How long should you hold the TRX side plank for when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 to 3 holds of 10 to 15 seconds per side once the floor side plank is easy for 30 or more seconds. Add time in small jumps only after the strap stops swinging and the hips stay high the whole hold.

What can replace the TRX side plank without a suspension trainer?

The floor side plank trains the same anti-lateral-flexion pattern, or a side plank with the feet elevated on a bench adds load, though not the instability.

What is the TRX side plank good for?

It adds balance and shoulder-stability demands on top of the usual anti-lateral-flexion work, suited to advanced trainees who've mastered a long, clean floor side plank. It's a poor choice for anyone new to side planks, or with a shoulder or wrist issue, since the moving strap adds real instability on top of the core demand.

Advanced

TRX Side Plank

Suspending the feet removes the stable floor contact of a normal side plank, so the obliques and lateral hip must work much harder to keep the body from sagging or rotating. It is a strong anti-lateral-flexion hold that also challenges balance and shoulder stability. Reserve it for advanced trainees who can already hold a long, clean floor side plank.

Equipment: TRX
Body part: Abs
Type: Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Set the straps short and place both feet into the foot cradles.
2
Walk your hands out and roll onto one forearm in a side-facing plank.
3
Stack the feet and set the supporting elbow under the shoulder.
4
Brace the obliques and lift the hips into a straight side line.
5
Hold with the body long, hips high, and shoulders stacked.
6
Lower under control after the hold, then switch to the other side.

Tips

Drive the bottom hip up so the body does not sag toward the floor.
Keep the shoulders and hips stacked; do not let the torso roll forward or back.
Squeeze the glutes and keep the feet still to steady the strap.
Start with short holds and build time as your control improves.

Variations

Common mistakes

The suspended feet swing and drift the moment tension breaks, turning a strength hold into a fight against a moving strap instead of a stable base.
The straps get set too long, so the feet sit low enough that the shoulder ends up doing far more stabilizing work than the setup calls for.
Kicking the feet slightly to fight strap sway wastes effort on balance instead of the oblique bracing the hold is meant to build.
Chasing a long hold time before the strap swing is under control just extends how long the technique stays sloppy, instead of building real stability first.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the TRX side plank for when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 to 3 holds of 10 to 15 seconds per side once the floor side plank is easy for 30 or more seconds. Add time in small jumps only after the strap stops swinging and the hips stay high the whole hold.
What can replace the TRX side plank without a suspension trainer?: The floor side plank trains the same anti-lateral-flexion pattern, or a side plank with the feet elevated on a bench adds load, though not the instability.
What is the TRX side plank good for?: It adds balance and shoulder-stability demands on top of the usual anti-lateral-flexion work, suited to advanced trainees who've mastered a long, clean floor side plank. It's a poor choice for anyone new to side planks, or with a shoulder or wrist issue, since the moving strap adds real instability on top of the core demand.

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