Dumbbell Side Plank
A forearm side plank with one dumbbell in the top hand, training the obliques to resist side bending under load.
How to do it
- Lie on your side with the feet stacked and the bottom elbow under the shoulder.
- Hold one dumbbell in the top hand in front of the torso.
- Brace the abs and glutes, then lift the hips until the body forms a straight line.
- Keep the shoulders and hips stacked without rotating forward or back.
- Hold the line, breathing steadily, without letting the hips drop.
- Lower under control, switch sides, and repeat.
Key technique cue
Stack shoulders and hips, don't let the hips drop; breathe steadily.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which dumps the load out of the obliques.
- ✕ Rotating the torso forward or back so the stack collapses.
- ✕ Setting the elbow in front of or behind the shoulder.
- ✕ Holding the breath instead of bracing with a steady exhale.
Benefits
- ✓ Trains the obliques to resist side bending, a job crunches do not cover.
- ✓ A dumbbell in the top hand raises the demand without changing the hold.
- ✓ Builds shoulder and hip stacking that carries into loaded carries.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Dumbbell Side Plank
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Step 3
About the exercise
The dumbbell side plank is a loaded anti-lateral-flexion hold. You stack the body on one forearm with the elbow under the shoulder, lift the hips into a straight line from head to heels, and hold a dumbbell in the top hand. The obliques and quadratus lumborum keep the hips from sagging, while the supporting shoulder and glutes lock the stack. A loaded side plank is a progression of the bodyweight hold: the extra offset weight raises the demand without changing the joint action.
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