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The side plank is an awesome exercise for improving the core muscles, mainly obliques, as well as shoulders, hips and lower back. Here are some reasons why you should consider including side planks in your workout schedule.
Core Strengthening: Side planks concentrate on the oblique muscles which are critical in maintaining stability of the spine and good posture.
Balance and Stability Improvement: When one of the body’s sides holds a plank through contraction of muscles, it helps to enhance general balance of the body system.
Reduces Risk of Lower Back Pain: Building up abdominal muscles like obliques assists in supporting the spinal column hence reducing lower back pain occurrence.
Functional Strength Increase: Side planks mimic movements that we usually make every day hence they are great when it comes to developing strength that can be applied in normal activities.
Variety: You can include many different forms of side planks to focus on diverse muscle groups and add freshness into your exercises.
Starting Position: Lie on your side with legs straight and stacked one above another. Place your elbow under your shoulder so that forearm is perpendicular to your body on floor.
Work your core: Crunch through your tummy muscles and lift your bum with a straight line from the head to the heels. You should be at an angle as if you are planking.
Line up: Make sure your shoulder, hip and ankle are in a single line with no bending or arching of the body.
Keep breathing normally: Try not to hold breaths when working out.
Hold it there: Ideally, aim for 20-30 seconds duration for beginning positions of side planks, increasing gradually as more strength is developed over time.
Move to other side: Change to the other side after maintaining one position on one side and redoing it again.
If you find this version too hard initially, try doing the full version where you keep both knees off the floor. As you get stronger move towards completing the whole version of this exercise
Hear what your body says: If there is any pain or even discomfort in any part of your shoulder or lower back, terminate that movement and consult a fitness expert immediately.
The inclusion of side planks in regular exercise regimes will improve stability, strengthen core muscles and enhance overall functional power. Like any exercise, correct posture and technique are essential for optimizing results while protecting against injuries.
