TRX Side Plank

Setup

Feet stacked together in the foot cradles, rotate into a side plank supported on one forearm or hand, hips lifted, body in a straight line.

Execution

1. 1Stack the shoulders, hips, and feet in one straight line
2. 2Lift the hips as high as possible without rotating forward or backward
3. 3Hold the position, bracing the obliques hard
4. 4Lower under control and switch sides

Key cues

• Stack shoulders directly over the supporting elbow/wrist
• Lift hips high — don't let them sag toward the floor
• Keep the body from rotating forward or backward
• Breathe steadily through the hold

Common faults

• Hips sagging or rotating out of the straight line
• Supporting shoulder collapsing
• Head dropping forward
• Straps twisting due to uneven foot stacking

Tweaks

• Add a hip dip for a dynamic variant
• Add an oblique crunch (top knee to elbow) for more challenge
• Progress to a top-arm reach for extra rotation demand

Muscles

Notes

TRX-specific. Angle = intensity: the more horizontal the body relative to the floor, the harder pressing/pulling/plank-style TRX moves become. For pulling movements (rows, face pulls), walking feet toward the anchor and leaning back further increases load. For pressing movements (push-ups, chest press), walking feet away from the anchor and standing more upright decreases load; moving feet closer to directly under the anchor point increases load. Foot position in the straps (heel vs. midfoot vs. toe) also changes leverage and load for lower-body moves. For side plank, foot cradle height changes the leverage — feet closer to the floor is easier, higher is harder due to a longer effective lever arm.

Sources

• TRX Side Plank + Crunch demo
• How a Suspension Trainer Can Make Your Core Workout More Challenging — Cleveland Clinic (covers Side Plank among core moves)

Attribution: TRX Training / Cleveland Clinic