Perform a controlled lateral bend of the torso to load the abdominal muscles through side-to-side spinal flexion.
How to do the Side Bend#
- Stand with feet about hip-width apart and brace your core.
- Keep your hips steady and slide one hand down the outside of the same-side thigh, bending only at the waist toward that side.
- Pause briefly at the end range without rotating the torso, then inhale and return under control to the upright position.
- Complete the prescribed reps on one side, then switch and repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Obliques (External & Internal Obliques)
- Secondary: Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Lower back (Erector Spinae)
Common mistakes#
- Rotating the chest instead of bending directly to the side.
- Letting the hips shift laterally or rotate toward the movement.
- Bending forward or backward rather than maintaining pure lateral flexion.
