Exercise Guide

Copenhagen Plank

A side plank with the top leg resting on a bench and the bottom leg held in the air. Brutal adductor work, and well known for keeping groins healthy.

AdvancedStrengthStaticIsolation
Form
Copenhagen Plank - Start position
Start
Copenhagen Plank - Mid position
Mid
Copenhagen Plank - End position
End

Illustrations by Bryl Lim for Workout Guide, after Everkinetic. Used unchanged under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Details

Primary Muscle

Core

Equipment

Bodyweight

Difficulty

Advanced

Category

Strength

Force

Static

Mechanic

Isolation

Secondary Muscles

AdductorsGlutes
How to Perform
  1. 1

    Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor and the inside of your top foot resting on a bench.

  2. 2

    Press through the top leg to lift your hips into a side plank.

  3. 3

    Hold the bottom leg off the floor, or tuck it under the bench to scale it down.

  4. 4

    Hold for time, then switch sides.

Tips
  • Start with the bench under your knee rather than your ankle - the short lever is plenty at first.
  • Build up slowly. This one leaves people sore in places nothing else reaches.
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