Abs & core
Side Plank Dips
A side plank where you lower your hips toward the floor and lift them back up. Moving instead of holding works the sides of your waist through a full range.
- Works
- Obliques, core, glutes
- Equipment
- A mat
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Get into a side plank on your forearm or hand, shoulder stacked over it, feet stacked and hips lifted.
- 2Lower your hips toward the floor, stopping just before they touch.
- 3Lift them back up, a little higher than a straight line, squeezing the side of your waist.
- 4Keep dipping at a steady pace. Finish your reps, then switch sides.
Cues
- Lift with the side of your waist.
- Hover just above the floor, don't rest.
- Elbow under your shoulder, push the floor away.
Common mistakes
- Dropping and bouncing. Lower with control and lift without bouncing off the floor.
- Rolling forward. Keep your hips stacked and move them straight down and up.
- Sinking into your shoulder. Push the floor away so your shoulder stays strong and away from your ear.
Easier
Do it from your knees with your knees bent and stacked, or make the dip smaller.
Harder
Rest a dumbbell on your top hip, or pause for 1 second at the top of every lift.
Try it: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per side, or 30 seconds on and 30 off per side.
What do side plank hip dips work?
Mainly your obliques, the muscles along the sides of your waist, with help from the rest of your core and your glutes. A regular side plank works them by holding still. The dips work them up and down through a range.
