Copenhagen plank
How to do the Copenhagen plank, six levels from the easiest hold to the full exercise, and how long to hold it. Then what the groin injury studies found, and what they did not.
How to do it, in one line
On your side on your forearm, top leg on a bench, lift your hips until your body is straight and bring your bottom leg up to meet the bench. Start with the knee on the bench; the foot is harder. Both sides, the same number each.
Copenhagen plank levels
Start with the knee on a low box and the bottom knee down, and finish with the full exercise. These are the six levels a 2019 study took 25 professional footballers through over eight weeks, twice a week: their adductors got about a quarter stronger, with little soreness.
Level 1
Knee up, knee down
Top knee on a low box, bottom knee on the floor. Lift your hips into one line and hold.
Week 1: 2 sets of 6 holds a side, 20 s each
Level 2 · our clip
Knees together
The same, then lift the bottom leg off the floor and bring your knees together. This is our clip.
Week 2: 2 sets of 6 holds a side, 20 s each
Level 3
Foot up, foot down
Top foot on the box instead of the knee, bottom foot on the floor. Lift and hold.
Week 3: 3 sets of 6 holds a side, 20 s each
Level 4
Long and together
Top foot on the box, bottom leg up to meet it: the long Copenhagen plank.
Week 4: 3 sets of 8 holds a side, 20 s each
Level 5
Box at hip height
The same hold with the top foot raised to hip height.
Week 5: 3 sets of 8 holds a side, 20 s each
Level 6
The full Copenhagen
A partner holds your top leg at hip height. Lower your hips to the floor and lift them back, slowly.
Weeks 6 to 8: 3 sets of 6, then 8, then 10 a side, 3 s up and 3 s down
Does the Copenhagen plank prevent groin injuries?
It is linked to fewer groin problems, not none. In football, an adductor programme built on the Copenhagen exercise cut groin problems by 41% against usual training. The evidence is moderate, it counted every kind of groin problem, and we found no study of it in rugby.
| Study | Who | What they found |
|---|---|---|
| A 2020 statement grading the evidence | Football players, randomised trials | 41% fewer groin problems with a Copenhagen adductor programme; moderate quality evidence; no trial of adductor strains on their own |
| Polglass and colleagues, 2019 | 25 senior professional footballers, 8 weeks | Adductors 24% and 25% stronger (left, right), the outside of the hip 10% and 13%, with low soreness |
In the app it sits in the Hip and Knee Bulletproofing classes, with the rest of the work that keeps a player training. For the back of the thigh, see the Nordic hamstring curl.
Sources
- Polglass G, Burrows A, Willett M. Impact of a modified progressive Copenhagen adduction exercise programme on hip adduction strength and postexercise muscle soreness in professional footballers. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2019;5:e000570.
- Ishøi L, Krommes K, Husted RS, et al. Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of common lower extremity muscle injuries in sport: grading the evidence. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54:528.
Copenhagen plank questions
How do you do a Copenhagen plank?
To do a Copenhagen plank, lie on your side on your forearm with your top leg resting on a bench, then lift your hips until your body is in one line and bring your bottom leg up to meet the bench. Start with the top knee on the bench; the foot is harder.
What muscles does the Copenhagen plank work?
The Copenhagen plank works the adductors, the muscles on the inside of the thigh that pull your legs together. Your trunk works too, holding your body in one line. In a study of professional footballers, eight weeks of it made the adductors about a quarter stronger.
What is an easier version of the Copenhagen plank?
The easier version of the Copenhagen plank puts the top knee on the bench instead of the foot, which shortens the lever, and keeps the bottom knee on the floor for support. A 2019 study built players up through six levels, from that hold to the full exercise.
How long should you hold a Copenhagen plank?
Hold a Copenhagen plank for about 20 seconds at a time. In the 2019 study, players did 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 holds a side, twice a week, about a week at each level, before moving on to the moving version with 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down.
Does the Copenhagen plank prevent groin injuries?
The Copenhagen exercise is linked to fewer groin problems, not none. In football, an adductor programme built on it cut groin problems by 41% against usual training, with moderate quality evidence. No trial has looked at adductor strains on their own, and none in rugby that we could find.
Should you do the Copenhagen plank on both sides?
Do the Copenhagen plank on both sides, the same number each. The studies count every set per side, so a session of 3 sets is 3 sets on your left and 3 on your right.
Train for it with Elite Rugby App
Elite Rugby App's classes put the Copenhagen plank, the Nordic and the rest of the work that keeps you training into your week, built with professional players and coaches.
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