Side Plank with Hip Drop

CoreBW

A dynamic side plank variant where the hips lower toward the floor and lift back up repeatedly, adding a concentric/eccentric loading component to the isometric anti-lateral flexion demand.

Demo: Eccentric Physio

Sets

3

Reps

10-12 per side

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Shoulder pain — regress hold time.

Setup

Set up in a standard side plank position, hips elevated in line with the body.

Execution

  1. 1From the top side plank position, lower the hips slowly toward the floor without fully resting
  2. 2Stop just before the hips touch down
  3. 3Drive the hips back up to the straight-line position
  4. 4Keep the body from rotating forward or backward during the drop
  5. 5Repeat for reps, then switch sides

Key cues

  • Lower with control, don't just drop
  • Drive back up through the obliques
  • No rotation forward or back during the dip
  • Small controlled range, not a big bounce

Common faults

  • Dropping too fast and losing control
  • Body rotating forward during the descent
  • Not achieving full hip extension at the top
  • Using momentum instead of oblique strength to rise

Tweaks

  • Reduce range of motion as a regression
  • Add a pause at the bottom for more time under tension
  • Progress to elevated feet for more difficulty

Regressions

Side Plank

Progressions

Elevated Side Plank

Muscles

Primary: Obliques, Quadratus Lumborum

Secondary: Glutes, Shoulders

Notes

ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION, dynamic variant.

Sources

Attribution: Stuart McGill (Big 3), dynamic progression per general S&C canon