Copenhagen Plank

The Copenhagen plank is a side plank where your top leg rests on a bench and your adductors hold you up. It loads the groin in a way almost nothing else does, which matters because adductor strains are one of the most common injuries in skating, kicking, and cutting sports. It is harder than it looks. Start with the short lever version, where your knee rests on the bench instead of your foot, and earn the full version.

How to Perform

1. Lie on your side next to a bench with your top leg resting on it.
2. For the short lever version, place the inside of your top knee on the bench.
3. Set your bottom elbow under your shoulder and stack your hips and shoulders.
4. Press the top leg down into the bench and lift your hips until your body is a straight line.
5. Hold for the prescribed time, keeping the bottom leg off the floor or lightly tucked.
6. Lower under control and switch sides.

Tips

• Start with the knee on the bench. Move to the ankle only when you can hold thirty seconds clean.
• Do not let the hips sag or roll backward. Stop the set when the line breaks.
• Three sets of fifteen to thirty seconds per side is a solid starting dose.
• If you feel a sharp pull in the groin, stop. This is a strength drill, not a stretch.