STARTING POSITION

Lie on your side with both legs extended and adducted together. Support yourself on the forearm, with the elbow directly beneath the shoulder. Gently lift your ribcage to align the upper body and head, maintaining neutral spine and squared hips and shoulders.

MOVEMENT

Side plank — Exhale, activate your core to lift the pelvis into a side plank. Gently press down through the bottom forearm and the outer edge of the bottom foot. Maintain axial elongation through the spine and full-body alignment from head to heels. Keep the shoulders and hips stay square, and ensure the lumbar spine remains neutral.

In the advanced version, the top arm is extended at 90° in line with the shoulder, while in the modified version, the top hand holds the bottom wrist in a locking position to help secure the body’s weight on the supporting forearm.

Inhale — Brace the core to stabilize the lumbo-pelvic region and keep the ribs connected. Turn out the top leg to prepare for the kick.

Top-leg kick — Exhale as you lift the top leg upward in about 4 counts, keep the leg turn out to increase range of motion at the hip joint. Maintain a stable torso, avoid twisting or rotating the pelvis. Rely on a firm core brace and the support of your bottom forearm and leg to maintain alignment in the side plank. Focus on the opposition created between the kicking top leg and the stable base of support through the core and lower body. 

Inhale — Lower the top leg back to the starting side plank position, gently touching the supporting leg.

Perform 4–8 controlled repetitions per side.

TO END

Lower the pelvis back to the starting position with control.

• Inner and out units of the core including internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and pelvic floor muscles.
• Spinal extensors like erector spinae and multifidus.
• Hip abductors and abductors like gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fasciae latae.
• Hip adductors such as adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis.
• Hip stabilisers such as gluteus medius and minimus and quadratus femoris.
• Hip rotators including piriformis, obturator internus and externus, gemellus superior and inferior and quadratus femoris.
• Shoulder stabilizers including serratus anterior, deltoids, rotator cuff, rhomboids, middle trapezius.
• Calf muscles stabilisers such as gastrocnemius and soleus.
• Quadriceps for supporting the bottom leg and hamstrings for top leg control.
• Triceps and wrist extensors for forearm support.

• Develop anti-rotational control and endurance by resisting rotational forces.
• Improve shoulder girdle stability under load.
• Enhance hip stability and strength.
• Promote thoracic stability and spinal-extension endurance through sustained isometric holds.
• Enhance balance and proprioceptive awareness.

• Foster full body side chain endurance in the coronal plane.

• Keep the elbow directly under the shoulder; avoid letting it drift forward or backward.
• Stack hips and shoulders, promoting stability in the coronal plane.
• Draw the bottom rib toward the pelvis to prevent rib flare and maintain oblique engagement.
• Press down firmly through the bottom forearm and the outer edge of the bottom foot to create a stable side plank as support base.
• Brace the core and avoid excessive lumbar extension or compression.
• Keep the head and neck aligned with the spine.
• Coordinate the breath with the movement, exhale during the leg kick to deepen core engagement.
• Maintain axial elongation and full-body alignment in a straight line from head to heels during side plank position.