08/09/2025
I utilize this side plank with hip abduction exercise during the mid-to-late stages of running rehabilitation and introduce it as a benchmark for lateral core and hip strength for my coaching athletes.
A benchmark for this exercise I use is performing the full movement for 15 repetitions with 5% of body weight on the ankle (or foot which is progression) and 20% of bodyweight on the torso. For an 180lb runner, this would be 9lbs on each ankle/foot and 36lbs on the torso using a weight vest.In this article and series,
I’ll demonstrate the full position as well as describe several regressions I’ll frequently use with my running specific physical therapy and coaching clients.
Based on a study by Boren et al. in 2011, the side plank with hip abduction exercise has phenomenal EMG activation of the gluteus medius muscle eliciting 89% of its maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for the top leg and 103% of its MVIC for the bottom leg. If an exercise has greater than 100% of MVIC it means there was more muscle activity than the test used to calculate MVIC which is usually an isometric exercise as they have been shown to elicit very high EMG activity.
The full movement can be very difficult for distance runners unaccustomed to strength training and regressions are frequently utilized over a period of weeks, or months, until the full movement can be performed.
