Side Plank Duel | Friends

Quick Intro

Side Plank Duel is a side plank contest played on both sides. Two people hold a side plank at the same time, and the first one whose hips drop loses that side. Then both switch to the other side and hold again. The winner is the person with the longer total time across both sides. How to set up the side plank, with the forearm under the shoulder and the body stacked in a line, is covered at Side Plank. This guide covers the two-sided contest, the break and what the duel shows about each person’s weaker side.

What You’ll Need

Floor space for two people lying on their sides, a little apart.
A mat or soft surface under each supporting forearm.
A timer, since this duel is scored on time.

How to Play

Agree the break standard and any handicap.
Decide which side goes first. Facing each other works well, with both people on the same side so each can see the other’s hips.
Both lift into the side plank. When both are set, one person says “go” and the timing starts.
Hold. No touching or distracting.
The first person to break comes down and notes their time. The other keeps holding until they break too, so each person has their own time for that side.
Rest a couple of minutes, then repeat on the other side.
Add each person’s two times together. The longer total wins.

Because the score is a total, losing one side by a lot can still be made up on the other. That is the point of playing both sides.

What Counts

The round ends on one side when a person’s:

hips sag toward the floor;
hips roll forward or back so the body is no longer stacked;
top foot or free hand comes down to the floor for support;
forearm slides out from under the shoulder.

Facing each other makes the hips easy to see. A slowly sinking hip is the usual break, and it is the one people miss on themselves, so each person calls the other’s.

Making It Fair

A weaker partner can hold the side plank from the knees, a Knee Side Plank, while the stronger partner holds it from the feet. Both still compete on time. With the knees down, the lever is shorter and the hold lasts longer.

Keep the same version on both sides for the whole duel. When the knee-side partner starts winning on both sides, they are ready to move to the feet. More on handicaps is in Training With a Friend.

What the Two Sides Show

Most people are stronger on one side. A duel on both sides makes that easy to see: if one person holds for 50 seconds on the right and 30 on the left, that 20-second gap is worth knowing. It is worth pointing out to each other after the duel. A big difference between sides is a reason to spend a little more time on the weaker side in training. It is not a fault to be teased about.

Staying Safe

Stop if the supporting shoulder hurts. The whole body weight goes through one shoulder, and a sagging hold puts more strain on it. Sharp pain there ends the side at once.
Use a soft surface under the forearm, especially on hard floors.
Breathe steadily. Holding the breath makes the hold feel more desperate without making it last longer.
Rest properly between sides, so the second side is a fair test.

Common Mistakes

Sinking the shoulder. Letting the body hang off the supporting shoulder, with the shoulder creeping up toward the ear, often comes just before the hips drop. Push the floor away through the forearm.
Rolling to rest. Rolling the hips back to rest on the glutes is a break, even if the hips stay up.
Skipping the second side. The contest is the total. Stopping after one side leaves out half the score.

Fitting It Into a Session

A side plank duel suits the middle or end of a session. It pairs well with leg games or a front-of-core hold such as Plank Hold Duel, as long as there is rest between them, since both work the core. Two sides, once each, is a full contest.

Getting Better Over Time

Keep both side totals and both single-side times each time you play. The aim over a few weeks is a longer total and a smaller gap between the sides. Once both partners hold a clean side plank for a long time, try the duel on the Star Side Plank, with the top leg and arm raised, which is much shorter and harder.

Plank Hold Duel is the same contest on the front plank.
Hollow Hold Face-off and Glute Bridge Hold Duel use the same format on other core and hip holds.
Side Plank with Hip Raise turns the hold into a moving exercise, which suits a rep contest more than a duel.

FAQ

Which side should go first?

It does not matter much, as long as both people do the same side together. Some pairs start on the weaker side while they are fresh.

What if each of us wins one side?

That is common. The totals decide it. If the totals are within a second or two, call it a draw.

Is it fair if one of us is much taller?

Height makes the lever a little longer, which makes the hold slightly harder, but strength and endurance decide most duels. If the gap feels unfair, the knee side plank handicap above evens it out.

Related to Side Plank, Knee Side Plank and Plank Hold Duel.