The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three, and is primarily responsible for hip extension and your booty’s round shape. This is a group of muscles that surround your scapula and control its movements, as well as prevent unwanted motion. There are three muscles that are collectively known as the glutes: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus. Want to build core strength and improve your yoga postures? It helps in strengthening your core with more emphasis on your obliques. The best exercises never go out of style. While in a side plank, raise your top leg up and swing back and forth. It strengthens abdominal and back muscles, particularly the transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques and quadratus lumborum. The side plank hip raise with knee drive is an intermediate core exercise. Here’s how all these muscles work together in your body. When you are ready for a more challenging version of the side plank, try lifting one leg. Gaddour demonstrates how to do the side plank … Muscles Worked: Abs Difficulty: Easy Equipment needed: None Lie on your left side with your knees straight and prop your upper body up to take its weight on your forearm. Primary muscles: Obliques Secondary muscles: Core, shoulders Equipment: No equipment SIDE PLANK ROTATION INSTRUCTIONS. Step 2 Pull your top leg up towards your chest. ). Repeat for reps, then switch sides, performing equal reps on each. Learn how to correctly do Extended Plank to target Abs, Shoulders, Back with easy step-by-step expert video instruction. Perform these leg lifts lying down or standing. However, here are some of the best benefits of performing planks and making it a part of your daily routine: Planks are Beneficial in Building a Strong Core About this exercise. All rights reserved. It strengthens abdominal and back muscles, particularly the transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques and quadratus lumborum. One of the great things about these tried and true moves is that they easily lend themselves to different variations, allowing you to make them easier or harder based on your fitness level. The hip abductor muscles work at about 74 percent of their maximum during the plank. Lie on your left side propped up on your left elbow and forearm, shoulders stacked over your elbow, legs stacked on top of each other, and hold a dumbbell in place on top of your right hip. It has numerous benefits, including emphasizing your abdominal obliques, improving the spinal stability, … That’s why you’ll see classic moves like squats, push-ups, and planks in workouts today and 20 years ago. Every plank variation can help you strengthen your core, which creates better stability and decreases your chance of injury. “There are some common weak points in the human body that the side plank hip lift can address,” says Cody Braun, fitness specialist for Openfit. Video: Forearm Plank and Leg Lifts The muscles utilized in plank include the pectoralis majors (chest), anterior deltoids (fronts of the shoulders), recti abdomina (superficial abdominal muscles), and quadriceps. Keep your shoulders, hips, knees and feet in one straight diagonal line, and make sure your neck and head continue the line of your spine. The … This move engages your core muscles, with special emphasis on your obliques. The side plank leg lift or side plank lift is a slightly more difficult variation than the traditional version, as it demands a higher level of coordination, stability, and balance. For more classic workouts stream one of Openfit’s workout programs, like 600 seconds, for free today! Challenge your oblique muscles with several variations as strength improves. In fact, your hips play a big role in making your planks stronger. All together, they help to stabilize your spine and rotate your torso. This is almost double the work that this muscle does during the exercise that is most commonly prescribed for hip muscle weakness, the side lying leg raise. The only issue with the plank/leg raise exercise is that it can ‘max out’ pretty quickly when it comes to trying to add resistance. The lateral raise is a movement that can be classified as a shoulder exercise, one that is modified via different angles, ranges of motion, and loading. The simple side leg raise exercise builds hip and glute muscles — with the emphasis on the gluteus medius. It also targets the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus in the hips, as well as the adductor muscles located in the inner thigh. When doing the general plank leg lift, do not rotate the torso to your side while lifting your leg. Think you got what it takes to train like the pros? It also fires up your scapula stabilizers and glutes. Raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. It helps stabilize the pelvis and move your leg outward. It also fires up your scapula stabilizers and glutes. The internal obliques are situated right below them. Start in a side plank position with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder and your feet stacked on top each other. The side plank also works several other muscles that provide additional stability as you hold the position. So it’s best to have a few cues handy and keep them simple. The gluteus medius is located on the upper, outer section of your rear. The side plank primarily works muscles in your core. Do it before a lift to heat up and activate your shoulder, glute, and core muscles. The external obliques are visible (if you’re lean enough for them to show) and run diagonally from the sides of your rib cage to the tops of your hip bones. Do not allow your weight to sink. Challenge your oblique muscles with several variations as strength improves. For instance, the right external obliques rotate the body to opposite side, while the right internal rotate to the same side. The right external obliques work with the left internal obliques, and vice versa. 2. Working together, they control your scapula to aid in the health of your shoulder joint as you throw, pull, push, and more. Traditional bench press. Just take a look at the plank: you can do regular forearm planks, side planks, and more dynamically, side plank hip lifts. The side plank is only one of many plank variations. If you are having trouble, perform a modified side plank, this is an easier variation. Obliques. Both of these versions require extra effort in the abductors and adductors. The side plank hip lift can be a difficult move to master, since it requires a lot of coordination and core strength. (An easy way to create tension in your core is to exhale sharply as if you are trying to blow out way too many candles on a cake. Your elbow should stay lined up under your shoulder to prevent any shoulder strain. Put the palms of your hands flat on the floor with the fingers extended forward Considerable core strength is needed to keep your hips from sinking toward the floor. The other muscles of … This variation is called a plyometric side plank. Your obliques, which run down the sides of your torso, are just one part of your abdominal muscles. This is a great move that challenges your balance and requires core stabilization. This classic exercise builds upper body and pressing strength while putting … This move engages your core muscles, with special emphasis on your obliques. Instead, focus on pushing the hips up toward the ceiling to best engage your abdominal muscles, particularly the obliques. If this is a new move for you, it can be easy to lose focus when you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. If you can hold the position with excellent form for at least 10 seconds, increase the weight. Planks have been a part of regular workout regimes for a very long time now. Alignment is vital; when holding, keep your body in one long line. In the side plank hip lift specifically, they help support your upper body as your hips move up and down. Side Plank Leg Lift Exercise Information. Your hips should stay in a neutral straight line – if your butt starts sticking out behind you, straighten out by squeezing your glutes and core. 1. Anytime you move your shoulder or upper arm bone, you’re using these muscles. Strengthening Exercises for the Quadratus Lumborum, Upper Body Workout Routine With Weights for Cheerleaders, American Council on Exercise: Side Plank with Straight Leg, IDEA Health & Fitness Association: Core 360, American Council on Exercise: Side Plank with Bent Knee, IDEA Health & Fitness Association: Corrective Exercises -- Swayback Posture, American Council on Exercise: Side Plank (Modified), Easy Tummy Flattening Exercises That You Can Do Standing, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. Plank Leg Raise Tips. Start in a side plank position, with your right shoulder over your elbow, your body in a straight line and reach your left hand toward the ceiling. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this exercise correctly. Keeping your core braced and your glutes engaged, slowly lower your left hip, tapping it gently on the floor. 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