BENEFITS: Abductors, Inner Thighs, Core, Stability

START POSITION: Lie on your side with one elbow planted into the ground right below your shoulder. Keep your legs and feet together with your lower heel raised off the ground. Your back should be perfectly straight and your bodyweight supported by your elbow and your lower foot. Put the other hand on your hip as shown in the picture. Your lower forearm should be pointing out at 90° to your body.

NOTES: Difficulty Rating: 85%

I classify the Side Plank Scissors as an advanced level exercise. Most people find regular planks difficult, and side planks slightly more difficult, but the Side Plank Scissors is even harder again, and is actually a combination of 2 fairly tricky exercises rolled into one.

Back in the day, young men would go to the gyms that I frequented and quickly become obsessed with the ‘macho’ areas such as Chest, Biceps, Triceps, etc. Then they spend too much time on these areas and forget to balance out their training with less obvious areas – for example Abs, Core, Abductors, Inner Thigh, Lower Back, Hams, Calves, and Pilates in general. These days, people generally are far more conscious of the need to maintain overall body health regardless of their primary sport of choice.

All types of Side Planks and Scissors movements are examples of exercises which are often overlooked, but oh so beneficial when worked out! The Abductors (and Obliques) are often overlooked. Boxers not only need them for added strength and agility, but also for padded armor against side punches to the ribs.

Below is a great video I found on YouTube which shows a great variation of this exercise using a dumbbell. Note the use of a Pilates mat to remove some pressure from the elbow, which is a good idea especially if you are adding some weight.

Check out this fabulous YouTube video to learn more about the Side Plank Scissors, and if you are a man and think this is for girls, get over it. 🙂