Side Plank with Reach-Through

CoreBW

A side plank with the top arm reaching under and through the body toward the floor, adding a controlled rotational component that must be resisted by the obliques while maintaining the lateral flexion hold.

Demo: Eccentric Physio

Sets

3

Reps

8-10 per side

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Shoulder pain — reduce reach range.

Setup

Set up in a side plank with the top arm extended toward the ceiling.

Execution

  1. 1Hold a stable side plank position with hips elevated
  2. 2Rotate the torso slightly, reaching the top arm underneath the body toward the floor
  3. 3Keep the hips from dropping or rotating excessively during the reach
  4. 4Return the arm to the ceiling under control
  5. 5Repeat for reps, then switch sides

Key cues

  • Hips stay lifted through the whole reach
  • Rotate from the upper back, not by dropping the hips
  • Reach through slowly, control the return
  • Keep the base position rock solid

Common faults

  • Hips dropping during the reach
  • Losing the side plank line entirely
  • Reaching too fast, using momentum instead of control
  • Rotating from the hips instead of the thoracic spine

Tweaks

  • Reduce the reach range as a regression
  • Add a light weight in the reaching hand
  • Slow the tempo for more time under tension

Regressions

Side Plank

Muscles

Primary: Obliques, Quadratus Lumborum

Secondary: Shoulders, Glutes

Notes

ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION with controlled ROTATION crossover.

Sources

Attribution: General S&C canon, side plank progression