Core · Bodyweight
Side Plank Raise
How to do the side plank raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set up in a side plank with your elbow stacked under your shoulder and feet stacked. Lower your hips toward the floor under control, then drive them back up to a straight line. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.
- 1Feel your bottom-side obliques contract hard as you lift the hips
- 2Drive the floor away through your supporting elbow to stay tall
- 3Keep your body in one straight line at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips drift forward or backward out of line
- Avoid sinking into your shoulder at the bottom
- Don't rush the reps; control the lower and the lift
Muscles worked
The side plank raise mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, glutes, and side delts assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the side plank raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.