Intermediate

Side Plank with Hip Abduction

This move stacks a dynamic hip abduction on top of a side plank, so the top-leg glute medius works while the bottom side fights to hold the plank. It trains the frontal-plane hip stability that keeps the pelvis level when you run, walk, or stand on one leg. Program it as a core-and-glute accessory or in a hip stability circuit.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Abs, Glutes
Type
Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle
Gluteus Medius
Browse by movement
Core Brace, Hip Abduction
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Medius
Secondary
Abdominal External Oblique, Gluteus Maximus

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set up in a side plank on your forearm with the body in a straight line and feet stacked.

  2. 2

    Lift the hips so your torso is rigid and level, not sagging toward the floor.

  3. 3

    Keeping the top leg straight, raise it upward into hip abduction.

  4. 4

    Pause briefly at the top, feeling the outer hip work.

  5. 5

    Lower the leg with control while holding the plank, and repeat before switching sides.

Tips

  • Keep the top toes pointing forward, not up, so the glute medius does the lifting.
  • Do not let the hips rotate backward; keep the chest open and stacked.
  • If the plank collapses, drop to a knee-down side plank and still perform the leg raises.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Planting the supporting elbow ahead of the shoulder. Stack it directly underneath, or the shoulder takes the load at a poor angle and the plank fails before the hip does.
  • Letting the bottom shoulder sink toward the ear. Push the floor away and keep space between the two, so the shoulder blade carries you rather than the joint.
  • Racing the leg raises to get the set over with. Give each rep about the length of one breath; a fast leg sets the pelvis rocking and the plank loses its shape.
  • Setting up on a slick floor with the feet stacked. The bottom foot slides and you spend the set catching yourself, so brace it against a wall or work on a mat.
  • Ending the set when the plank gives out rather than the hip. If the side of your trunk is what quits, make the sets shorter and do more of them.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the side plank with hip abduction should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Three sets per side of 8 to 12 slow reps, or work by time: 20 to 30 seconds of steady leg raises per side, three rounds. Rest a full minute between sides. The plank sets the ceiling, so build that first; if you cannot hold a clean side plank for 30 seconds, spend a couple of weeks on the hold before adding the leg. Two sessions a week is enough.
How do I make the side plank with hip abduction easier or harder?
Easier: put the supporting forearm on a bench or box so the body sits at an angle instead of flat, which takes a lot off the plank while the hip keeps working. Cutting the sets to 15 seconds also helps. Harder: rest the top hand on your hip instead of the floor, add a loop band above the knees or an ankle weight, pause two seconds at the top of each rep, or hold the leg up for the last 10 seconds of the set.
What is the side plank with hip abduction good for?
It trains the outer hip and the side of the trunk in one movement, which is the combination that keeps your pelvis level when you stand, run, or land on one leg. It suits people who already have the basics and want their hip work to include trunk control. Skip it if a side plank bothers your shoulder, since the shoulder will end the set long before the glute is finished, and choose a machine or cable when the aim is to load the outer glute heavily.

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