Side bar

The plank is one of the most popular fitness exercises. It is often performed by athletes who want to work out their abdominal muscles as efficiently as possible, strengthen their legs and back. It is very important to do all the movements correctly, this is when you will achieve the maximum result. There are several variations of this exercise. The most popular, after the classic, is the side bar. It involves an increased load on the abs and shoulders, and will also help diversify the training program.

Benefits of exercise and contraindications

Like any physical activity, the side plank, if performed correctly, brings benefits to the athlete's body, allowing them to develop muscles and maintain good shape even at home. We propose to consider in a little more detail the question of the benefits of the side bar.

Why is the side plank useful?

So, what result can an athlete get by performing this exercise daily:

• During the exercise, the athlete is in a static position. Thus, a large number of muscle groups are simultaneously involved in his work, and he can work out the muscles of the legs, torso and forearm in one fell swoop.
• The side bar is especially appreciated for the good loading of the press. During the exercise, both the straight and oblique abdominal muscles are tense.
• Medical research has shown that this particular exercise can reduce back pain in people with scoliosis and correct deviated posture. Those who suffer from this disease, practicing the bar daily, noted after six months that the pain decreased by 32-35%.
• Also, the side plank is an indispensable tool in the fight for the “wasp” waist. When it is performed, the muscles contract isometrically, their strength develops and, in general, the "tightening of the corset". Therefore, if you set out to remove the hated sides by summer, then pay close attention to the side bar and its variation with the body failure.

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Contraindications

Exercise side plank in some cases can bring not only benefit, but also harm. Of course, there are not so many contraindications, but, nevertheless, they exist and we are obliged to warn you about this. So, the side plank is not recommended in the presence of such factors:

• if you have a herniated disc;
• if you have a back, neck or shoulder injury;
• if you are in the last months of pregnancy;
• if you regularly experience severe pain of any nature.

What muscles work?

While doing the side plank, you can strengthen several muscle groups at once.

1. The side plank, performed alternately on one side and on the other, perfectly trains the gluteus maximus and medius, the lateral thigh muscles and the calf. It is possible to increase the load on these zones over time by performing a complicated variation of the exercise with raising and holding the leg up (the higher the leg is raised, the greater the load).
2. The plank has a positive effect on the cervical spine, back extensors and upper shoulder girdle. Thanks to static tension during exercise, athletes can not only effectively strengthen their torso, but also prevent the appearance of cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis
3. With the lateral plank, the abs are also included in the work, and all of its zones are both the straight and oblique abdominal muscles. To work the press even more efficiently, while performing the exercise, additionally pull in the stomach.
4. The side plank also has a positive effect on the hands, which have to hold half of the entire body. With proper technique, muscles such as biceps and triceps will be used.

Who is the side plank recommended for?

This exercise is suitable for muscle development for both professional athletes and beginners. Let's take a closer look at who the side plank might be recommended for:

• The side bar is great for athletes during the drying period. It is static stress that will help the bodybuilder get rid of excess body fat. If you are new to the gym, then the exercise will help you strengthen your core muscles, as well as prepare yourself for more serious stress.
• Planks are helpful if you are concerned about scoliosis. Regular training has a positive effect on posture. You can reduce the level of unpleasant pain in the back, as well as correct the curvature of the spine.
• Women often perform side planks to combat cellulite. Static tension can also help you regain your beautiful shape after childbirth.
• Exercise is great for people who are sedentary. Take a break while working at the computer. Take a few minutes to do a side plank - this will help avoid the development of a variety of diseases associated with low mobility.

How to make a side plank?

Despite the fact that the exercise is technically simple, you should first master the skills of setting the body in the correct position and distributing the load. Otherwise, there will be no expected result.

Exercise technique

So, in order to properly stand in the side bar, you need to follow this algorithm of actions:

1. Prepare a suitable place for the exercise. If possible, it is recommended to lay a special rug on the floor.
2. Lie on your side. Place your elbow on the floor and lean on it as comfortably as possible. The forearm should be in full contact with the floor.
   
3. Lift your hips off the mat. Keep your torso straight. The body should resemble a stretched string. Fix your body position and wake up in this position for as long as possible.
   
4. Get some rest, and then lie down on the other side and do the same.

We hope you figured out how to do the side plank correctly, because this is a great opportunity to pump the muscles of the torso, legs and abs as quickly as possible.

There are several variations of this exercise: an athlete can perform a side plank with raising a leg or arm up, as well as twisting the body.

Useful Tips

There are several secrets to doing this exercise. Thanks to them, you can improve your results.

• -Before you fix the pose, you must tighten the abs, as well as the gluteal zone.
• Your gaze should be directed forward, keep your neck straight - it should also be tense.
• To monitor the correct execution of movements, at least the first time work in front of a mirror.
• Try to keep your body in a static position for as long as possible, and to track your own progress, use a stopwatch.
• If you want to load the target muscle group well, do at least 3-4 sets.

Typical mistakes of athletes

Very often, beginner athletes make a huge number of inaccuracies simply because they do not know how to correctly make the side plank. It is very important to immediately learn how to perform all the movements correctly. The most common mistakes can be seen even by experienced athletes. Among them are:

1. Rounding the back. This error can be noticed during the execution of other exercises. Work your back muscles to correct technical issues.
2. Wrong position of the arms, pelvis and head. This error occurs among novice athletes due to their poor physical fitness. For beginners in sports, it is recommended to start the exercises from a regular plank, while additional support can be carried out using the knees.
3. Flexion of the legs at the knee joint. This technical defect is most often due to the athlete's carelessness. Athletes forget to make sure that the entire body is in a straight line. It is especially common to notice mistakes during the last repetition.
4. If during a static position you do not feel a special tension in the area of ​​the press, a kind of burning sensation, then most likely you are doing something wrong. In this case, watch thematic photos or videos. You can also seek help from an experienced coach.

Training program

To put together a quality exercise program, you need to carefully consider which muscles are working during the lateral plank. As a rule, athletes do the plank in combination with other exercises. Athletes in the gym often complete the plank at the beginning and end of their training day.

We have selected a 30-day lateral plank program for you, but before you embark on it, consider a few recommendations that will help you improve your result every day:

• The side plank can be combined with push-ups as well as jumping. The exercise can be further complicated by holding an arm or leg raised while it is being performed, bending one leg at the knee.
  

  

  

• The exercise can be performed with a change in body position. Do a side plank on your left arm, then lean on both elbows without rest, and then roll over to the right. Athletes with extensive training experience work using a bench and fitball, performing an inclined side plank.
  

  

• If you exercise at home, you can even exercise every day. In the event that you additionally perform push-ups and pull-ups, then the time spent in the bar will also increase.
• For beginners at first, it will be enough to hold the side bar for a few seconds a day. After a few weeks of exercising, do the side plank in the morning and evening.
• If you are in a static position for about a minute without problems, then you can start doing several variations of this exercise in one lesson. Try to increase your plank time every day.

In the training program designed for 30 days, each separate column indicates how long you need to stand in the bar in order to get and consolidate the desired result.

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