As we all know, exercising is essential to keep ourselves healthy and energetic. But sometimes, we tend to get stuck in the same routine, causing us to hit a plateau or worse, suffer an injury. If you’re someone who’s looking for something new to spice up your routine, you might have come across the term ‘side plank knee tuck.’ The name itself might sound intimidating, and you might be thinking that it’s impossible to do. Or you might have tried it, thinking it would be a cakewalk, but ended up feeling defeated. The truth is, the side plank knee tuck is a challenging exercise that requires practice and patience, but it’s definitely achievable. In this post, we’ll explore how to execute the side plank knee tuck effectively and help you achieve your desired results.
Side Plank Knee Tuck Summary
- Primary Muscles: Obliques
- Secondary Muscles: Adductors, Hip, Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Gracilis, Iliocastalis lumborum, Iliocastalis thoracis, Latissimus dorsi, Levator Scapulae, Pectineus, Pectoralis major, Pectoralis minor, Psoas major, Quadratus lumborum, and Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Equipment: Body Weight
- Mechanics Type: Compound
- Force: Push
- Utility: Auxiliary
Side Plank Knee Tuck Instructions
- Lay on your side, preferably on a mat.
- Brace your forearm on the ground under your shoulder perpendicular to your torso.
- Place your top leg over your lower leg with your knees straight and your body straight from head to toe.
- Raise your upper leg with a bended knee in front of your body.
- Bring your leg back down on top of your other leg and repeat.
- Conduct 8-12 reps on one side, switch sides, and repeat for the same number of reps.
Video Tutorial
Side Plank Knee Tuck Muscles
Target (Agonist)
Synergists
- Adductors
- Hip
- Gluteus Maximus
- Gluteus Medius
- Gluteus Minimus
- Gracilis
- Iliocastalis lumborum
- Iliocastalis thoracis
- Latissimus dorsi
- Levator Scapulae
- Pectineus
- Pectoralis major
- Pectoralis minor
- Psoas major
- Quadratus lumborum
- Tensor Fasciae Latae
Dynamic Stabilizers
- None
Stabilizers
- Iliocastalis lumborum
- Iliocastalis thoracis
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None
Benefits of Side Plank Knee Tuck
The Side Plank Knee Tuck is an incredibly effective exercise for strengthening the core and obliques. By performing this exercise, you will be engaging your obliques more than any other exercise. This will help to tone and tighten your waistline, as well as improve your posture. Additionally, this exercise is great for developing stability in your core and hip area, which can help reduce the risk of injury. Furthermore, this exercise targets both the internal and external obliques, allowing you to build a strong foundation of support for other exercises. Overall, the Side Plank Knee Tuck is a great exercise to add to any strength training or fitness routine.
Tips for Performing Side Plank Knee Tuck
You’ve come to the right place if you’re motivated to advance your side plank knee tuck execution. These tips can get you the most from of this beautiful workout, and help you receive all the benefits it has to offer. You can shape your obliques muscles, and even reduce your chances of developing an injury. Let’s get begin and see what these tips can accomplish for you.
- Make sure you have a solid base – keep your feet firmly planted and your core engaged during the exercise. This will help you maintain your balance and ensure you get the most out of the exercise.
- Keep your form right – ensure your hips are level and your head is in line with your spine throughout the exercise to maximize the effectiveness of the move.
- Don’t rush it – take your time when performing the exercise and focus on keeping your body steady and controlled, as this will help you strengthen your core and build endurance.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
When conducting side plank knee tuck, keeping away from typical mistakes can be the difference to achieving optimal results and avoiding pain. Moreover, achieving the most out of the exercise requires proper form, and making sure you don’t make any common errors can allow you to perform the exercise correctly and obtain optimal results. However, take it easy, it’s not quite as difficult as it might seem. By knowing the mistakes to avoid and taking the appropriate actions, you can execute the exercise securely and successfully. So it is time for you to maximize your results from this exercise and enjoy the benefits of a successful workout.
- Not engaging their core: When performing the side plank knee tuck, it is important to engage your core muscles to ensure that you are stabilizing your body and maximizing the benefit of the exercise. Without engaging your core, you are not getting the full benefit of the exercise and can risk injury.
- Not tucking their knees in far enough: To ensure that you are getting the most out of this exercise, it is important to tuck your knees in as far as you comfortably can in order to really target those abdominal muscles. Not tucking your knees in far enough will limit the effectiveness of the exercise.
- Not holding proper form: Holding proper form when performing the side plank knee tuck is key in order to ensure that you are targeting the correct muscles and getting the most out of the exercise. If you are not holding proper form you will not be targeting the right muscles and may even risk injury.
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Variations and Complementary Exercises
The Side Plank Knee Tuck is an advanced exercise that works the obliques, glutes, and core muscles. If you are looking to increase the difficulty of this exercise or just want to switch things up, there are several variations, complementary, and alternative exercises you can do. Below are some great options that will help you challenge your body in different ways.
