Copenhagen plank
3 holds of 20 s per side, alternating sides, 20 s rest.
- Slot
- Strength
- Focus
- Stability
- Time
- 4 min
- Intensity
- Moderate intensity
- Injury risk
- Low injury risk
- Equipment
- Bench, Floor space
How to do it
Lie on your side next to a bench, propped up on your forearm. Put your top leg on the bench - the knee for the easier version, the foot for the harder one - and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line, with the bottom leg hanging free. Hold 20 seconds, rest 20, and switch sides. Do 3 holds per side. Strengthens the inner thighs for squeezing, drop knees, and wide feet.
Run it now
The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.
Copenhagen plank
0:00 / 3:45
Ready
3:45
6 rounds
3 holds of 20 s per side, alternating sides, 20 s rest.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 6
- rounds
- 20s
- work
- 20s
- rest
- 3:45
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Anyone who squeezes: drop knees, wide bridging, compression problems, heel-toe cams. The adductors are the muscle group climbers use constantly and train almost never, and they're a common source of groin strains on steep ground.
Common mistakes
- Starting with the foot on the bench. The straight-leg version is much harder than it looks. Start with the knee on the bench and earn the foot.
- Letting the hips sag backwards. Body in one line from shoulder to ankle, hips stacked. A dropped hip means the set is over.
- Rushing the switch. Take the twenty seconds of rest. This is a hold, not a circuit.
- Only training one side. Almost everyone has a strong side. Match the weak side and stop there.
How to progress
Knee on the bench, then mid-shin, then foot. Then add hold time to 30 seconds, then add a fourth hold per side. Because it's low risk and low fatigue it fits in every training period, including deloads.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.
Power Explosive moves, momentum and coordination.
Power Endurance Keep your power through one hard move after another.
Endurance Climb longer before you pump out, by moving efficiently.
Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.
Deload Train less, let your fingers recover, keep moving.