Exercise guide
Side Plank Supported Wall
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower arms
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Upper legs
- Waist
This variation leverages a wall to increase lateral stability and glute medius activation while intensely targeting the obliques. It is an effective tool for building core endurance and improving hip-to-shoulder integration.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand sideways next to a wall, roughly 2-3 feet away.
- Place your forearm against the wall at shoulder height, leaning your body weight into it.
- Stack your feet or place the top foot in front of the bottom foot for a wider base of support.
- Ensure your body is perpendicular to the wall.
How to do it
- Exhale and engage your core, pushing your hips away from the wall until your body forms a straight diagonal line.
- Hold the position while maintaining a steady, rhythmic breathing pattern.
- Maintain a strong press through the forearm to keep the shoulder active and stable.
- Switch sides after the set duration, ensuring equal time for both obliques.
Form checklist
- Keep your head, hips, and heels in a straight line.
- Avoid letting your hips sag toward the floor or rotate toward the wall.
- Keep the supporting shoulder pulled away from your ear to avoid shrugging.
- Squeeze your glutes throughout the hold to stabilize the pelvis.
- Maintain a neutral neck by looking straight ahead.
Pro tips
- Actively push the wall away from you to engage the serratus anterior and deepen oblique activation.
- Maintain a 'ribs-to-pelvis' connection to prevent arching the lower back and ensure the core is doing the work.
Make it harder
- Perform a leg lift with the outer leg to increase the demand on the hip abductors and balance.
- Move your feet further away from the wall to increase the lean angle and the gravitational load on the core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the side plank supported wall work?
- The side plank supported wall primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae, glutes, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the side plank supported wall?
- The side plank supported wall requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the side plank supported wall good for beginners?
- The side plank supported wall is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.