Copenhagen Plank Benefits for Hip, Knee & Groin Strength
Last week I shared my thoughts on collagen and how I personally found it helpful for managing some knee pain.
But I also recognize—not everyone wants to rely on supplements.
So this week, I wanted to go in a different direction and give you something simple, practical, and completely free:
👉 An exercise you can start using right away.
Because as we head into May, this is typically when activity levels ramp up—more golf, tennis, running, soccer…
And with that?
👉 A spike in aches, pains, and injuries.
Not because these activities are bad—but because we often ask our bodies to do more… without preparing them for it.
One of the most effective (and overlooked) ways to address this in addition to warming up properly?
👉The Copenhagen Plank
*Be sure to read to the end to learn how to join our May Copenhagen Challenge and download your free tracking sheet.
🧠 What Is the Copenhagen Plank?
The Copenhagen plank is a side-lying isometric exercise that targets the inner thigh muscles (adductors)—a group of muscles that play a major role in:
- Hip stability
- Knee alignment and control
- Pelvic stability
- Cutting, pivoting, and directional change
In simple terms:
👉 These muscles help control how your body handles movement under load.
And when they’re undertrained, they can become a weak link—especially during sport, running, or dynamic movement.
🔬 Why This Exercise Matters (What the Research Shows)
The Copenhagen plank has been studied extensively in sport performance and injury prevention settings.
Research consistently shows it is highly effective at:
👉 Increasing inner thigh (adductor) strength
👉 Addressing a known risk factor for groin injuries
One well-known study in soccer players found that teams who included Copenhagen-style adductor training experienced:
👉 A significant reduction in groin-related problems over the season
That said, it’s important to be honest about the research:
👉 Not all studies agree on direct injury prevention outcomes
👉 The strongest and most consistent finding is improved adductor strength
So rather than calling this a “magic injury prevention exercise,” a more accurate way to think about it is:
It strengthens a commonly undertrained muscle group that plays a key role in hip and knee stability.
And when you strengthen weak links in the body?
👉 You improve resilience.
🧩 How to Perform the Copenhagen Plank (Progressions & Regressions)
One of the biggest mistakes people make with this exercise is jumping straight to the hardest version.
Instead, we scale it based on ability and control. Watch the video for exercise demonstration and additional helpful cues.
🔹 Level 1 – Beginner (Activation / Entry Level)
- Bottom knee on the floor, in a bent knee side plank
- Top leg supported by a firm ball or yoga block
- Squeeze the object for stability and increased activation
- 👉Lift and perform 5 x 5-second squeezes per side
Focus:
👉 Control, activation, and learning position
🔹 Level 2A – Intermediate (Static Hold)
- elbow on floor
- Top knee bent and supported on a bench
👉 Lift and bring bottom knee up holding 15–30 second hold per side
Focus:
- Balance
- Hip control
- Staying stacked (no collapsing forward/back)
🔹 Level 2B – Intermediate (Isometric Repeats)
- Top knee on bench (bent position)
👉 5 x 5-second controlled holds per side
Focus:
- Strength under control
- Clean contractions, with some dynamic movement
🔹 Level 3 – Advanced
- Ankle on bench (full lever position)
👉 15–30 second static hold per side
Focus:
- Full-body tension
- Core + hip stability
- Controlled breathing and alignment
🔄 Why We Recommend 2–3x Per Week (Not Daily)
This is one of the most important parts of the program.
More is not always better—especially when it comes to stabilizer training.
🧠 1. Adults 40+ (Recovery & Joint Sensitivity)
For many adult clients:
- Recovery takes longer
- Tissue tolerance is different than it used to be
- Daily loading can shift from productive → irritating
So instead of accelerating results, daily work can actually:
👉 Increase soreness
👉 Reduce consistency
👉 Lead to overuse rather than adaptation
That’s why we recommend strategic exposure, not daily repetition.
🧠 2. Youth Athletes (Already High Training Load)
For younger athletes:
Yes—they often recover quickly.
But they are also:
- Training multiple times per week
- Playing games and practices
- Doing strength/conditioning work
So adding more isn’t always better.
Instead, the goal is:
👉 Support performance without interfering with sport recovery
🎯 Who Can Benefit from the Copenhagen Plank?
While often used in sport performance environments, this exercise is valuable well beyond competitive athletes.
It can be beneficial for:
- Recreational runners
- Golfers
- Tennis and pickleball players
- Soccer, basketball, and field sport athletes
- General fitness clients
In fact, the Copenhagen plank is commonly included in Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) golf training systems due to its ability to improve:
👉 Hip stability
👉 Pelvic control
👉 Rotational strength and balance
🧠 Real-World Experience: What People Notice in 1 Month
Beyond research, real-world feedback from people completing a 4-week Copenhagen plank challenge often includes:
- Improved inner thigh strength and control
- Better hip and knee stability during movement
- Increased awareness of alignment during exercise
- Feeling “more stable” during running or lateral movement
Many also report:
👉 It feels very challenging at first
👉 But becomes noticeably more controlled within a few weeks
This is consistent with how quickly the adductor muscles adapt when they are specifically trained.
🎯 Your May Challenge
Here’s your simple challenge for the month of May:
👉 Choose your Copenhagen plank level
👉 Perform it 3x per week
👉 Stay consistent for 4 weeks
Where to put it so it’s not “another” thing to do:
- As a part of a regular training day: 1 set, Part of your activations in warm-up, 2 sets at cool down
- Added at the end of your regular training session (rolling in between each set for recovery)
- Or used as a quick “movement snack” on off days (and in 1-2 min recovery rolling in between each set) or sprinkle each Copenhagen set throughout the day
Keep it simple. Keep it consistent. Track it on our downloadable Copenhagen Challenge sheet.
🔚 Final Thought
Sometimes the biggest difference comes from:
👉 Training the small, often-overlooked muscles
👉 simple, consistent effort over time
The Copenhagen plank is one of those tools.
Simple. Scalable. Highly effective when applied consistently.
👉Ready to take this on?
Download your May Copenhagen Challenge tracker to stay consistent and see your progress over the month.
And if you’re not currently a PI client but are curious how we help athletes and adults 40+ look, perform, and feel their best, we’d love to connect—reach out to book an assessment.
📩 Email info@pitraining.ca to book an assessment and learn how we can help.