LiftMend › Exercises › Side plank
Side plank: how to do it
Holds your spine in a straight line against gravity. Works: The side of your trunk (obliques) and hips.
Try: 3 × 25-second holds
Form cues
- Legs straight, feet stacked.
- Head, hips and heels in one line.
If side plank hurts
Don't push through sharp pain. These are the swaps LiftMend suggests with a similar movement, easier or kinder first:
General exercise information, not medical advice. If you have pain that is sharp, getting worse, or follows an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
Follow a plan, not a list
LiftMend builds exercises like this into short sessions that work around a sore back, knee or shoulder. Swap any move that hurts, get timers that run themselves, and ask the AI coach between sets. Free to download.