How (and Why) to Make Copenhagen Boards
We last covered the Copenhagen plank in our roundup of the best bodyweight exercises that actually build strength . But it’s an underrated exercise that deserves its own spotlight. The Copenhagen plank is a bit like a side plank: you lean on one hand or elbow, with the other hand off the floor, trying to hold your body rigid. The key to the Copenhagen plank is that you don’t rest your feet or knees on the floor. Instead, you place one leg (the top leg) on a bench. This means you need to use the inner thigh of that top leg to maintain that position. It’s a killer leg exercise, and its benefits go beyond simply adding variety to your workout.
What are the advantages of the Copenhagen board?
This exercise got its name (and moderate popularity) from Danish research that found it helps prevent groin injuries in athletes. Our inner thigh muscles, called the adductors, are responsible for bringing our legs together. These muscles also act as stabilizers during running and other athletic activities. Because the adductors are thin and can be prone to tears or strains, researchers used the Copenhagen plank to strengthen the adductors.
It worked: Programs incorporating this “Copenhagen adductor exercise” strengthened the adductor muscles in male soccer players , and while it’s not a cure-all for groin strains, it does seem to help. Besides strengthening the adductors, the Copenhagen plank also incorporates elements of the regular side plank, meaning it has the side effect of strengthening various core muscles, including the obliques. Even the abductors, the muscles on the outer thighs, seem to benefit from training this exercise.
(And yes, these two words are very similar. The hip abductors move your leg away from your body, like aliens abducting you from Earth. The hip adductors pull your legs toward your body’s midline; the two “D”s in the middle will help you remember that they bring your legs together.)
How exactly do I make a Copenhagen board?
The basic idea is to support your upper body on your forearm or hand, and rest your leg on a bench or other object. In team training, a partner can stand and hold your leg while you perform the exercise.
Start by trying to keep your foot firmly planted on the support. The sequence of exercises is as follows, from easiest to most difficult:
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Knee or hip on a bench
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Shin or foot on a bench
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Lower your hips to the ground and then return to the starting position, repeating several times. (This can be done in any position.)
While planks are often performed for increasingly longer periods of time, you don’t have to stick to this approach to reap the benefits of the Copenhagen plank. Try holding the pose for 10 seconds, repeating three times with rests between sets as needed. Once this becomes easy, try a more challenging variation.
What if I can’t make a Copenhagen board?
If you can’t perform any of the variations described above, even the one where your knee rests on the bench, you can make the exercise easier by leaving your free leg on the floor. Lift your hips primarily with your top leg, but use the support of your bottom leg for better control.
If you’re still uncomfortable, you may need to try side planks (with your knees supported) to strengthen your core and explore other adductor exercises. This resistance band exercise is a good start, and you can also try single-leg movements, such as step-ups, to work your adductors along with the rest of your leg muscles.