Core and shoulders
3 Side Plank variations, from gentlest to strongest
Also called vasisthasana, side plank exercise, side bridge.
The sideways version, which trains the muscles down the side of the trunk that a front plank misses. Knees-down and incline versions make it available well before the full one is.
Start here
The list runs from the most supported version to the most demanding. Side Plank: Wall is the one to begin with. Harder is not better: the version you can do without gripping is the one doing the work.
Every version in the library
1 · Stability / Core · 20 to 60 seconds
Side Plank: Wall
The gentlest introduction to lateral core activation: the wall supports most of your body weight so you can safely learn to engage your side-body muscles.
2 · Stability / Core · 20 to 40 seconds
Side Plank: Knees-Down
Builds lateral core stability at reduced load, offering meaningful side-body strengthening while keeping the challenge appropriate for bodies still building strength.
Make it work for you: Wall version. Blanket under knee. Wall
3 · Stability / Core · 20 to 40 seconds
Side Plank: Full
Strengthens your lateral core chain under high demand, building the side-body stability that is essential for protecting your spine during rotational and side-loading activities.
Make it work for you: Forearm. Knees-down. Wall
Common questions
What muscles does a side plank work?
The muscles down the side of the trunk that a front plank misses, along with the shoulder and hip of the side you are supported on. It is a stability exercise: the work is holding still, not moving.
What is the easiest side plank variation?
The wall version. Leaning sideways on a wall takes most of your body weight, so you can learn the position without the load. Knees-down on the floor is the next step, and the full side plank comes last.
How long should I hold a side plank?
20 to 40 seconds for the knees-down and full versions, and up to 60 seconds at the wall. Stop the hold when your hips start to sag rather than pushing to a target time.
Should I be on my hand or my forearm?
The forearm takes the load off the wrist, and it is the version the library suggests whenever the wrist or shoulder complains. The rest of the position stays the same.
When should I stop and get it checked?
Stop if it sends symptoms down a leg. And speak to someone rather than working through back pain that followed a fall or accident, comes with fever or unexplained weight loss, wakes you at night regardless of position, or comes with leg weakness. The box below sets out the NICE guidance behind this.
When to stop and ask someone
Nothing on this page can tell whether what you are feeling is ordinary mechanical back pain or something that needs looking at, and the published guidance is direct about that distinction. NICE asks clinicians to think about alternative diagnoses when symptoms are new or have changed, and to exclude specific causes such as cancer, infection, trauma or inflammatory disease.
In practice that means stopping and speaking to someone rather than working through it if the pain followed a significant fall or accident, if it comes with fever or unexplained weight loss, if it wakes you at night and does not change when you change position, or if there is weakness in a leg rather than only pain.
One group needs same-day medical attention rather than a phone call: numbness around the groin or back passage, any change in bladder or bowel control, or weakness developing in both legs.
- NICE NG59, low back pain and sciatica in over 16s, recommendation 1.1.1
Think about alternative diagnoses when examining or reviewing people with low back pain, particularly if they develop new or changed symptoms, and exclude specific causes such as cancer, infection, trauma or inflammatory disease.
Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.
Every version above is drawn from the clinically authored Vinys library. This page is general movement information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. What helps for a specific condition.