Side Plank Knee Raise
The Side Plank Knee Raise is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Side Plank Knee Tuck. This exercise requires the same stabilization and strength of the core muscles as the Knee Tuck, but adds an additional challenge with the added knee raise. Begin in a side plank position with your feet stacked one on top of the other and your elbow directly under your shoulder. Keeping your body in a straight line, lift your top leg and bend your knee, bringing it up to hip height. Hold the position for a few seconds before lowering it back down. This exercise will help to strengthen your oblique muscles and improve your overall core stability.
Side Plank Hip Dip
The Side Plank Hip Dip is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Side Plank Knee Tuck. This move strengthens the glutes and core, similar to the Knee Tuck, but instead of bringing the knee up towards the chest, you bring your hip down towards the ground and back up. This move targets the obliques and helps improve balance and stability. It is a great way to mix up your side plank routine while still getting in a good workout.
Side Crunch
The Side Crunch is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Side Plank Knee Tuck. It works the oblique muscles on the side of your body and strengthens the core muscles. To do this exercise, you’ll need to lie on your side and place your hands behind your head. Then, raise your shoulder off the floor while bringing your knee up to your elbow, and then return to the starting position. This exercise is great for targeting the side muscles and can be done with or without added weight for an extra challenge.
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Side Bridge Twist
The Side Bridge Twist is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Side Plank Knee Tuck. This exercise focuses on improving core stability, balance, and strength. To perform the Side Bridge Twist, begin by lying on your side with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your elbow directly under your shoulder and use your core to lift your hips off the floor. Keep your hips lifted and twist your torso so that you are looking up. Hold this position for 3-5 seconds before returning to the starting position. The Side Bridge Twist is an effective exercise to challenge your core and improve balance and stability.
Side Bridge
Side Bridge is an excellent complementary exercise to the Side Plank Knee Tuck. It engages the same abdominal muscles, but in a different way. Side Bridge strengthens the obliques and transverse abdominis, while also improving shoulder stability. It is an ideal alternative exercise to the Side Plank Knee Tuck as it can be performed with minimal equipment, requires no additional space, and can be modified to fit any fitness level. Furthermore, it is a great way to work the core and improve overall balance.
Oblique Crunch
The Oblique Crunch is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Side Plank Knee Tuck. The Oblique Crunch targets the obliques and abdominal muscles, as well as strengthening the hip flexors and lower back. This exercise also helps build balance and stability. It can be performed on either side of the body, so it provides a great way to work both sides of the core. The Oblique Crunch can be done on its own or with a partner for added resistance. To perform this exercise, you will need to start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then, bring one knee up towards your chest while keeping the other leg straight. Finally, crunch up towards the raised knee while twisting your torso at the same time.
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Opposing Complementary Exercises
To further strengthen the core, it is important to perform exercises that work the opposing muscle groups. These exercises will help to create balance in the muscles and ensure a more efficient workout. Below are some exercises that complement the exercise Side Plank Knee Tuck by using opposing muscle groups.
45 Degree Twisting Hyperextension
The 45 Degree Twisting Hyperextension is a great exercise to complement the Side Plank Knee Tuck by working the opposing muscle groups. This exercise focuses on the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles to help stabilize the body while in a hyperextended position. It is done by lying face down on a 45 degree hyperextension machine and then slowly raising and lowering the torso, twisting from side to side as you go. This exercise is great for strengthening and toning the posterior chain of muscles, which are opposed to those used in the Side Plank Knee Tuck. By doing this exercise in conjunction with the Side Plank Knee Tuck, you can build a strong core and improve your overall balance and stability.
45 Degree One Leg Hyperextension
The 45 Degree One Leg Hyperextension is a great exercise to strengthen the lower back and hamstrings. It is complementary to the Side Plank Knee Tuck, which works the obliques, because it uses the opposing muscle group. This exercise involves lying on a 45 degree hyperextension bench with your feet secured, and then slowly raising one leg up as high as you can while keeping your hips and back straight. By performing this exercise, you are targeting the lower back and hamstrings while strengthening the opposing muscle group of the obliques used in the Side Plank Knee Tuck.
45 Degree Hyperextension
The 45 Degree Hyperextension is an excellent complementary exercise to the Side Plank Knee Tuck because it works the opposing muscle group. This exercise focuses on the lower back, hamstrings, and glutes, which are all in direct opposition to the muscles used in the Side Plank Knee Tuck. This exercise helps to create balance in the body by targeting the muscles that are not engaged during the Side Plank Knee Tuck. By adding this exercise to your workout routine, you can ensure that your body is being properly worked out from all angles and that each muscle group is receiving equal attention.
Strengthen Your Core With The Side Plank Knee Tuck
One of the best ways to strengthen your core is through the side plank knee tuck. This exercise puts your obliques, lower abs, and hip muscles to the test. It’s a challenging move, but one that can have immense benefits if practiced regularly. Incorporating the side plank knee tuck into your workout routine can improve your posture, increase your balance, and enhance your overall athletic performance. With correct form and consistency, you can achieve a stronger core and take your fitness journey to the next level.
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Abs Bodyweight Exercises
