Side Plank Pull
- Zielmuskel
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- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Waist
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- Strength
The side plank pull is a bodyweight core exercise that holds you in a side plank while you reach the top arm overhead and pull the elbow back down toward your hip, mimicking a lat-pulldown arc against gravity. It primarily targets the obliques and transverse abdominis, while the lats, rhomboids, and shoulder stabilizers on the working side assist the pulling motion. The combined isometric and dynamic demand makes it an effective anti-lateral-flexion and upper-body stability drill.
Side Plank Pull: So führst du sie aus
- 1Lie on your side and prop yourself onto your forearm, stacking your feet or staggering them for balance. Your elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder.
- 2Lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from head to feet. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to maintain this position throughout.
- 3Extend your top arm straight up toward the ceiling, palm facing forward, so it is perpendicular to the floor.
- 4Keeping the rest of your body rigid, reach the top arm overhead in a controlled arc — bicep near your ear, elbow slightly soft.
- 5Drive your elbow back down and toward your hip in a pulling motion, as if drawing your arm through water. Feel your lat and oblique contract on the top side.
- 6Pause briefly at the bottom of the pull with your elbow pointing toward your hip and your shoulder blade retracted.
- 7Reverse the motion and extend the arm back overhead to return to the start position — that is one rep.
- 8Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides and repeat.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep your hips stacked vertically throughout — it is common for them to rotate open as you reach overhead, which reduces oblique tension.
- Move only the top arm; your torso, hips, and supporting arm should remain completely still during the pull.
- Breathe out as you pull the elbow down and breathe in as you extend the arm back overhead.
- Start with a shorter range of motion if you feel your hips dropping, and build range as your core endurance improves.
- Press your bottom forearm firmly into the floor to keep the supporting shoulder stable and engaged throughout the set.
Häufige Fehler
- Letting the hips sag toward the floor during the pull — this removes lateral core tension and stresses the lower back instead of training it.
- Rotating the torso to follow the arm, which turns the exercise into a twist rather than an anti-rotation hold and reduces oblique stimulus.
- Rushing through reps to build momentum — the pulling arm should move slowly and under control so the muscles, not momentum, do the work.
- Collapsing the supporting shoulder by letting it shrug toward the ear, which shifts load onto the neck and reduces shoulder stability.
- Holding the breath during the effort, which raises intra-thoracic pressure unnecessarily — exhale steadily on the pull.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the side plank pull work?
The primary muscles are the obliques (internal and external) and transverse abdominis, which work isometrically to keep the body rigid. The latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and posterior deltoid on the top side assist the pulling motion, and the gluteus medius and hip abductors help stabilize the hips.
Is the side plank pull suitable for beginners?
It requires solid side plank endurance first. If you cannot hold a standard side plank for at least 20–30 seconds with good form, build that base before adding the arm pull. Beginners can also keep the top knee on the floor to reduce the balance demand.
How many reps and sets should I do?
Two to three sets of 8–12 reps per side works well for most goals. Because it is a stability-focused drill, prioritize slow, controlled movement over high rep counts.
How is the side plank pull different from a regular side plank?
A regular side plank is a pure isometric hold. The side plank pull adds a dynamic arm-pulling movement on top of the hold, increasing the anti-rotation demand on the obliques and recruiting the lats and upper-back muscles for the pulling portion.
Can I do the side plank pull if I have wrist pain?
Yes — perform the exercise on your forearm rather than on an extended wrist. The forearm-supported variation is actually the standard starting point and places no load through the wrist joint.
