One Legged Planks

Single Leg Planks or One Legged Planks

This page looks at the strength training exercise known as One Legged Planks (or Single Leg Planks). This core exercise works on abs and lower back muscles. A strong core can help punching powerkicking power and grappling techniques by improving a person’s rotational and twisting power. Strong core muscles can also help a martial artist to better absorb hits (i.e. a punch to the stomach).

One legged planks are more difficult than regular planks given the instability of balancing on one foot. Nevertheless, this instability provides core muscles with an extra workout as a person’s body tries naturally to counter the instability. One legged planks are seen as a precursor to the more difficult Superman plank where a person is balancing on only one arm and one leg.

All stretches and exercises should be supervised by a trained instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. If you have had an injury or are in pain, please see a doctor before starting any stretching or exercise program. For different exercises (i.e. crunches and the bird dog), please visit the main Core Exercises section.

Instructional Video for One Legged Planks