Exercise guide
Spiderman Plank
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Chest
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
The Spiderman Plank is a dynamic core exercise that emphasizes the obliques and hip mobility while maintaining total-body tension. It challenges rotational stability and strengthens the serratus anterior and lower body through a crawling-like movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Equipment
Setup
- Begin in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders.
- Extend your legs fully with feet hip-width apart, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Engage your glutes and pull your belly button toward your spine to stabilize your pelvis.
How to do it
- Exhale as you lift one foot and bring your knee toward the outside of the ipsilateral (same side) elbow.
- Keep your leg parallel to the floor as you move, focusing on 'crunching' your side to bring the knee forward.
- Inhale as you return your foot to the starting position with control, avoiding any hip sagging.
- Repeat the movement on the opposite side and continue alternating at a slow, controlled tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips level and square to the floor; do not let them rotate or pike up.
- Ensure your knee travels laterally (out to the side) rather than underneath your chest.
- Maintain a neutral neck by gazing at a point on the floor about 6 inches in front of your hands.
- Keep your shoulders stacked directly over your wrists throughout the entire set.
Pro tips
- Imagine trying to touch your knee to your shoulder to maximize the contraction in your obliques.
- Actively push the floor away with your hands to keep your shoulder blades spread and your upper back engaged.
- Pause for one second at the peak of the movement to increase time under tension for the core.
Make it harder
- Perform the movement from a low plank (forearms) to increase the difficulty of the lateral knee drive.
- Add a push-up simultaneously as the knee comes forward to transition into a Spiderman Push-up.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the spiderman plank work?
- The spiderman plank primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the adductors, deltoids, glutes, hip flexors, pectorals, quadriceps, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the spiderman plank?
- The spiderman plank requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the spiderman plank good for beginners?
- The spiderman plank is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.