The Copenhagen Plank is a highly effective exercise that strengthens the inner thigh and core muscles. This specialized plank variation is praised by coaches and physical therapists for its powerful results in injury prevention and performance enhancement. The distinctive geographical name often leads people to wonder about the exercise’s origins and why it is tied to the capital of Denmark.
The Mechanics and Function of the Exercise
The Copenhagen Plank is a modified side plank that intensely engages the hip adductors, the muscles of the inner thigh. In its standard form, the upper leg is elevated and supported on a bench or similar surface, while the lower leg is suspended. The adductors of the supported leg must contract powerfully to maintain the body’s straight alignment and prevent the hips from dropping.
This demanding posture emphasizes developing eccentric adductor strength, which is the muscle’s ability to resist lengthening under tension. Simultaneously, the exercise is highly effective for strengthening the obliques and other trunk muscles that stabilize the torso. This dual action on the adductors and the lateral core builds robustness in the hip and pelvic region.
The Naming Origin of the Copenhagen Plank
The exercise owes its name to the city where it was scientifically investigated and formally introduced as an injury prevention protocol. This specific adduction exercise was developed by sports medicine researchers in Copenhagen, Denmark, to address the high incidence of groin injuries in high-risk sports.
Studies identified a strong link between weakness in the hip adductor muscles and the prevalence of groin strains, particularly among male football (soccer) players. The research focused on the efficacy of a dedicated adductor strengthening regimen featuring this side-plank variation, often called the Copenhagen Adduction Exercise.
Implementation of the protocol demonstrated significant results in reducing the risk of groin problems. For instance, one study involving male soccer players showed a reduction in groin injury rates by as much as 41%.
Because the exercise protocol was developed, rigorously tested, and published by researchers in Copenhagen, the name became permanently associated with the city. The Copenhagen Plank is not named after an inventor, but rather the birthplace of its scientific proof as a powerful tool for athletic injury prevention.