Description
This exercise combines a side plank with a rear fly movement, targeting your core and upper body simultaneously.
How to Do Dumbbell Side Plank with Rear Fly
- 1Setup
Lie on your side, supporting your body on your forearm directly under your shoulder and stacking your feet. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core.
- 2Setup
Hold a dumbbell in your top hand, letting it hang straight down towards the floor with your palm facing your body.
- 3
Engage your obliques and glutes to maintain a stable side plank position, preventing your hips from dropping.
- 4
Slowly raise the dumbbell out to the side in an arc, squeezing your shoulder blade and keeping a slight bend in your elbow, until your arm is roughly parallel to the floor.
- 5
Control the movement as you slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, resisting gravity throughout the descent.
Tips
- Maintain Core Stability: Focus on keeping your hips high and your core tight throughout the entire movement to prevent sagging and maximize oblique engagement.
- Controlled Movement: Avoid using momentum to swing the dumbbell; the movement should be slow and controlled, emphasizing muscle engagement over speed.
- Shoulder Blade Squeeze: Initiate the fly movement by thinking about squeezing your shoulder blades together, rather than just lifting the arm, to better target the rear deltoids and upper back.
Common Mistakes
- ×Sagging Hips: Allowing your hips to drop towards the floor reduces core engagement; actively push your hips up and forward to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
- ×Using Momentum: Swinging the dumbbell up quickly relies on momentum rather than muscle; perform the fly slowly and deliberately to isolate the target muscles.
- ×Arching Back: Arching your lower back during the plank puts undue stress on your spine; keep your core braced and glutes squeezed to maintain a neutral spine.
Variations
Plank Jack Slide with Towel
Boost core strength and stability with the Plank Jack Slide. Engage your abs, obliques, and glutes in this dynamic, low-impact exercise using a towel.
Dumbbell Side Bridge
Strengthen your obliques, gluteus medius, and entire core with the Dumbbell Side Bridge.
Dumbbell Plank Pass Through
Strengthen your core and obliques with the Dumbbell Plank Pass Through. This dynamic exercise combines a plank hold with lateral dumbbell movement,
Dumbbell Front Plank Arm Raise
Strengthen your core, shoulders, and back with the Dumbbell Front Plank Arm Raise. This dynamic plank variation improves stability and muscular endurance.
Related Exercises
Kneeling plank
Strengthen your core with the kneeling plank, a modified plank that builds abdominal endurance and stability.
One Arm Front Plank
Challenge your core stability and strengthen your obliques and rectus abdominis with the One Arm Front Plank.
Plank on Hands
Strengthen your core, shoulders, and hips with the Plank on Hands. This fundamental bodyweight exercise builds full-body stability and endurance.
Dumbbell Wood Chop Squat
Engage your core, legs, and shoulders with the dumbbell wood chop squat. This dynamic exercise builds rotational power and full-body strength.
Assisted Standing Triceps Dip
Build triceps strength with machine assistance that lets you focus on proper dip form at a manageable load.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
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