Stand with a resistance band anchored at shoulder height and perform lateral trunk flexion to work the oblique muscles of the waist. Move slowly and control both the bend and the return.
How to do the Band Side Bend#
- Attach the band at about shoulder level and stand side-on with feet hip-width apart, holding the handle in your left hand with the arm extended down.
- Brace your core and keep your hips square; maintain a neutral spine and the shoulders relaxed.
- Exhale as you bend your torso laterally toward the left, lowering the hand toward your knee while keeping the movement in your waist.
- Pause briefly at the bottom of the bend while the obliques are engaged.
- Inhale as you return under control to the upright start position and repeat for the desired reps.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Obliques (External & Internal Obliques)
- Secondary: Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Lower back (Erector Spinae)
Common mistakes#
- Twisting the torso instead of bending straight sideways.
- Shifting the hips or leaning the whole body rather than isolating the waist.
- Using momentum or jerking the torso instead of a controlled motion.
- Raising the shoulder toward the ear instead of keeping it down and relaxed.
