Exercise guide
Spider Plank
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
The Spider Plank is a dynamic core exercise that emphasizes the obliques and hip mobility while requiring significant stability from the abs, glutes, and quads. It challenges lateral core strength by forcing the body to maintain a rigid plank while moving the limbs unilaterally.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Position your feet hip-width apart to provide a stable base for the movement.
How to do it
- Exhale as you lift your right foot and bring your right knee toward the outside of your right elbow.
- Keep your leg parallel to the floor and avoid letting your hips rotate or sag as the knee moves forward.
- Inhale as you slowly return your right foot to the starting position with control.
- Repeat the movement on the left side and continue alternating sides at a steady, deliberate tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips level and square to the floor throughout the entire repetition.
- Ensure your knee travels laterally toward the elbow, not tucked under your chest.
- Maintain a neutral neck by looking at a point on the floor slightly ahead of your hands.
- Keep your shoulders stacked directly over your wrists to maintain upper body stability.
Pro tips
- Focus on actively 'crunching' your oblique on the working side as the knee approaches the elbow.
- Pause for one second at the point of maximum contraction to increase time under tension for the core.
- Push away from the floor through your palms to keep your serratus anterior engaged and prevent shoulder winging.
Make it harder
- Perform the movement from a low plank (forearms) to increase the core stability demand.
- Slow down the eccentric phase (returning the leg) to a 3-second count to maximize muscle engagement.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the spider plank work?
- The spider plank primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae, lats, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the spider plank?
- The spider plank requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the spider plank good for beginners?
- The spider plank is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.