Side plank

Muscles worked

How to do it

1. Lie on one side with the elbow under the shoulder and the legs stacked.
2. Lift the hips until the body is straight from head to heels.
3. Hold, with the top hip stacked over the bottom one.
4. Lower, then switch sides.

Common mistakes

• The hips sagging toward the floor — lift and squeeze the glutes.
• Rolling the top hip back or forward — keep the hips stacked.
• Sagging through a full side plank you can't yet hold — plank from the knees until you can.

Swap it for