Master the Side Plank: Elite Core Stability for Basketball
The Side Plank is a fundamental activation drill essential for players of all levels who want to improve their physical durability and on-court balance. While often overlooked, this exercise targets the lateral core and hip stabilizers that power your defensive slides and help you absorb contact while driving to the rim. By mastering this static hold, you establish the structural integrity needed for elite ball handling and consistent shooting mechanics.
How to Perform This Drill
- Setup: Lie on your right side on the floor with your legs fully extended and your feet stacked directly on top of one another.
- Align: Position your right elbow directly under your shoulder to create a stable base of support, keeping your forearm flat against the ground.
- Engage: Brace your core muscles as if you are about to take a punch to the gut, and squeeze your glutes tight.
- Lift: Drive your hips off the floor until your body forms a perfectly straight line from your ears down to your ankles.
- Hold: Maintain this rigid position for 25 seconds without letting your hips sag toward the floor or rotate forward.
- Switch: Lower your hips with control, roll over to your left side, and repeat the process for the second rep.
Why This Drill Works
In basketball, your core is the transmission system that transfers power from your legs to your upper body. The Side Plank specifically builds anti-lateral flexion strength, which prevents your torso from collapsing when a defender bumps you on the perimeter or in the post. By strengthening the obliques and hips, you improve your ability to stay low in a defensive stance and maintain vertical balance during your jump shot, leading to a higher release point and better accuracy under fatigue.
Pro Tips
- Check Your Neck: Keep your head neutral and eyes looking straight ahead; looking down at your feet disrupts your spinal alignment and weakens the hold.
- Don't Sag: Imagine there is a flame underneath your hip that you need to stay away from—keep driving that bottom hip toward the ceiling to fully activate the obliques.
- Breathe Through It: Do not hold your breath; take controlled, deep breaths to train your core to remain braced while oxygenating your muscles, simulating late-game exertion.
- Add Complexity: Once you can hold a perfect plank for 45 seconds, increase the difficulty by lifting your top leg (abduction) to simulate the stability needed for single-leg explosions and layups.
