forearm side plank
🔹 Keep your chin tucked and cervical spine in line with the rest of your spine
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Happy Planking!
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